The project is funded by ITSCI Associate Member TPV Technology and includes five key components including awareness-raising about the DRC Mining Code; Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) training; OHS risk monitoring and mitigation; support of women-owned businesses and awareness-raising on gender; and research on disabilities in Artisanal and Small–Scale Mining. Read more about the project here.

In Maniema, the project was warmly welcomed by local stakeholders, with the local multi-stakeholder committees (Comités Local de Suivi, CLS) playing a pivotal role in facilitating the integration of activities within the province. The Provincial Minister of Mines also commended the implementation in Maniema, acknowledging the numerous challenges facing the mining sector, and assuring his full support to guarantee the success of the project.

The project’s activities in Maniema have already begun to make a tangible impact. In ITSCI-monitored mine sites Atondo and Salukwango, awareness sessions on human rights, gender equality, and the fight against gender-based violence have started to transform perceptions and practices.

Atondo, towards a more inclusive mine for women

In Atondo mine, Kalima, Pangi territory, women working in artisanal mining faced discriminatory practices rooted in local beliefs of which the most widespread was the prohibition of women to cross a drain within the mining site. This practice, considered taboo, limited their mobility and their equal participation in mining activities.

As part of awareness raising efforts on gender equality in mining, ITSCI field team brought together miners, community leaders and members of the local Comité Local de Suivi. Discussions focused on women’s rights in mining, including the right to work as noted in the DRC Mining Code, safety, and non-discrimination.

Several participants acknowledged that certain practices had no legal or rational basis, and community leaders present committed to spreading the message among their families and friends to put an end to such discrimination. Soon after, women reported that they now have greater freedom of movement on site and feel more recognised as participants in mining operations.

One women miner said: ‘Before, they said that women should not cross the drain, otherwise production would decline. Today, we understand that this was just a belief and today, we work together.’

Interview with a woman miner in the Atondo mine next to a drain, October 2025

Thanks to this awareness-raising, perceptions of women’s role in mining are beginning to change in the Atondo mine. The dialogue established between men and women promotes better mutual understanding and helps to create a more inclusive working environment.

Women artisanal miners at Chantier 12 mine site: from marginalisation to recognition of their role in mining

At chantier 12, a semi-industrial mining waste recycling mine site, Kalima, Pangi territory, women make up the majority of artisanal miners. Despite their significant contribution to the local economy, their active participation in the sector was neither valued nor understood, often confining them to secondary or precarious roles and facing discrimination as well as sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

As part of the project’s efforts to raise awareness on women’s rights, their role and the risks associated with SGBV, ITSCI field teams organised several discussions with local miners, addressing topics such as equal opportunities, the dignity of women’s work and their economic contribution.

Two women from the community spoke about the impact of these sessions: “Thank you for thinking of us, because many men and even some women in the city have a negative view of our presence in the mine. These awareness-raising sessions help to clarify our role and our contribution to the small local economy. We are beginning to feel valued, listened to and recognised.”

Awareness-raising on women’s rights in the mine, their role and the risks associated with GBV at Chantier 12, Salukwango, September 2025