From mine to market – Journey of ASM Women Miners in Kenya

The Artisanal and Small Scale Mining Sector (ASM) employs nearly 45 million people globally, and indirectly around 150 million. This sector has been one of the worst hit since the onset of the pandemic. Mines have closed indefinitely. Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is on the rise. Mine supply chains are being disrupted.

Mining: a male dominated sector

In Kenya, ASM sector employs over 10000 workers, majorly informal and majority of them being women. The mining sector has immense potential to be a core driver of Kenya’s economic revival in the post-COVID-19 era. It would achieve a higher representation of women and gender-inclusive strategies within the sector and lead to safer work practices for women in mining, if correctly managed. However, as it currently stands, gender discrimination is rampant in the sector, which is traditionally male dominated.

Fair share for women miners

Madini TraceChain provides full traceability of the minerals collected ensuring ownership and fair trade for these groups. At Bluegate and Madini TraceChain, we believe BlockChain has the potential to powerfully disrupt many aspects of how African Markets work, and provide trust, transparency, and security to the supply chain. This includes artisans and small-scale miners being part of our inclusive value chain that underpin human health, wellbeing, livelihoods, jobs and sustainable growth. Join our journey at https://madinitracechain.com