Golden Line

About the programme Golden Line

Women play a significant role in artisanal and small-scale mining but hold the lowest paid positions, face severe health risks, and are exposed to gender-based violence. They also face barriers in accessing resources and have limited decision making power. The Golden Line was launched in 2016 to contribute to economic and social empowerment of women in and around artisanal and small-scale gold mines in Ghana and Tanzania.

Impact of the programme

The Golden Line has contributed to exposing persistent myths about women, and relaxing existing gender norms for women in artisanal gold mines. 

As a result, women now perform a greater variety of tasks than traditionally assigned to them because of their gender. Female mine workers in Tanzania for example report that verbal abuse has decreased, men treat women with more respect, and the atmosphere has improved in the mines.

Economically empowering women and closing gender gaps in communities and the work sphere are key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. 

The programme contributes to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• Goal 3: Good health and well-being - Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
• Goal 5: Gender equality - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
• Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

Approach of the programme

Over a period of five years, we trained more than 1,300 women miners so they can take up a variety of positions in mines. We also trained over 3,500 men and women in 25 artisanal and small-scale gold mines to apply good mining practices in line with international standards. 

We created 216 women’s saving groups to provide women with access to loans and training in business skills. In communities surrounding the mines, we provided information on sexual and reproductive health and rights to over 5,000 women. We also trained 548 women to run their own small-scale businesses in selling health products. 

We engaged with 2,000 men to increase their awareness on gender equality, gender-based violence, and women’s health needs. We also engaged with national and international market players to increase demand for responsible gold produced with respect for women’s rights and needs. Lastly, together with women from mining communities and associations, we advocated for for more gender sensitive policies and standards at local, national and international level.

Total budget: € 7,995,507 (Simavi consortium lead), Total budget: € 3,399,306 (Simavi programme budget), Duration: 4 years, Location: Ghana and Tanzania

Partners

The Golden Line consortium is comprised of three Dutch, two Ghanaian and two Tanzanian partners covering complementary expertise areas including sexual and reproductive health and rights and women-centred approach (Simavi), responsible mining and engaging market players (Solidaridad), small-scale health businesses (Healthy Entrepreneurs), and empowerment, rights based approaches and participatory strategies (HFFG), social and economic empowerment (PRS&D), sexual and reproductive health and rights (UMATI) and gender equality and women’s rights (WPC).