UN Forum Selects WiM-Africa to Drive Gender Accountability in Africa’s Mining Sector

Women in Mining Africa has secured a prominent platform at a United Nations forum to advance gender accountability and responsible mineral governance across the continent.

The organisation will host a high-level side event at the 12th Session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development, convened under the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, where it will introduce the Africa Responsible Minerals & Gender Index (ARMGI).

The session, themed “Advancing Gender-Responsive Mineral Governance and Measurable Host Community Outcomes through ARMGI,” will bring together policymakers, private sector leaders, development partners and civil society stakeholders. Discussions will focus on translating policy commitments into tangible outcomes for women and host communities, which are often excluded from the benefits of mining activities.

WiM-Africa said the ARMGI framework is designed as an accountability tool to track progress, promote equitable benefit-sharing and ensure women play a meaningful role across Africa’s extractive value chains.

The initiative also aligns with key continental and global development frameworks, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Agenda 2063 and the African Mining Vision, reinforcing the push for inclusive and sustainable resource governance.

Executive Director Comfort Asokoro-Ogaji emphasised the need to redefine how success is measured in the mining sector, noting that mineral wealth should be assessed not only by output and revenue, but also by its impact on women and local communities.

The broader forum, held under the theme “Turning the Tide: Transformative and Coordinated Actions for the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063,” will examine critical issues including gender inclusion, community accountability and responsible sourcing of minerals in the global energy transition.

Stakeholders are expected to outline practical steps for piloting ARMGI across African countries, as momentum builds for a more inclusive and people-centred mining sector. WiM-Africa noted that the engagement will strengthen collaboration among governments, industry players and development partners to ensure that Africa’s mineral wealth delivers tangible benefits—particularly for women at the grassroots level.