The Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI) hosted a Virtual Women and Extractives Journalism Training on Tuesday, 24 September 2024, focusing on equipping women journalists with the tools to report more robustly on gender-specific issues in the extractive sector.
The training was a crucial part of RDI’s efforts to draw attention to the plight of women in mining communities across Nigeria, underscoring the organization’s commitment to amplifying underreported stories of gender inequality and environmental degradation in the extractive industries.
In her opening remarks, Ifeoluwa Komolafe, the Project Officer for RDI, stressed the importance of bringing the unique challenges faced by women in mining communities to light. Despite the minimal representation of women in the extractive sector, she emphasized that women disproportionately suffer the consequences of activities such as oil extraction, mining, and gas processing. Komolafe referenced a 2009 World Bank publication which outlined how women are affected differently than men by these processes, with chemicals from extractive activities affecting women’s reproductive health, among other hazards.
Komolafe highlighted recent findings by RDI which revealed the alarming extent of sexual harassment and exploitation of young girls in Nasarawa State’s mining sites. She noted that women are often forced into manual labor without adequate compensation and that widespread unreported cases of gender-based violence (GBV) are rampant in these communities. The Women and Extractives Journalism Training, she explained, is designed to encourage media practitioners to push for stronger reportage, which could lead to better policy responses.
The second session, led by media strategist Vanessa Adie, focused on Missed Opportunities in Reporting Women in Artisanal Mining. Adie noted that while reports on women in artisanal mining often cover environmental degradation or gender norm defiance, they frequently overlook critical issues such as women’s lack of access to land and mining licenses, as well as their exclusion from key points in the mining process. She outlined how these exclusions perpetuate economic dependence on male family members, hampering women’s ability to reinvest in their businesses or gain financial independence.
Adie also highlighted the severe health risks faced by women in mining, including exposure to chemicals such as mercury and cyanide, leading to maternal and reproductive health complications. Women miners also suffer from physical injuries, mental health issues, and poor living conditions, creating a vicious cycle of poverty and vulnerability.
She called on journalists to delve deeper into the power dynamics that shape these inequalities, suggesting that stronger narratives could help shift societal attitudes and inspire change.
Another speaker, Hauwa Mustapha, a development analyst, presented on *Emerging Trends in the Transition Minerals Sector* in Northern Nigeria, focusing on the socio-economic impacts on women. Mustapha noted that Northern Nigeria holds vast reserves of key minerals such as coal, tin, gold, and limestone. Despite these resources, the region remains mired in poverty, with women bearing the brunt of socio-economic challenges exacerbated by illegal mining, environmental degradation, and weak governance.
Mustapha stressed that women in the North are not only economically marginalized but are also victims of kidnappings, forced marriages, and sexual violence tied to the illicit mining trade. She pointed out that while general statistics on the crises in the North exist, they are not gender-disaggregated, making it difficult to assess the full extent of the gendered impact. Mustapha urged journalists to take a gender-sensitive approach to their reporting, especially in conflict zones, to ensure that women’s voices and experiences are adequately represented.
The training also delved into the environmental and economic consequences of Nigeria’s extractive sector, with journalist Ebere Ekeopara sharing the historical context of coal mining in Enugu State. Ekeopara’s presentation, *Coal Mining in Enugu State: Stories from the Coal Mines*, detailed the harsh conditions faced by coal miners and the long-term impacts on their families, particularly women. She described the difficult manual labor miners endured, the inadequate pay they received, and the health risks they continue to suffer, such as spinal issues and respiratory problems. Ekeopara called for the government to provide pensions and compensation to former miners and their families, who remain trapped in cycles of poverty.
Laura Furones, Lead Author and Senior Advisor to the Land and Environmental Defenders Campaign at Global Witness, during her session gave a compelling presentation about the violent consequences faced by land and environmental defenders globally. Furones shared data from a newly released Global Witness report which revealed that 196 defenders were killed in 2023, bringing the total number of deaths to 2,106 over the past 11 years (2012–2023).
She stressed that Colombia was the deadliest country, with 79 deaths last year, while Indigenous Peoples and Afrodescendants disproportionately bore the brunt of this violence, accounting for 49% of all murders.
Furones highlighted mining as the deadliest industry for defenders, with 25 murders related to mining in 2023 alone. She urged African journalists to focus more on reporting the extractive industry’s impact on local communities, especially in regions where data on violence and environmental degradation is sparse, noting that Africa was underrepresented in the report, except for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). She concluded by calling for more in-depth investigations into the African context, emphasizing that the protection of defenders is critical in preventing further damage to both communities and the planet.
The session concluded with discussions on how to improve media coverage of gender issues in Nigeria’s mining sector. The speakers agreed that sustained media attention could catalyze policy responses, improve working conditions, and alleviate the suffering of women in mining communities.
