International Women’s Day: Australian High Commissioner to Ghana calls for improved technologies to bridge gender gap in the mining sector

The Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, Berenice Owen-Jones, has called for the development of new mining technologies and the delivery of online training to bridge the gender gap in large scale mining, which remains one of the most male-dominated fields in the mining industry.

Even though she believes significant strides have been made to ensure that about 40 to 50 percent of Africa’s total workforce in the small-scale mining and artisanal subsector are women, “there is still some way to go” to ensure the realization of a higher-level of women’s participation.

Speaking at the annual women in mining breakfast meeting held to commemorate International Women’s Day 2023, the High Commissioner said, “This year’s IWD theme provides us with an opportunity to reflect on how the digital age can contribute to the elimination of all forms of disparity and inequality – including in mining. This could be through the development of new mining technologies, the delivery of online training, and much more.”

The theme for the 2023 International Women’s Day celebration is DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality. And by collaborating with Women in Mining Ghana on its inaugural mentoring program, the Australian High Commission hopes to provide mentorship for women in mining as part of their contribution to advancing women empowerment.

Berenice Owen-Jones further reiterated the Australian Government’s commitment to being at the forefront of efforts to empower women and girls and promote gender equality.

“Australia concentrates efforts in areas where there are persistent challenges to achieving gender equality, including ending violence against women and girls, advancing women’s economic empowerment, and enhancing women’s voices in decision-making, leadership, and peace-building,” she added.