Peasant women and the gendered inequalities in the industry of mining

Abstract

Abstract The mining industry in Peru - as well as in many resource-rich countries of the global South - is of great economic and social importance, particularly in remote regions where mineral deposits are often located. The academic literature has so far neglected analysing how women in these regions are affected by the industry. As such, it is relevant to study the gendered conflict surrounding the activity and invisibility of women in the mining industry, as well as their proposals, demands, and needs, with a focus on environmental and social concerns. This study analysed the experiences of peasant women from Peruvian Andes communities in environmental governance processes in mining contexts as they sought to exercise their citizenship within the mining industry and public spaces. Using a qualitative approach involving a focus group and panel discussions, the experiences and perceptions of the women who are part of the participatory environmental monitoring and surveillance committees (PEMSC) were considered. This paper highlights gendered inequalities concerning the benefits of mining, the process of change in the social dynamics of mining communities, and political claims for a better social arrangement, with social, political, economic, and ecological considerations from the women’s point of view.