Why gender matters - Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining ...

2.4 Programme areas in Communities
How to – Plan and implement
The following list provides some brief examples of how gender might
be considered in different thematic areas, not all of which will be the
direct responsibility of Communities practitioners. In considering the
list, Communities practitioners should recognise some programme
areas can be best approached directly whereas for others an indirect
approach may be more effective.
Potential programme areas
Local employment
Safety and security
Workplace
Resourcing
Organisational
communication
Environment
Emergency
response
Gender sensitivity in hiring practices can help ensure that both women and men of local
communities receive equal opportunity for employment. Gender equity in employment helps
to ensure a broader spread of community benefits, particularly if women are offered equal
opportunity for training and promotion. Employment opportunities beyond the mine should
also be considered.
Safety and security programmes might involve community initiatives to address violence
against, harassment and exploitation of women and promote women’s safety. Workplace policies
and processes to address physical safety of women and sexual exploitation and harassment are
also important. Employees should be encouraged to conduct themselves in a manner consistent
with their role and company policy both on and off the job.
Workplaces should ensure that there is appropriate infrastructure and facilities for women to
work in all aspects of the business. Provision must be made for washrooms, suitable uniforms,
a safe environment and appropriate mine-site accommodation.
Gender is a cross-cutting aspect of the business and is everyone’s responsibility. Different
organisational arrangements are available, from a stand-alone unit, to an individual, or a number
of people who are formally assigned responsibility for gender and equity. Gender considerations
should be included in budgets from the outset.
Communication between men and women in the workplace is important to ensure that gender
equity is pursued in a supportive environment. Communication should be ongoing, transparent
and responsive to issues.
Consideration should be given to how men might be affected differently from women should
there be an environmental incident. Women’s perceptions of environmental risk should also be
considered. Women are often faster to mobilise and organise because environmental concerns
often impact the health of their families.
The vulnerability of men and women, boys and girls to emergencies may be different
depending on their activities and exposure to a particular danger. Gender analysis in the case
of emergencies can help reduce risk to people and also to reputation. Women often have
primary responsibility for community organising and can serve as the most effective emergency
response contacts for a company.
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