Mining Is More Than Minerals: Why Gender Mainstreaming in Extractives Journalism Matters

By Rebecca Ekpe

“Mining is more than minerals. It’s central to Ghana’s economy as well as the whole community. But ethical leadership and inclusive development are very essential, and so we need to balance economic growth with social and environmental responsibility.” — Rev. Dr. Joyce Aryee

Rev. Dr. Joyce Aryee made this profound statement during a previous mentorship session at the Africa Media Extractives Fellowship (AEMF) Training in Accra.

Indeed, balancing economic growth with social and environmental responsibility should be a shared commitment for all citizens. This underscores the urgent need to mainstream gender in extractives journalism. Gender mainstreaming means ensuring that reporting on Ghana’s mining, oil and gas sectors reflects the experiences, concerns and contributions of both women and men. Rather than treating gender as a separate issue, journalists intentionally integrate a gender perspective into every stage of reporting.

This is why the African Extractive Media Fellowship (AEMF), spearheaded by Kwakye Afreh Nuamah, News Wire Africa and its partners, has been widely commended by beneficiaries. Through the initiative, selected journalists—with a deliberate emphasis on empowering female journalists—receive hands-on training, mentorship and field exposure to strengthen their capacity in extractive reporting.

According to Mr. Afreh Nuamah, the fellowship is designed to “bridge the knowledge gap in extractive sector reporting, foster transparency, and amplify the voices of communities impacted by resource activities.”

Why Gender-Sensitive Reporting Matters in the Extractive Sector

Women constitute nearly half of Ghana’s population, yet they remain significantly underrepresented as experts, executives and spokespersons in media coverage of the extractive sector.

Research consistently shows that women continue to receive limited visibility in Ghanaian current affairs programmes, despite their growing contributions in politics, academia, business, law and civil society. Discussions on governance, economics, security and extractive industries remain largely dominated by men, reinforcing stereotypes about authority and expertise.

Given the media’s powerful influence on public opinion, this imbalance shapes perceptions of gender roles, democratic participation and social inclusion. Expanding the visibility of female experts is therefore essential—not only for equity, but also for improving the quality of journalism by ensuring more diverse, representative and informed public discourse and policymaking.

Extractive activities also affect women differently. In many communities, women bear primary responsibility for:

Household water collection;
Small-scale farming and food production;
Food security;
Family health and caregiving; and
Community well-being.
As a result, environmental degradation caused by mining and other extractive activities often has a disproportionate impact on women’s livelihoods and household responsibilities.

For this reason, women’s experiences and perspectives in the extractive sector must be deliberately highlighted through gender-responsive journalism and programming. Mainstreaming gender in extractives reporting is not simply about inclusion; it is about producing balanced, evidence-based journalism that reflects the realities of all those affected by resource governance.

“Mining is more than minerals… ethical leadership and inclusive development are very essential, and so we need to balance economic growth with social and environmental responsibility.” – Rev. Dr. Joyce Aryee

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