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Gender Aspects of Mining Development: Lessons from Western Australia’s desert settlements

This article examines the gender dynamics in mining development in Western Australia's desert settlements and the impact on indigenous women and the environment. It explores the challenges faced by women in the mining industry and highlights the need for greater consultation and inclusion of women in decision-making processes. The article also discusses the response of NGOs and the mining industry to address these issues.

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Gender Aspects of Mining Development: Lessons from Western Australia’s desert settlements

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  1. Gender Aspects of Mining Development: Lessons from Western Australia’s desert settlements by Silvia Lozeva and Dora Marinova Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute

  2. Mining Industry as Display of Masculinity

  3. Empty Land? “If asked indigenous women will tell you that that every tree has a meaning and a use, warmth and comfort, shelter and shade, healing and food. The land isn’t empty. The bushes and trees are teeming with food for the children. The valleys, the mountains, the great boulders, the sky, the fire, the lighting, the thunder; every part of the land has a message for the people.” (Patricia Kopusar in MacDonald & Walker, 2002, p. 13)

  4. Why Gender Matters? • Gender is culturally and historically developed concept of femininity and masculinity, which explains the power relationship between men and women • Gender shapes the sexual division of labour • Because of gender, women are playing a special role in the environment and managing resources

  5. Women and the Environment • Traditionally women are perceived as being close to nature (essential or socially constructed approach) • Traditional Custodians to the Land • Women comprise half of the population, but are rarely consulted in the decision-making process of mining development

  6. Indigenous Women and the Environment • Passing on indigenous knowledge of century-old traditions • Indigenous communities depend on the land for their survival • Indigenous women see the land as a comfort or shelter abundant with life (not as bare land needed to be discovered and mined)

  7. Mining Development Impacts • Mining affects profoundly the environment and the socio-economic background we live in • Creates barriers to women’s employment • Exacerbate male dominance in Fly in/Fly out practice • Reinforce dominance of patriarchical values, and industry owns traditions

  8. Impacts related to Gender and Mining • Failure to consult with women when negotiating access to land • Undermining women's capacity to provide food and clean water for their families • Increased women’s workload due to the effects of environmental damage • Increasing social and health problems • Discrimination faced by women mine workers

  9. NGO’s Responses to Problems with Mining • International Women and Mining Network • Oxfam’s Women and Mining project • Oxfam Community Aid Abroad: Tunnel Vision: Women, Mining and Communities (2002) • Mines, Minerals and People • The Mines and Community

  10. International Declarations • The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (13 September 2007) • The Kimberley Declaration of Indigenous People to the World Summit on Sustainable Development (2002)

  11. Western Australia’s Mining Industry • In 2007 the revenue from minerals and petroleum industry reached $53.1 billion. • Contributes a massive 86 % ($52.7 billion) towards the State’s exports • Iron ore accounted for 18 per cent of the world’s production market and 98 per cent of Australia’s national production; four refineries are located in Western Australia. • All Australian (and imported) gold is refined in WA

  12. Lessons from Western Australia’s desert settlements • “There are no women with children in the mines” • Staying together, living apart • Leonora: It’s a men’s town • The mine sites remain masculine, uncomfortable work environment for women

  13. The Industry Response to Global Challenges • Mining, Minerals and Sustainable Development • International Council of Mining and Metals

  14. Conclusion The Australian Indigenous Women’s message to both mining companies and governments is: changes must take place, the women are saying let us decide what programs should be financed. Acknowledge our ability to make our own decisions within our own discrete areas. Make it possible for us to meet under our own terms to discuss our own issues and to develop our own programs. We need to look at our families and how we keep our children safe, healthy, to grow them up in a loving environment, to foster their own ambition and aspirations. Support us, the women, to keep and retain our “power" our strength.” (Patricia Kopusar)

  15. Acknowledgement The authors would like to thank the Cooperative Research Centre Desert Knowledge for supporting this research.

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