AN UPDATE ON WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN MINE CLOSURE PLANNING FOR in SUSTAINABILITY IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA

By: Evelyn Mopafi, Patricia Pepena & James WanjikMineral Project Assessment Branch,PNG Department of Mining

Women & Mining Conference19th – 22nd June 2005

Madang, Papua New Guinea

Background: Phases of Mining and the stages of the Mine Closure Plan

Women's Participation for Sustainability: Why?

Women in Mining Conference, August 2003- main points and recommendations

Generic Components of the Mine Closure Plan

Women's Participation in the Porgera Mine Closure Process

The significance of participation by Women in the Mine Closure Process

Main aspects of mine closure pertinent to continuing the women'sprojects, programmes, and associations.

Conclusion

Recommendations & Way Forward

Presentation Outline

Background: Background: INTERFACEINTERFACE--MINING PHASES & MCPMINING PHASES & MCP

EXPLORATION PHASE

DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION & APPROVALS PHASE

CONSTRUCTION & DEVT PHASE

OPERATIONS PHASE

CLOSURE PHASE

EXPLORATION LICENSE

MINING LEASE/SPECIAL MINING LEASE

CONCEPTUAL MCP UPDATED/ ROLLING MCP FINAL MCP

MCP Stages

Women's Participation for SustainabilityWhy?

Women in Mining ConferenceAugust, 2003

•Women are bearers and carers for human life;

•Women are providers and keepers of family life and society in general;

•National Constitution [Goal No. 2 (5)] : Equality and participation in development;

•Internationally recognised human right

Women in Mining ConferenceAugust, 2003

Recommendations

1. Mine closure is an important phase of the project cycle and should be addressed at the feasibility stage, and continued during the development and operations phase.

2. In mining communities, women are usually represented by men. In future, special arrangements should be made to involve women as direct participants in decision making process…

3. Women's participation and decision making should be in a formalized setting either through formal committee systems or informally through a consultative mechanism such as specialized consultations and workshops.

4. Case Study: Misima Mine closure Process – local stakeholders predominantly male.

Porgera Mine Closure Process – Women representative included in the Porgera Mine Closure Committee.

“Women's Participation in Mine Closure Planning for Sustainability in Papua New Guinea”

Main Recommendation

• Women from mine impacted local communities to be included in the mine closure planning committee as important stakeholders in their own right. This participation should be through a representative of a women's organization such as an association. Additionally, it is important to have women's views and concerns right from the beginning, at the feasibility phase, and then enhanced during the construction and operations phase.

• (this requirement should be balanced with the prevailing socio-cultural setting of the local community concerned, as anything that would upset this social system is most likely to be counter-productive to the goal of sustainability after closure).

Women and Mining ConferenceAugust, 2003

Generic Components of & Issues in Mine Closure Generic Components of & Issues in Mine Closure PlanPlan

BIOPHYSICAL SOCIO-ECONOMIC

•Decommissioning

•Rehabilitation

•Costing

•Financial Assurance

•Responsibilities and Liabilities

•Completion Criteria

•Prioritising of projects (“shopping list”)

•Costing

•Financial Assurance

•Responsibilities and Liabilities

•Appropriate Authorities

•Capacity

•Linkages/ Transitions

•Partnerships

•Completion Criteria

Ga p

/ Ri s

k A

n al y

s is

Com

munity C

onsultationCom

plia

nce

Aud

it

Monitoring, Enforcement, Sign-Off

Sustainability of biophysical & socioeconomic environment

Legal Obligations Moral Obligations

Women's Participation in the Porgera Mine Closure Process

Porgera Mine Closure Committee (PMCC)

Socio-economic subcommittee

Bio-Physical Subcommittee

Porgera District Women's Association (PDWA)

Women's Rep.

(PDWA President)

West Porgera Women's (SML) Association

PMCC meeting, June 7th

2005, Wabag

Mellie Kaiulo, PDWA President

The significance of participation by Women in the Mine Closure Process• Is the participation of women in the mine closure process significant?

•Can women really made a difference in the mine closure process?

Quite, but more progress is needed.

YES!

Why? How?

•how can we make our soils fertile so that we can return to our gardens after mine closure

•Illegal Mining, why is mercury dangerous, how can it be used safely?

•How can AIDS awareness be improved, and how do we care for AIDS patients?

The significance of participation by Women in the Mine Closure Process

Such concerns have materialised in projects to meet the needs and concerns of the women of the Porgera District. These issues have actually been discussed at the Porgera Mine Closure Committee meetings, and also at sub-committee levels.

Women's participation in the mine closure process is quite significant

Main aspects of mine closure pertinent to continuing the women's projects, programmes, and associations

FACTSPJV and Government have already started embarking on a partnership approach.Dwindling support (financial, logistical, training, etc) from the Proponent

QUESTIONHow can women's projects and associations continue successfully and sustainably after mine closure

Main aspects of mine closure pertinent to continuing the women's projects, programmes, and associations

Way ForwardCapacity Building/Enhancement;

Partnership/collaboration with men;

Involvement/Partnership with government and NGO’s. (e.g. Church groups, Aid Donor organizations); and

Partnerships with such organisation should be formed as early as possible to ensure continuity and sustainability.

Conclusions Recommendations (WIM, 2003) Update• Mine closure should be

addressed at the feasibility stage, and continued during the development and operations phase.

Will be mandatory for larger projects as per the Mine Closure Policy and Amendments to the Mining Act.

• women should be direct participants in decision making process…

There is involvement of women in the Porgera Mine Closure Process

• Women's participation and decision making should be in a formalized setting

The Women's rep at the PMCC is the President of the PDWA

• Women from mine impacted local communities to be included in the mine closure planning committee as important stakeholders in their own right.

The president of PDWA represents women from the impacted local communities, and is a member of the PMCC

Recommendations & Way Forward

• There should be participation by women in the mine closure planning process, in the existing, and new mines

• To ensure continuity and sustainability of women's projects and associations, partnerships with entities such as Government and NGOs should be formed as early as possible to ensure continuity.

• Participation by women should be in all the phases of the mine life

PMCC meeting, July 2003, Porgera

End note

Participation and input by the male counterparts in the Porgera mine closure process has been and will be equally valuable

PMCC meeting, 7th June , Wabag

“When you Educate and Empower Women, you Educate and Empower

the Nation and indeed the World”