Adapted from Beyondthemine.com
Newmont Ghana is committed to achieve greater gender equality at our Ahafo
mine. We want to increase the number of women in all areas of our operation,
partly to correct the traditional imbalance in the mining industry, and partly
because there are now many, well-qualified Ghanaian women professionals in
mining.
In Ahafo, women make up 51 percent of the population, and 68 percent of
households declared as vulnerable after resettlement are headed by women. The
mine partners with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to share best
practices, and support gender mainstreaming and empowerment programs.
Traditionally, women are not allowed to speak in community meetings or
formal negotiations that were run by chiefs. But, as women lost their farming
livelihoods through resettlement, it was imperative the mine consulted with
them about economic opportunities.
To address this, the operation formed a 75-member Women's Consultative
Committee, who provides input on livelihood and social responsibility
initiatives created by the mine. Members also work to access funding, receive
training and build enterprises as well.
About 9 percent of Ahafo's work force is women, primarily working in
clerical, technical and operation-related positions. However, 35 percent of the
mobile truck operators are female. Victoria Bleppony, planning engineer, is
Ghana's first female mine engineer. At Ahafo, she is in charge of short-term
production planning and supervises six employees.
"I've always wanted to champion the women in the mining group,"
she said. "In our traditional setting, the women's place is perceived to
be in the kitchen."
In addition to her mining experience, Bleppony has a master's degree in
mineral law and policy, which she earned on scholarship in the United Kingdom.
She was featured on local television and has made several classroom
presentations. Many women approach her to thank her for her encouragement of
their careers in mining.
"Newmont is the first big company in Ghana to be hiring women like
this," she said.
