ABOUT ILO
The ILO has been dealing with labour and social problems in the mining industry since its early days, making considerable efforts to improve the work and life of miners - from the adoption of the Hours of Work (Coal Mines) Convention (No. 31) in 1931 to the Safety and Health in Mines Convention (No. 176) , which was adopted in 1995. www.ilo.org/global/industries-and-sectors/mining
WOMEN IN MINING
The International Labor Organization (ILO) is the United Nations specialized agency dedicated to advancing opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity. In artisanal and small-scale mining in the informal economy, women constitute up to a third of the workforce. Although their work is as hazardous and precarious as that of men, it is usually less valued, and women are generally less protected. In LSM operations, women rarely make up more than 10 per cent of mineworkers, and are most frequently employed in administrative positions. In many countries, women are prohibited by law from working in particular roles and forms of mining, particularly underground mining
"...Artisanal Small-scale Mining is an important livelihood activity for about 44 million workers around the world, representing up to 90% of the global mining workforce within which 70 - 80% of small-scale miners are informal, and approximately 30% are women..."
