The Australian High Commission has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing gender equality and expanding opportunities for women in Ghana’s extractive industry.
The High Commission hosted the 10th anniversary celebration of Women in Mining Ghana (WIM Ghana), an organization that has, over the past decade, championed the inclusion of women in the extractive sector.
WIM Ghana has played a critical role in advocating for women’s participation, coordinating sector-wide activities, and encouraging greater private-sector engagement in promoting gender inclusion across the mining value chain, which aligns with achieving Sustainable Development Goals 5,1,8 and 10.
Data from the Ghana Chamber of Mines in 2023 underscores the persistent gender gap in the industry. Women constitute approximately 9–10% of the large-scale mining workforce, 9%of contractor staff, 10% of junior-level positions, 14% of senior roles, and 21% of professional positions.
These figures highlight the urgent need for stronger structural, policy, and institutional interventions to improve women’s representation and progression within the sector.
Over the years, Women in Mining Ghana has undertaken extensive outreach and capacity-building initiatives, including sensitizing girls to career opportunities in mining, mapping women engaged in artisanal and quarry activities, and advocating for improved conditions and recognition for women in the extractive space.
The organization has also provided mentorship and career guidance to girls at the Junior High School and tertiary levels, while promoting peer mentoring and structured mentorship between junior professionals and senior mining personnel across companies.
Among the key policy proposals advanced by Women in Mining Ghana are the reservation of 15 per cent of viable concessions for women in licensed small-scale mining, 15 per cent of jobs for women within the licensed small-scale mining sector, and 15 per cent of service and supply contracts for women-owned enterprises operating in the industry.
These proposals draw inspiration from successful international frameworks. In South Africa, the revised Mining Charter requires companies to progressively increase women’s participation in the workforce.
In Australia, the Indigenous Procurement Policy mandates that at least three per cent of government contracts go to businesses with 50 per cent or more Indigenous ownership. Meanwhile, Norway has enforced a minimum 40 per cent gender representation on the boards of public companies since 2006, with sanctions for non-compliance.
Women in Mining Ghana has also identified key bottlenecks to gender parity in the extractive sector, including weak enforcement of gender-focused policies, the practice of women fronting for men in concession acquisition, limited access to finance for women-owned mining enterprises, and inadequate implementation of existing regulatory frameworks.
With the passage of Ghana’s Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024, there is growing optimism that women’s participation across key sectors, including mining, will improve.
The law mandates institutions to achieve at least 30 per cent female representation by 2026, a target advocates believe could significantly reshape gender dynamics within the extractive industry if effectively enforced.
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