Highlights From The CSR Forum On Women In The Extractives

High Commissioner Canada to Kenya David Angell

Canada leading country in extractives with its companies accounting approximately 31% of global exploration expenditure and 50% of capital raised globally in mining industry through the Toronto securities exchange.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) mandatory for Canadian companies in extractives sector as the country has an existing CSR strategy with newly updated benchmarks.

Countries must ensure their policies enable a triple benefit for host country, Exploration Company and the local communities.

CSR must be totally voluntary and not based on legal requirements such as petroleum sharing contracts

No development from the extractives sector whether economic, social or democratic is possible without women participation

Cabinet Secretary Mining Dan Kazungu

Kenyan government has a target to see mining sector contribute over 10% of GDP in the next 15 years.

Enactment of Mining Act expected in the next one month empowering especially artisanal miners who include women. The Act provides for division of royalties among National Government 70%, County Governments 20% and Communities 10%.

A thorough strategic outlook of mining sector complete undertaken by his ministry and Mackenzie who were consultants.

Kenya cannot achieve its set targets without participation of women. To this end structural and operational measures to ensure women and youth participation being put in place.

Ministry of Mining has appointed a gender officer to handle gender issues, also working with UN Women to ensure women inclusiveness.

Africa has progressed from CSR to local content and community participation frameworks

Faith Kasiva – UN Women

Extractive sector a catalyst to women economic empowerment

UN Women has formulated guidelines on how to integrate women into extractive sector by mitigating social and cultural discrimination, ensuring investment in professional skills, proper communication of information to communication among others.

Women must be involved in extractives from word go starting from exploration stage

Need for companies involved extractives to expedite in a community liasion unit

Companies and government to roll out fact based dialogue with community

Companies increasingly using CSR to mitigate negative response from communities

Guidelines on how companies can mainstream gender equity:

External and internal policies
Encourage women in hiring
Protect women through zero tolerance to harassment
Provision of flexible and supportive procurement process

Civil society tasked with promoting a human based approach in sector.

Civil Society should also:

ensure governance and accountability among governments,
be key partners in identifying problems facing sector by asking ‘difficult problems’
Must ensure they are ‘fit’ for purpose by enhancing their knowledge of workings in sector

Hon Amina Abdalla – Chair, Natural Resources Committee

Parliament passed first mining bill in seventy years awaiting assent

Royalty share allocated to communities must translate to development inclusive of women

Mineral rights advisory board and county mineral rights advisory boards constituted in the new Mining Bill must ensure training is not left to companies

Issues of land such as acquisition and compensation have been included in Mining Bill

Counties must rethink taxes that sometimes scare away investors especially in mining

Emily Nunn – Expert in Canadian CSR

Why companies invest in community relationships

Compliance with laws and regulations

Corporate Values

Managng non-technical risk