Pilbara women meet African women in mining



photo courtesy AAPF / AusAID

 

Last week, senior women from Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation met with a visiting delegation of women involved in mining and development issues from various nations across Africa.

 

The delegation included representatives from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Madagascar and Mozambique. The group visited the Pilbara as part of a Mining Study Tour funded by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID). Organisers of the tour included the International Mining for Development Centre and the Australia-Africa Partnerships Facility.

 

The women came together in Karratha to share their experiences working with the mining industry at local, regional and national levels.  They also discussed significant expansion of the mining, and oil and gas industries in Africa, the long history of mining on traditional Aboriginal country in the Pilbara and the challenge of channelling the benefits of these industries into sustainable community development.

 

Njamal elder and Co-Chair of Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation, Mrs Doris Eaton, said the meeting was an excellent opportunity to learn more about women leading their communities in Africa, and share the experiences of mining and development in the Pilbara.