Côte d'Ivoire Champions Gender Equality in Mining With "HeForShe Mines."

On December 11, 2020, Côte d'Ivoire’s Ministry of Mines and Geology officially launched the HeForShe Mines Côte d'Ivoire Association. A first of its kind in the mining sector, this project is the result of a partnership between the state, private sector, and UN Women. 

The project, launched in Abidjan by the minister of Mines and Geology, Mr. Jean Claude Kouassi, will see men in Cote D’Ivoire’s mining sector become more involved in the movement for gender equality and the advancement of women. 

“We have chosen, at the level of the Ministry of Mines and Geology, to amplify the contribution of women in the mining sector and to promote more jobs and more rights for women through key projects.” -  Mr. Jean Claude Kouassi, Minister of Mines and Geology.

The HeForShe Mines Côte d'Ivoire Association aims to improve the situation of women working in the Ivorian mining sector by actively participating in the promotion of equality between women and men working in the sector. The project will train women through the Management Committee of the Mining Training Fund and promote career diversification to increase the number of female students in university and vocational training. The project also aims to promote the access of graduates in the mining industry and facilitate the hiring of female workers in these predominantly male environments while ensuring the retention of female workers in this sector by transforming policies and practices within work teams to be more inclusive.

Mr. Pascal Bernasconi, Executive Vice-President in charge of Public Affairs, CSR and Safety of Endeavor Mining, has been appointed the first president of the HeForShe Mines Côte d'Ivoire Association for a three-year term. In response to his appointment, he pledged to work resolutely for the advancement and empowerment of women in the mining sector.

Read More about Côte d'Ivoire’s HeForShe Mines here.