Challenges and Barriers to Women's Access and Participation in the ASGM Sector in Macalder Region of Migori County, Kenya

Artisanal Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) is a significant source of income for millions of people in developing nations. Globally, women provide approximately 30 to 50% of the workforce in the ASGM sector. Women in developing countries face a number of challenges in access and participation in the ASGM sector. These include; social norms and taboos, inequalities in income distribution, discrimination in access to and control of mineral resources and exposure to gender-based violence. The objective of this study was to assess the challenges and barriers to women's access and participation in the ASGM in the Macalder region of Migori County in Kenya. This study was anchored on the Social Relations Gender approach to argue that the social construction of gender in African societies has tended to disadvantage women in the ASGM sector. This has created a system of subordination and exploitation of women miners in the Macalder region. This study adopted an explanatory research design. The study used both clustered probability and purposive sampling. A total of 100 respondents were selected for field interviews. Clustered probability sampling was used to select 90 men and women gold miners in the Osiri-Matanda gold mines in the Macalder region. Purposive sampling was used to select the lead 10 respondents who included officials of non-governmental organizations and the local administrators for interviews. This study employed both quantitative and qualitative methods of data analysis and interpretation. From the findings, the researcher concluded that cultural and societal notions inhibit women's access and participation in the ASGM sector in the Macalder region. The study recommends that the women miners be empowered to cushion them against exploitation by men. It is further recommended that both National and local governments institute policies and legislation to actualize gender mainstreaming in the ASGM sector to allow women miners to reap economic benefits for socioeconomic development