International Women in Mining concludes Global WIM Summit

225 representatives from more than 70 WIM organisations across the world benefitted from insightful keynote presentations and participation in thought-provoking workshops and collegial roundtables with key industry experts. The event was carefully coordinated across multiple time zones with simultaneous translation into French and Spanish to make it as inclusive and immersive as possible.

Sponsors included knowledge partner McKinsey and Company, plus the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals (IGF) and Minerals Council Australia.

The Global Summit also saw the launch of the International WIM Alliance, a pioneering initiative designed to leverage the collective strength of WIM organisations in pursuit of gender equality in mining. The publication of the International WIM Alliance Declaration represents a milestone in the journey of the global WIM movement towards improved conditions and opportunities for women in the extractives industry.

Resolutions reached at the Global WIM Summit included:

• A call for a more coordinated approach to globalised advocacy in support of local and national initiatives.
• A call for increased coordination at a global level to fully integrate the WIM agenda.
• A call for increased collaboration among WIM organisations to devise shared guidance, tools and initiatives to facilitate their work in support of women in mining.

The workshops and collegial roundtables produced a common recognition that by improving coordination and joint initiatives between WIM organisations (including the sharing of best practices and the provision of mutual support), a greater transformative impact still could be made in the sector. This concerns key themes and actions such as recruitment and retention of women in STEM, inclusive workplace design and practices, overcoming the data deficit about women in the mining sector and implementation of effective support and mentoring programmes.

In addition, the International WIM Alliance launch provided renewed impetus to efforts to enable the WIM movement to engage as an equal with global regulators, market leaders and policy shapers.

Barbara Dischinger, IWiM Director, said, “Our aim with the Global WIM Summit was to provide WIM organisations with a unique opportunity to network, share their experiences and learn from each other. We are delighted with the success of the event and the progress made towards bringing WIM organisations closer together as a unified movement that speaks with one voice on the issues that matter to all women in mining, worldwide.”

Attendees applauded the event and its outcomes, plus the boost it gave to the global WIM movement and the organisations they lead.

Hon Engr. Janet Adeyemi, Founder and National President of Women in Mining Nigeria, Head of the Technical Team at African Women in Mining and a former member of the Federal House of Representatives of Nigeria, added: “Attending an event of this nature is of great significance and women globally should ensure that they speak with one voice, fired up by 'ubuntu spirit' on common policies and strategies to ensure women’s inclusion in the mining sector.”

Ariana Carrazana Di Lucia, Director of the Education Committee of Women in Mining and Industry Spain, concluded: “These 2 days have been fantastic. Thanks to all participants for sharing so much passion and vocation. Events like this renew the energies of volunteer work that seeks to inspire and empower women worldwide. Congratulations to IWiM as convener, the moderators, participants from so many WIM organisations and the great team who made it possible for us to meet. I hope we can see each other soon in a mine and wish good health to all the WIM community.”

Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/finance-business/04032021/international-women-in-mining-concludes-global-wim-summit/