Mining Magazine January 2017 | Page 6

International Women in Mining and bridging the gender gap

The mining industry is predominantly a male oriented industry in the eyes of the world . But IWiM is working to prove that the role of women in the industry should not be undermined and that a truer representation of the modern mining industry is one of women in more prominent roles .

Written by DALE BENTON
THAT ’ S WHERE INTERNATIONAL Women in Mining ( IWiM ) comes in . Founded in 2007 , by Barbara Dischinger who had previously set up Women in Mining UK , IWiM is an organisation designed to connect women in the mining sector from all over the world and give them a voice .
Around 2007 there were only around 15 WIM chapters around the world and many women were working in countries where there was no existing chapter . Today , there are over 45 groups in around 35 countries or maybe even more .
Dischinger felt there was a lack of communication and linkage previously between all different WIM organisations which is why International Women in Mining was launched . IWiM aims to link women internationally and also ambitiously aims bridge the
6 January 2017