By Stella Odueme
Women in Mining Africa (WiM-Africa) has extended its deepest condolences to the families affected by the tragic artisanal mine collapse near Kéniéba in Mali’s Kayes region on February 15, 2025.
Reports confirm that at least 48 lives were lost, the majority being women, who were engaged in mining activities as a means of livelihood.
The group lamented that this heartbreaking incident is yet another reminder of the grave risks faced by artisanal miners, particularly women, in the absence of alternative livelihoods, and effective oversight of the artisanal mining value chain.
According to WiM-Africa, the tragedy highlights the urgent need for comprehensive reforms in artisanal mining across Africa as women are disproportionately affected by unsafe mining conditions while striving to provide for their families.
While noting that the lack of safety measures, and economic alternatives has left many women with few viable choices, WiM-Africa stressed that there must be immediate action to improve mining safety, formalize artisanal operations, and empower women with the resources and opportunities necessary to prevent such tragedies in the future.
For instance, WIM maintained that beyond addressing mining safety, there is a critical need for accountability in the artisanal mining value chain as many women working in mining are forced to sell their gold through informal networks, where middlemen and gold buyers exploit them with unfair prices, poor working conditions, and no regard for their safety.
The group bemoaned that the lack of oversight in this supply chain has continued to perpetuate unsafe mining practices and economic disempowerment.
WiM-Africa has thus advocated that the gold trade must be traceable and accountable, ensuring fair pricing, ethical sourcing, and improved working conditions for artisanal miners.
The group stressed unless urgent policy reforms and alternative livelihood opportunities are provided, these cycles of tragedy will continue.
“It is imperative for authorities to take decisive action to regulate artisanal mining, provide safer working conditions, and develop long-term economic solutions that protect women and their families.”
To avert future occurrence, WiM-Africa for immediate measures such as regulation and formalization whereby Governments must formalize artisanal mining operations, ensuring all sites are registered, monitored, and adhere to minimum safety standards.
Others are; safety training and equipment by providing comprehensive safety training and protective equipment to all artisanal miners to minimize risks; alternative livelihood programs by supporting economic alternatives for women through entrepreneurial programs, microfinance, vocational training, and value addition initiatives to reduce dependence on unsafe mining work; community engagement and policy enforcement to ensure local communities actively participate in mining policies and regulatory frameworks to safeguard their interests and hold decision-makers accountable for enforcing mining safety laws.
Also, WiM-Africa canvassed accountability and regulation of gold buyers and middlemen byl establishing a traceable gold supply chain to register and regulate all middlemen and gold buyers to ensure fair pricing and ethical sourcing among other measures.
