Key stakeholders trained on Gender Impact assessments (GIA)for policies and regulations related to Artisanal and Small-scale Gold mining (ASGM)
On 30th and 31st of July, 2024, AIBIS participated in a training organized by planetGold Uganda together with the Ministry of Labor and Social Development (MGLSD) that took place at Golden Tulip in Kampala. The training was aimed at equipping stakeholders with knowledge on conducting gender impact assessment for especially policies and regulations related to artisanal and small scale gold mining.
AIBIS was represented in the training by Ms. Peruth Atukwatse, the Senior Progamme Officer for Gender and Chemicals Management.
The stakeholders were trained using a toolkit developed by IMPACT Uganda. The toolkit reflects on IMPACT’S commitment to integrating gender and human rights into mineral sector initiatives from projects and programs to policy and legislation including those that support the formalization of the artisanal and small scale mining sector.
While opening the training, Miss Angela Nakafeero, Commissioner for Gender and Women Affairs at the Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development encouraged, Civil society, mining associations and cooperatives, government departments and agencies as well as private sector to use the toolkit to ensure the integration of gender equality in their ASM related projects and policies and approaches to empowering women miners.
“The lack of gender sensitive approaches across the sector leaves women vulnerable, particularly in areas where security and human rights are at risk,” said Miss Nakafeero.
EID Mubarak Mayanja, one of the facilitators of the training from the ministry said the gender impact assessment is very relevant because it helps predict how a project or policy will affect gender relations as well helps designs strategies and measures to minimize and mitigate negative gender impacts of a project/policy.
Atukwatse Peruth of AIBIS while at the training said women continue to face significant barriers in the ASM sector and across other sectors and that therefore a gender impact assessment is very crucial at the start of every project. This training for me is timely. She added that in addition to the GIA, the needs assessment of women is also very important so that resources are put where they are most needed.
Peruth also said the development of the ASM sector cannot be sustainable without both and women empowered to participate and determine their future.
The training is one of the activities under the planetGOLD project being implemented by IMPACT Uganda together with NEMA and Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development .Among other priorities, the project aims to promote representation in participatory and decision making processes and support the overall empowerment of women in the ASM gold value chain, and to ensure the project fosters meaningful participation of women and other vulnerable groups.
