UN ARFSD-12 to Host WiM-Africa Dialogue on Responsible Minerals, Gender Index

Folalumi Alaran in Abuja 

Women in Mining Africa (WiM-Africa) has announced plans to convene an official side event at the 12th session of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD-12), aimed at advancing discussions on the proposed Africa Responsible Minerals & Gender Index (ARMGI).

The session, themed ‘Advancing Gender-Responsive Mineral Governance and Measurable Host Community Outcomes through ARMGI,’ is expected to bring together key stakeholders across the continent, including representatives of African institutions, private sector operators, development partners, environmental actors and civil society groups.

According to WiM-Africa, the event will focus on translating mineral governance commitments into tangible outcomes, particularly for women and host communities impacted by extractive activities.

The organisation said the dialogue would position ARMGI as an emerging accountability framework designed to strengthen gender-responsive mineral governance, promote equitable benefit-sharing, and ensure measurable development outcomes across Africa’s mining sector.

ARMGI is also being developed as a collaborative tool to track progress and improve alignment between Africa’s extractive industries and key continental and global frameworks, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Agenda 2063, and the African Mining Vision.

The side event aligns with the broader theme of ARFSD-12 ‘Turning the Tide: Transformative and Coordinated Actions for the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063.’

Discussions at the session are expected to centre on critical issues such as gender-responsive benefit-sharing, women’s participation in mineral value chains, community-centred accountability, responsible minerals in the context of the global energy transition, and practical pathways for piloting the ARMGI framework.

Speaking ahead of the event, the Executive Director of WiM-Africa, Comfort Asokoro-Ogaji, emphasised the need to redefine how Africa’s mineral wealth is assessed.

“Africa’s mineral wealth must be measured not only by production and revenues, but by outcomes for women and communities. ARMGI seeks to help move us from commitments to measurable impact,” she said.

WiM-Africa added that the session would also serve as a platform to deepen stakeholder engagement and build consensus around the development and eventual implementation of ARMGI as a continental initiative.