This publication is part of IPIS’ Voices from Tanzania series and its edition on “The participation and inclusion of women in Tanzania’s extractive sector”.
In their Voices from Tanzania study Thubutu Africa Initiatives explores the cultural and social factors that hinder women’s involvement in gold mining in Mwakitolyo.
Women have historically contributed to mining activities across the world, yet their roles have often been overlooked or undervalued. Also in Tanzania’s artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector, women face systemic barriers rooted in cultural norms, legal frameworks, and socio-economic structures.
In this study, Thubutu Africa Initiatives (TAI) explores the cultural and social factors that hinder women’s involvement in gold mining in Mwakitolyo, a key artisanal and small-scale gold mining site in Shinyanga region where women represent a significant albeit minority portion of the ASGM labor force.
Using a qualitative research design, including semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions in Mwakitolyo, three key socio-cultural beliefs emerged as major constraints: deep-seated beliefs about gender roles, cultural myths around women in mining sites (including myths around menstruation and pregnancy) and perceptions of the physical incapacity of women.
These constraints limit women’s access to resources, equipment, credit, and technical training, ultimately reducing their economic opportunities and reinforcing social inequality.
In the Mwakitolyo mining community, such barriers have tangible impacts on women’s livelihoods and broader community development, as the study shows.
To address these issues, the study identifies strategies to promote more inclusive and equitable participation in the sector. These include community sensitization, education, and targeted financial support for women miners.
The recommendations
Thubutu Africa Initiatives (TAI) is a Tanzanian non-profit, established in 2014, dedicated to creating lasting social and economic change in African communities. TAI has been working with communities, local governments, religious leaders and other local actors in northern and eastern Tanzania in the areas of health, education, economic strengthening, rights awareness and environmental conservation, in order to see thriving African societies acting with more confidence and less dependency.
This publication has been produced with the financial assistance of the Belgian Directorate- General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid (DGD). The contents of this document can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the Belgian Development Cooperation.
The publication does not represent IPIS’ research or views. It is based on the surveys and analyses conducted by Tanzanian civil society organisations and solely belongs to them.
