The Position of Women in Gold Mining in Kenya: A Case Study of Macalder Mines in Migori County

The study focuses on women's roles in gold mining, specifically artisanal and small-scale mining in Kenya. The study's objectives included investigating gender relations in the Migori artisanal gold mining sector. Determining the socioeconomic benefits of gold mining for women, and finally, investigating the social challenges that women face while participating in gold mining. The study used a mixed method research design, which collected and analysed both quantitative and qualitative data. A special emphasis was placed on the Macalder mines in Migori County, where artisanal gold miners were the target population. For this study, the researcher focused on the qualitative data, which were collected through interviews. The data was then analysed using thematic analysis where the researcher coded and identified themes relating to the topic. Nevertheless, the quantitative data collected using the questionnaires will be used in understand the characteristics of the study population including the demographic physiognomies. The study found that there are opportunities for more women to work in gold mining, resulting in higher productivity and higher returns for artisanal gold miners. The study concluded that there is a disparity in how women engage in artisanal and small-scale gold mining in terms of the activities they perform and the income they earn when compared to their male counterparts. Recommendations are made to the government at both the county and national levels to provide assistance in the form of training and financial assistance in order to grow the industry. Investment in protective gear and (or) alternative means of gold extraction should be initiated as opposed to the use of mercury which has the potential to cause serious health complications.