Women in Mining Africa (WiM-Africa) has extended its deepest condolences to the families affected by the tragic artisanal mine collapse near Kéniéba in Mali’s Kayes region on February 15, 2025. It also called for reforms in the mining sector that will ensure transparency and accountability.
Reports confirm that at least 48 lives were lost, the majority being women who were engaged in mining activities as a means of livelihood.
Reacting to the tragedy, WiM-Africa in a statement signed by the Executive Director, WiM-Africa, Dr. Comfort Asokoro-Ogaji, said “This heartbreaking incident is yet another reminder of the grave risks faced by artisanal miners, particularly women, in the absence of alternative livelihoods, and effective oversight of the artisanal mining value chain.
“This tragedy highlights the urgent need for comprehensive reforms in artisanal mining across Africa. Women are disproportionately affected by unsafe mining conditions while striving to provide for their families. The lack of safety measures, and economic alternatives leaves them with few viable choices. There must be immediate action to improve mining safety, formalize artisanal operations, and empower women with the resources and opportunities necessary to prevent such tragedies in the future,” the group stated.
WiM-Africa asserted that beyond addressing mining safety, there was a critical need for accountability in the artisanal mining value chain. It posited that “many women working in mining are forced to sell their gold through informal networks, where middlemen and gold buyers exploit them with unfair prices, poor working conditions, and no regard for their safety. “The lack of oversight in this supply chain perpetuates unsafe mining practices and economic disempowerment.
“The gold trade must be traceable and accountable, ensuring fair pricing, ethical sourcing, and improved working conditions for artisanal miners.”
WiM-Africa regretted that the women lost in the tragedy were driven to the mines out of economic desperation.
It argued that without urgent policy reforms and alternative livelihood opportunities, these cycles of tragedy will continue.
“It is imperative for authorities to take decisive action to regulate artisanal mining, provide safer working conditions, and develop long-term economic solutions that protect women and their families,” it argued.
WiM-Africa then called for the following immediate measures:
Regulation and Formalization: Governments must formalize artisanal mining operations, ensuring all sites are registered, monitored, and adhere to minimum safety standards.
Safety Training and Equipment: Provide comprehensive safety training and protective equipment to all artisanal miners to minimize risks.
Alternative Livelihood Programs: Support economic alternatives for women through entrepreneurial programs, microfinance, vocational training, and value addition initiatives to reduce dependence on unsafe mining work.
Community Engagement and Policy Enforcement: Ensure local communities actively participate in mining policies and regulatory frameworks to safeguard their interests and hold decision-makers accountable for enforcing mining safety laws.
Accountability and Regulation of Gold Buyers and Middlemen:
Establish a traceable gold supply chain by registering and regulating all middlemen and gold buyers to ensure fair pricing and ethical sourcing.
Implement accountability mechanisms to prevent exploitative buying practices and hold intermediaries responsible for engaging with illegal or unsafe mining operations.
Promote certified responsible gold trade programs that encourage buyers to source gold from legally recognized, safe artisanal mining operations.
Strengthen regional collaboration to ensure that African gold markets support ethical sourcing and prevent exploitation of miners..
WiM-Africa maintained that mining-related tragedies are not isolated incidents in Mali—they occur across Africa, claiming countless lives and exposing the urgent gaps in safety, regulation, and economic alternatives for artisanal miners.
“From Mali to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Burkina Faso, and beyond, women and entire communities continue to bear the brunt of unsafe mining conditions, unregulated operations, and the exploitation of informal labor.
“To ensure that this tragedy is never forgotten and to advocate for lasting change, WiM-Africa formally adopts “Silent 15 of Bilalikoto – Honoring the Fallen” as an annual day of remembrance.”
While Bilalikoto marks one of the most recent devastating incidents, February 15 will now serve as a continental call to action, remembering all those who have lost their lives in artisanal mining disasters and demanding structural reforms.
This day is not just a memorial—it is a movement to push for better working conditions, stronger safety regulations, traceable gold supply chains, and sustainable livelihoods for the countless women and communities whose lives depend on mining. It is a commitment to ensuring that their voices are heard, their struggles acknowledged, and their safety prioritized in the future of Africa’s mining sector.
Call to Action:
The recent tragic collapse of an artisanal gold mine in Bilalikoto (Dabiya), Mali, which claimed the lives of over 50 people—primarily women—demands urgent and coordinated action from the government and key stakeholders. Artisanal mining is a lifeline for thousands of Malians, yet the absence of safety regulations, formalization frameworks, and sustainable mining policies continues to put lives at risk.
WiM-Africa Urges the Malian Government to take decisive action through the following measures:
- Immediate Safety Regulations for Artisanal Mining
Establish and enforce minimum safety standards at all artisanal mining sites.
Introduce mandatory safety training programs for miners, especially women, and ensure compliance through regular inspections.
Implement a Mine Disaster Response and Relief Framework to provide immediate support in case of emergencies. - Formalization and Regulation of Artisanal Mining
Accelerate the formal registration of artisanal miners and cooperatives to integrate them into the regulated economy.
Develop community-based monitoring mechanisms to ensure that mining operations adhere to safety and environmental standards.
Encourage the establishment of government-backed artisanal mining zones where safety, environmental protection, and fair labor practices are enforced. - Gender-Sensitive Mining Policies and Protection of Women Miners.
Recognize and prioritize the safety and economic empowerment of women in mining through gender-focused policies.
Provide alternative livelihood programs and skills training for women miners to reduce over dependence on high-risk artisanal mining.
Strengthen laws against child labor and gender-based violence in artisanal mining areas, with strict enforcement. - Access to Responsible and Sustainable Funding
Partner with development banks and financial institutions to create low-interest financing programs for artisanal miners, enabling them to transition to safer mining practices.
Introduce grants and microfinance schemes for women-led mining cooperatives to access safer equipment and modern processing techniques. - Strengthening Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration
Establish a National Artisanal Mining Task Force, comprising relevant government agencies, mining cooperatives, local governments, and civil society organizations.
Partner with international mining organizations to bring expertise, training, and funding for sustainable mining practices.
Organize regional dialogues with mining communities, policymakers, and industry leaders to align on long-term strategies for artisanal mining development.
