Madagascar’s mining women unearth their potential

10 Dec 2018

Female sapphire miners in Madagascar are among the nation’s hardest workers and poorest people, but their future is looking brighter, thanks to University of Queensland research.

UQ Sustainable Minerals Institute PhD student Lynda Lawson has led the development of training and resources to improve the independence and financial autonomy of women sapphire miners.

“The most striking feature of the sapphire business in Madagascar is the absence of support for local people, particularly women, who seek to make a living in this trade,” she said.

“The story of mining is so often seen as a male frontier, but there are many women involved in mining and no one has told their story.”

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