12 Gender Justice in the Energy Transition Era …
381
technical skills required by the sector; lack of fair employment and career
advancement policies, coupled with limited career progression opportunities, owing to the large number of men that occupy senior positions
in the industry. Safety and security concerns could also be inhibitors for
women participating in mining.
South Africa, for example, has made great strides in recent years to
address gender disparity. In 2002, the South African Mining Charter was
promulgated to ensure that mining companies included 10% of women
in their total workforce by 2009.
32 Subsequent Mining Charters and
other policies have ensured the sustainable participation of women in the
economy, e.g. requiring greater representation of women in boards and
senior management positions in companies, as ‘Previously Disadvantaged
South Africans’.
33
Today in South Africa, there are many mining companies that have
close to 20% female participation in the workforce, whereas there are
other countries that still do not permit women to be involved in mining,
especially in underground operations. South Africa is now regarded as a
global leader in terms of employing women in the mining and minerals
sectors.
The extractives industry generally classifies the mining sector into two
broad categories; Large Scale Mining (‘LSM’) and Artisanal and Smallscale Mining (ASM). On the one hand, LSM refers to capital-intensive
operations that are carried out by large mining conglomerates who apply
heavy-duty and advanced technological know-how to mine.
34 On the
other hand, ASM refers primarily to informal miners and those who
operate for subsistence as well as those who mine commercially on a
small scale.
32 Broad-Based Socio-Economic Empowerment Charter for the South African Mining Industry
2002 (‘Mining Charter I’).
33 See Amendment of The Broad-Based Socio-Economic Empowerment Charter for the South
African Mining and Minerals Industry 2010 (‘Mining Charter II’), and Broad-Based SocioEconomic Empowerment Charter for the Mining and Minerals Industry 2018 (‘Mining Charter
III’).
34 Francis Kariuki, Geoffrey Kerecha and James O. Kirwa, Handling Extractives Related Grievances
in Kenya. A Judicial Guide for Officers (Strathmore University, Extractives Industry Centre 2019),
3.
381
technical skills required by the sector; lack of fair employment and career
advancement policies, coupled with limited career progression opportunities, owing to the large number of men that occupy senior positions
in the industry. Safety and security concerns could also be inhibitors for
women participating in mining.
South Africa, for example, has made great strides in recent years to
address gender disparity. In 2002, the South African Mining Charter was
promulgated to ensure that mining companies included 10% of women
in their total workforce by 2009.
32 Subsequent Mining Charters and
other policies have ensured the sustainable participation of women in the
economy, e.g. requiring greater representation of women in boards and
senior management positions in companies, as ‘Previously Disadvantaged
South Africans’.
33
Today in South Africa, there are many mining companies that have
close to 20% female participation in the workforce, whereas there are
other countries that still do not permit women to be involved in mining,
especially in underground operations. South Africa is now regarded as a
global leader in terms of employing women in the mining and minerals
sectors.
The extractives industry generally classifies the mining sector into two
broad categories; Large Scale Mining (‘LSM’) and Artisanal and Smallscale Mining (ASM). On the one hand, LSM refers to capital-intensive
operations that are carried out by large mining conglomerates who apply
heavy-duty and advanced technological know-how to mine.
34 On the
other hand, ASM refers primarily to informal miners and those who
operate for subsistence as well as those who mine commercially on a
small scale.
32 Broad-Based Socio-Economic Empowerment Charter for the South African Mining Industry
2002 (‘Mining Charter I’).
33 See Amendment of The Broad-Based Socio-Economic Empowerment Charter for the South
African Mining and Minerals Industry 2010 (‘Mining Charter II’), and Broad-Based SocioEconomic Empowerment Charter for the Mining and Minerals Industry 2018 (‘Mining Charter
III’).
34 Francis Kariuki, Geoffrey Kerecha and James O. Kirwa, Handling Extractives Related Grievances
in Kenya. A Judicial Guide for Officers (Strathmore University, Extractives Industry Centre 2019),
3.