The Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) has expanded its Women in Mining Communities (WomCom) Scholarship to support more female students, aiming to bridge the gender gap in education and empower women in the mining sector.
The programme, which initially targeted 1,000 female students, will now extend beyond the University of Mines and Technology (UMAT) in Tarkwa, where the first 41 recipients commenced studies in the 2024/2025 academic year. Additional university partnerships will be established to accommodate more beneficiaries.
Speaking at an event to mark International Women’s Day (IWD) 2024 in Accra, MIIF’s acting CEO, Justina Nelson, reaffirmed the organisation’s dedication to increasing educational opportunities for women. She highlighted the initiative as a long-term commitment to fostering a more diverse and inclusive mining workforce.
The mining industry remains heavily male-dominated, with women making up just 9.8% of the total 33,109 employees in the sector as of 2023. MIIF’s investment in education aims to change this dynamic by equipping women with the necessary skills to thrive and lead in the industry.
“Our goal is to ensure that more women, especially those from mining communities, have access to the tools, resources, and support they need to succeed,” Nelson stated.
She stressed that empowering women was not only a moral obligation but an economic imperative, noting that studies confirm women’s education and economic participation drive economic growth and foster more inclusive communities.
Dr. Georgette Barnes Sakyi-Addo, President of Women in Mining Ghana, called for more inclusive policies to enhance gender diversity and ensure equitable opportunities in mining. She noted that while progress had been made, women still face challenges such as bias in hiring, lack of leadership recognition, workplace harassment, and male-centric infrastructure.
For artisanal miners, the challenges are even greater, with serious health risks from chemical exposure requiring urgent intervention.
“We have made strides, but we still have a long way to go. The goal is not just to participate but to lead in shaping the future of mining,” Dr. Sakyi-Addo stated.
She further emphasised the need for more scholarships to encourage girls to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses, ensuring future generations of women can take up technical roles in mining.
