Women, North-South migration and artisanal and small-scale mining in Ghana: Motivations, drivers and socio-economic implications

Dimensions of women’s mobility, livelihoods and vulnerability in artisanal and small-scale mining-induced local economy

“…Besides, the heterogeneous nature of ethnic groups in the area offers diversity in the empirical findings of women in informal ASM spaces. This aligns with the fact that the area is a hotbed for ASM operations which is further fuelled by the influx of migrant women from the northern Ghana who move to the ASM communities in the PBMA to eke out a living (Arthur-Holmes and Abrefa Busia, 2022).…”

“…Based on economic hardships and household poverty, women utilise their agency to benefit from the economic opportunities ASM offers to people in rural communities. This becomes possible because ASM operations, especially informal ASM, does not require skills and knowledge for women to enter into it (Arthur-Holmes and Abrefa Busia, 2022;Ofosu et al, 2022;Nsanzimana et al, 2020). As a result, different groups of women directly participate in ASM operations to meet their needs or construct a livelihood either temporary or permanent.…”

“…The availability of ASM in such a local economy is significant because it provides both direct and indirect employment opportunities, income generation, sustainable rural livelihoods, and enhances poverty reduction (Arthur-Holmes and Abrefa Busia, 2022;Ibrahim et al, 2020;Osei et al, 2021). Some studies even suggest that ASM is the most important non-farm activity in the rural economy that provides support to subsistence farming although this is often not well recognised in the policy space (Hilson, 2016).…”

“…Given the substantial opportunities that the ASM sector offers to women in relation to employment and livelihood building, several empirical studies have examined the reasons for women's involvement in ASM (Arthur-Holmes and Abrefa Busia, 2022;Buss et al, 2017;Osei et al, 2021;Yakovleva, 2007), the specific activities they undertake, opportunities ASM offer them and how that contribute to (rural)socio-economic development (Yakovleva, 2007;Hilson et al, 2018), as well as gender relations and sociocultural dynamics of women's participation (Buss et al, 2020;Eftimie et al, 2012;Ibrahim et al, 2020). Other studies have shed light on the implications of women's involvement in ASM on their income and broader family relations (Arthur-Holmes and Abrefa Busia, 2020; Danielsen and Hinton, 2020;Hinton et al, 2017;Perks and McQuilken, 2020), experiences of human rights abuses, gender-based violence and health risks (Werthmann, 2009;World Bank, 2015) including the impact of temporal bans on ASM activities on women's livelihoods and aspirations (Orleans-Boham et al, 2020;Osei et al, 2021;Zolnikov, 2020).…”