Case Study

The Women in Mining Guinea Index

Using Data to Measure and Improve Gender Considerations in the Extractive Sector

DG developed a first-of-its-kind Women’s Index for the Extractive Sector: the WIM Guinea Index.

With support from the Open Society Initiative in West Africa (OSIWA), our partnership with WIM Guinea targets three mineral-rich Guinean communes: Boké, Siguiri, and Kérouané.

2019 - 2020 Extractives

“The implementation of a platform to collect data and allow analysis on the inclusion of women in the Guinean extractive sector is an absolute necessity, as our country is committed to promoting equality at all levels.

This Index will be used to measure gender awareness in Guinea’s mining sector at the national level. We have an Index for Poverty and other topics, why not one for women?”

To develop an Index capable of measuring women’s conditions in mining communities, in partnership with OSIWA Guinea. DG developed a Pilot Index that would reveal the relevance and capacities of a more global Index at country level. The WIM Index is used to monitor progress in improving women’s living conditions in mining communities, provides a clear perspective on what hinders women’s involvement in the mining sector, fuels local and national conversation, and promotes decision-making towards sustainable solutions.

This project demonstrates DG’s experience improving transparency and citizens’ ability to pursue accountability in the male-dominated extractives industry (EI). DG understands that gender considerations in EI should extend beyond merely the number of women in EI positions of power – instead, it must also protect women’s rights, education, and health.

Assessment Process

DG conducted assessment interviews with individuals from the National Institute of Statistics, a few private sector companies, the MoH, MoE, and the HR dept of the Ministry of Mining. We then identified the priority themes and variables to be included in the Pilot phase and prepared the questionnaires based on themes around gender equity and women’s empowerment, the role of CSOs in advocating for gender mainstreaming, the role of women in the community and the impact of extractive activities on women’s health.

Gender at the Forefront of Index Design & Development

DG completed design and development of the Index, to best visualize and analyze women’s involvement in the sector, and track broader and cross-cutting dimensions – including indicators to reflect women’s representation and power in the private sector and within the communities. We also made institutional and organizational recommendations to WIM Guinea’s platform and organizational sustainability.

WIM Guinea Prototype Index

Launch, Uptake, and Engagement

Tool uptake and engagement has been growing across WIM Senegal, WIM International, and others to sustainably scale a regional tool. DG aims to support Guinea to use the Index to identify and implement gender-based national policies, enable CSOs to integrate gender considerations into their advocacy strategies, and help technical and financial partners build action plans that prioritize women.