Going for Gold

The Going for Gold programme is a collaboration between Simavi, Solidaridad and Healthy Entrepreneurs to improve the position of women working in gold mines in the area of health, safety and their economic position. Currently, the working conditions of women working in mines is hazardous and women are not empowered enough to claim their rights to equal wages, a safe working environment, and access to health facilities. Women regularly face Sexual and Gender Based Violence, which not only exposes them to unsolicited sex, unwanted pregnancies and the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), but also significantly impacts women’s health and wellbeing. The programme will address these issues from a multi disciplinary approach; improving the working conditions of women in the mining industry, training women as health entrepreneurs to run viable businesses, and improving the Sexual and Reproductive Health of women in the mining communities.