LIVELIHOODS OF WOMEN IN MINING AREAS: LESSONS FROM APURIMAC, PERU

Transcription

1 LIVELIHOODS OF WOMEN IN MINING AREAS: LESSONS FROM APURIMAC, PERU JUNE 2018 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

2 MINING CAN POSE RISKS BUT ALSO BRING SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITIES Apurimac was Peru s second fastest growing region in 2016, but several developmental challenges still remain, and the number of social conflicts has increased 1 Surrounding Communities High expectations (Jobs, income, infrastructure) Increased prices (food, transport, housing, land) Affected Communities MINE Compensation Jobs CSR Programs Rural families still struggle to meet basic needs High poverty rates: 94% poverty; 81% extreme poverty 78% of surveyed families had concerns about their access to food Agriculture is the main economic activity, with huge challenges Low productivity and limited access to water: 84% depended exclusively on rain for irrigation Annual income was reported less than half the national average* ($38 per member) 97% of families produce only for their own consumption Expectations for mining are high General perception towards mining is negative: 65% of surveyed families believe mining does not contribute to social development 1 In 2007 there were only 2 mining-related social conflicts in Apurimac; by the end of 2017, the number increased to 13 (Peruvian Ombudsman, 2017).

3 CHALLENGES FACED BY WOMEN Women are at a disadvantage and have fewer opportunities than men when it comes to: Education.- Indigenous women have less access to secondary education, as compared to men (27% and 48%, respectively) 1 Poverty.- Generally, women are more vulnerable to poverty than men are, particularly because they have less control over productive assets 2 Violence.- Apurimac has the highest rate of gender-based violence in Peru: 79% reported being victims of family and/or sexual-based violence 3 Employment.- Unequal employment opportunities for women related to mining activities (23% of women perceive existing job opportunities derived from mining, as compared to 46% of men) Decision making.- Leadership positions in communities are very limited for women only 14% of Yachachiq (community agricultural leader) are women (2,500 nationally) 4 Benefit Sharing.- Women are more negative than men regarding mining - only 13% perceive that mining is needed for enabling local development (compared to 27% of men) 1 & 3 National Statistics Bureau (2016) 2 Gender in Agriculture, source book by WBG, FAO, FIDA; Statistics from Foncodes, Ministry of Social Inclusion and Development

4 ABOUT THE PROJECT What was expected of IFC s Apurimac Mining & Agriculture Project? Develop a model under which public and private stakeholders work together in coordination to improve the living conditions of farmers nearby mining areas by improving production and nutrition practices and promoting their insertion into local markets What we did? Engage mining companies and government agencies in a joint effort Mining Companies Train local leaders (Yachachiq) to provide technical support to families in implementing agricultural technologies and promote improved practices What was covered by the project? Regional and Local Gvt. Farmers Families Central Gvt. 1. Improve agricultural production and productivity 2. Improve nutrition and housing conditions 3. Establish linkages with local markets Cooperation Agencies

5 STRATEGIES FOR PROMOTING WOMEN S PARTICIPATION Empowering female leaders and Yachachiqs Encouraging selection of female Yachachiqs by communities and supporting them while undertaking their duties Promoting women to become nutrition leaders, in partnership with local stakeholders Building capacities and lowering barriers for women Preparing women to participate in diagnosis & planning sessions and in agricultural activities Accommodating women s needs (schedules, participation of children) Connecting women to local markets Accompanying women to local markets for the first time Supporting women when they obtain new income generated by sales Promoting knowledge sharing activities and spaces for women to interact Making agricultural leaders aware of GBV consequences in communities Raising awareness & preparing the project team to respond to identified cases Sensitizing the government, and the relevant local government agencies, on this topic

6 PRELIMINARY RESULTS ON AGRICULTURAL ASPECTS In partnership with mining companies and government agencies, farms in the project area have increased the variety and quantity of foods produced 300 local families employ newly adopted production techniques, such as micro-reservoirs and spray irrigation systems to store and use water efficiently 254 bio-gardens with greenhouses produce a greater variety of vegetables throughout the year Improved and irrigated grass & technical assistance, allowed families to raise guinea pigs and chickens Women report higher participation in productive activities on their farms compared to that of their peers from a control group in similar communities, and this level of participation is similar to that reported by their male partners* Even though their workload has increased, women report being more satisfied, as compared to their peers from a control group in similar communities as well as to their male partners* *Final impact evaluation household surveys, April 2018

7 PRELIMINARY RESULTS ON NUTRITION & INCOME Improved families homes & enhanced nutrition practices Over 329 refurbished, clean and organized homes & improved kitchens, with less exposure to smoke and heat 39 leaders trained women in communities to combine new products and to prepare healthier meals with the support of local health care centers Women have a better understanding of enhanced nutrition practices than their peers from similar communities New income opportunities for women Families started taking their products to local fairs, experimenting for the first time with the benefits of selling in markets Women report higher participation in product sales (63%) than their male partners (51%) and to their peers from similar communities (13%)* Women report that they can use the new income on food or other family needs, providing a sense of independence and increased self-esteem Participation in fairs provides women a social space to interact and share with other women, which they report makes them feel happier and more confident *Final impact evaluation household surveys, April 2018

8 GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE AWARENESS AND CAPACITY BUILDING FOR GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS Due to Gender-Based Violence (GBV) challenges encountered in participating families, IFC partnered with Peru s Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations. The team & Yachachiqs were trained and provided with guidance and tools to deal with GBV in communities Feedback was positive and it became evident that Yachachiqs could become strategic agents in their communities for cases related to GBV Together with the Social Development and Compensation Fund (FONCODES), we are preparing support material for training their 2500 Yachachiqs Unit 1. Learning to live without GBV Unit 2. Learning to help and support victims of GBV Unit 3. Learning to work together to confront GBV in our community

9 LESSONS LEARNED 1. Nutrition & Income.- Having access to a larger portfolio of crops requires additional effort for taking advantage of new products either for family consumption or selling the surplus in markets. Women play a key role in both 2. Initial engagement.- Working with women in improving their homes facilitated the project s engagement by generating a quick win and trust 3. Leadership in non-traditional roles.- Promoting women in leadership positions (Yachachiq) required making special efforts to overcome internal and social barriers - incentives should be put in place 4. Economic Independence.- Access to new income provides women with the opportunity to participate in decision making regarding the use of resources, even if amounts are small

10 LESSONS LEARNED 5. Social spaces.- Promoting the participation of women in social spaces helps them to share experiences and build social capital with peers 6. GBV.- GBV s prevalence became evident and the project strategy was adjusted to address this issue showing that projects that reach households can be an effective vehicle to raise awareness 7. Monitoring & Evaluation.- Projects of this type should survey men and women individually to properly reflect the fact that the manner in which they are impacted can be significantly different 8. Changing gender relations.- While a project of this nature cannot aspire to change structural relations between men and women, it can start the conversation by positively impacting on women's capacity to decide

11 THANK YOU Download IFC s new gender toolkit at Unlocking Opportunities for Women and Business: A Toolkit of Actions and Strategies for Oil, Gas, and Mining Companies IN PARTNERSHIP WITH September 21, 2018