Shattering Myths: Women Confront Discrimination in Kakamega’s Gold Mines

Kakamega County, Kenya, is a land with abundant gold, but its existence offers a more harsh reality full of inequality. Where you expect the cake to be shared equally among all, some still face discrimination.

For decades, women have been the backbone of artisanal and small-scale gold mining, taking on rudimentary tasks like rock smashing and gold sand washing, yet when it comes to owning shafts or even possessing land with gold deposits, they are sidelined.

I met Khamaya Shimwaka, a 40-year-old woman from the Bushiangala area of Ikolomani, Kakamega County. She was diligently washing stones, hoping to extract gold.

"I was forced into gold mining due to harsh life circumstances," she explained after our initial greetings. "I come from a very poor family background. With no support from my husband, who was often drunk, I had to find a way to support my family of eight."

Unable to rely on her husband or relatives, Shimwaka took on odd jobs like washing clothes to earn a living.

"My jobless husband often beat me when I couldn't provide for the family," she added.

Forced into Gold Mining

The constant abuse forced Shimwaka to leave her marriage with six children. Things worsened when one of her children fell ill, draining her financially. Her manual labor could no longer cover both family needs and medical expenses.

"After my child's death, I was determined to find alternative ways to survive. A friend suggested gold mining, where I could earn around 200-300 Kenyan shillings a day," she said.

Gender Discrimination in the Mining Industry

Shimwaka's situation seemed to go from bad to worse. She faced discrimination in the gold mining sector due to her gender. Local beliefs held that women, especially during menstruation, brought bad luck and could cause accidents in the mines.

"Women are often pressured to sell or lease their land with gold deposits to men, perpetuating gender inequality," Shimwaka explained. "I was told that my presence in the mine would cause the gold to disappear."

Consolata Lubanga, a 52-year-old woman, is another victim of the discrimination faced by women in the 40 years she has spent working in the gold mining industry. Beyond the superstitions surrounding women in mining, Consolata, a mother of four, has endured numerous hardships.

"Men accuse us of being a distraction in the mines," she explained. "They claim our presence confuses them, hindering their focus and increasing the risk of accidents. As a result, we are often barred from accessing the gold shafts."

A report by Women in Mining Kenya (WIMKE) highlights the challenges faced by women in artisanal and small-scale gold mining. They often perform low-paying, labor-intensive tasks and are denied access to lucrative aspects of the industry.

"I'm often forced to buy gold ore from men who control access to the mines. They exploit our lack of knowledge and sell us low-quality ore, leaving us with little or no profit," Shimwaka lamented.

Shimwaka and Consolata now have a reason to smile due to the Migodi ya Usawa project by a locally based organization in Kakamega County called Rising To Greatness, which is focused on enhancing awareness in the community on matters of GBV and inequalities in gold mines and finding solutions to reduce such cases within Ikolomani and Shinyalu sub-counties in Kakamega.

"The project's interventions are centered on changing attitudes, behavior, and values, transforming social norms, increasing the number of marginalized groups informed on SRHR and GBV as a human rights issue, and empowering youth and women small-scale miners to advocate for their socio-economic rights and prevent exploitation and abuse within the mining site," says Yustine Ooko, the project manager for Migodi ya Usawa.

Yustine Ooko, the project manager for Migodi ya Usawa project 

Through sensitization and awareness by Migodi ya Usawa, Shimwaka and Consolata have access to gold shafts, and not only access but also own a shaft through a women's cooperative called Bushiangala Women Group.

"I now have hope that my income will increase, wiping the sorrow I carried along after getting out of my marriage and being forced to take care of my children single-handedly. I now can even pay school fees for my children due to the Migodi ya Usawa project that sensitized me to begin a cooperative where I can save little coins for the sake of my children," says Shimwaka.

On the other hand, Consolata has a ray of hope in the future of mining, as slowly inequalities among women in gold mines are subsiding.

"I am very delighted to own a shaft from which I can get ore that I know has gold, and I have hopes of earning a living and sustaining my family with ease," Consolata said.

Migodi ya Usawa has not only aided women but also men by sensitizing them to incorporate women in mining activities, as they have equal rights that are expected to be exercised with a lot of fairness. People are very well aware of infringements within the workspaces, and telling both men and women within those workspaces about their rights and how to access them will aid them in getting justice from the court of law in case their rights are violated," she adds.

"I am a male champion against unfair treatment and GBV against women in Bushiangala, courtesy of the Migodi ya Usawa project that has sensitized men to allow women to work safely and even own their shafts so that they can earn a living through the same. I sensitize my fellow men to consider equality in the mining sites. Although it is still a challenge, gradual change will eventually come," says Watson Lipwoni.

A ray of hope is with us today due to the availability of the Kenyan constitution that stipulates clear laws that guide against discrimination of any kind, as contained in the Bill of Rights.

According to the Constitution of Kenya, in Chapter Four, Article 41, every worker has the right to fair working conditions; therefore, discrimination against women in mining is a total violation of the law in Kenya, which has the best policies, such as the availability of UNEP and the International Labour Organisation (ILO), with policies that protect Kenyans against infringement of their labour rights," says Easter Okech, a human rights expert with the Kenya Female Advisory Organization (KEFEADO).

Easter Okech, a human rights expert with the Kenya Female Advisory Organization (KEFEADO).

She further explains that women should not face discrimination of any kind, and in case that happens, then justice can be served by the court of law.

"One of the things is that engaging with the ILO is that they are at the highest level of labour rights, talking about the issues of engaging in environmental rights in particular spaces, therefore ensuring that people obtain justice from the court of law.

Rose Muhanda, the county GBV coordinator in Kakamega, posed a challenge to men that not allowing women in the shaft is nothing but a selfish gain.

"Following the campaigns and research conducted in gold mines, it is noted that the reason behind not allowing women in the shaft is nothing but selfish ideas; that when women get to know where the good ores are, they will stop relying on men. This inequality should be highly condemned," she said.

Her remarks echo the persistent challenges of gender inequality and discrimination in mining sites, calling for immediate intervention to address this systemic bias and ensure equal opportunities for all.