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School of Environment and Natural Resources

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Graduate Exit Seminar - Djeynaba ba

Plan to join Djeynaba ba's graduate exit seminar on July 3, 2023, at 8:00 am via Zoom. Djeynaba will present, "The Impact of Mining on Women’s Agency and Socio-Economic Well-Being in Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone: The Role of Local Content Policies."

Abstract: The clean energy transition that is currently underway is reshaping the demand and global production of minerals and metals. Africa holds an important position in terms of known reserves and production of some of the key minerals and metals needed for the transition. Prior research has shown that mining areas may not fully benefit from their mineral wealth and can be at risk for increased poverty. To combat this phenomenon, many national governments have instituted Local Content Policies (LCPs) to retain the benefit of natural resource extraction. Moreover, the impacts of large-scale mining projects are gendered due to societal norms and expectations related to gender. Existing research seems to indicate that mining development leads to improved women’s agency (measured as acceptance of domestic violence and intra-household decision-making) in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, much is still not well-known about the role of LCPs in mediating the impacts of mining on women. In this dissertation, I summarize LCPs, what is known about their effectiveness, and the circumstances under which they benefit the local economy. I also investigate how mining impacts women’s socio-economic well-being and their agency in Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone through the lens of LCPs.

Advisors: Dr. Jeffrey Jacquet and Dr. Abdoul Sam