By Stella Odueme
Africa / International Women in Mining Africa (WiM-Africa) on Sunday marked Silent 15 of Bilalikoto Honoring the Fallen, an annual continental day of remembrance dedicated to women who have lost their lives in mining accidents across Africa, with particular focus on artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM).
The group also demanded reforms in the sector to safeguard lives.
WiM-Africa said the observance commemorates the tragic deaths of more than 48 artisanal miners most especially women miners who lost their lives in a mine collapse in Bilalikoto, Mali, on 15 February 2025, while working to support their families. Their deaths reflect a broader and recurring pattern of preventable mining tragedies affecting women across multiple African countries.
It recalled that similar incidents have been recorded across the continent. In Obuasi, Ghana, dozens of artisanal miners were killed in mine collapses linked to unsafe underground workings. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, repeated collapses in artisanal cobalt and copper sites in Katanga have claimed many lives, including women working informally. In Zimbabwe, mine collapses in Gwanda and Mashonaland West have resulted in multiple fatalities among informal miners. In Nigeria, collapses in states such as Zamfara, Niger, and Benue have exposed critical gaps in mine safety oversight. In Kenya, recent gold mine collapses in Siaya County have killed women miners, underscoring the regional nature of the crisis.
“Silent 15 of Bilalikoto is not only a memorial—it is a call for urgent, coordinated action to address systemic failures in mining safety, formalization, and accountability. Across Africa, women in ASM continue to operate in hazardous conditions, often outside legal frameworks, without adequate training, protective equipment, emergency response systems, or social protection.”
WiM-Africa emphasized that these deaths are not isolated accidents but symptoms of deeper structural challenges: weak enforcement of safety regulations, limited investment in formalization of ASM, lack of gender-responsive mining policies, and opaque mineral supply chains that disconnect buyers from conditions at mine sites.
The organization called on African Union institutions, national and local governments, mining companies, mineral buyers, development partners, and civil society to prioritize safety as a core pillar of mining governance. This includes formalizing artisanal mining, enforcing safety standards, ensuring compensation for families of deceased miners in line with international practice, strengthening traceability and accountability, and integrating women meaningfully into decision-making processes.
“As Africa positions itself as a key supplier of minerals critical to global development and the energy transition, it cannot ignore the human cost at the source. Women should not lose their lives extracting resources that fuel global economies,” WiM-Africa stated.
Silent 15 of Bilalikoto stands as a continental reminder that remembrance must be matched with reform—and that the future of Africa’s mining sector must be built on safety, dignity, and justice for those who work within it.
