Gendered Livelihoods in Small Mines and Quarries in India: Living on the Edge

Citation:

Lahiri-Dutt, Kuntala. 2006. “Gendered Livelihoods in Small Mines and Quarries in India: Living on the Edge.” Working Paper, Rajiv Gandhi Institute for Contemporary Studies, New Delhi.

Author: Kuntala Lahiri-Dutt

Annotation:

“This scoping study aims to provide a clearer picture of gender roles, issues and concerns in the artisanal and small mines (ASM) sector in India. Women constitute a large segment of workers in the informal mines all over the world. In India, however, the patriarchal social structure tends to obscure the contributions made by the women workers in these mines. This exploratory research addresses this gap in existing knowledge and leads to engendering the development initiatives in small mines and quarries in the country. Women workers in the informal mines all over the world form the proverbial ‘poorest of the poor’, in urgent need of developmental interventions that will improve their ability to choose. I hope that this report will provide the necessary backdrop, relevant information and interpretation of their livelihood needs for developing policy measures. One of the objectives of developmental interventions is to explore the prospects for establishing sustainable livelihoods for local communities in these mineral-rich tracts. Addressing the needs, roles and concerns of both women and men who participate in the mining activities is the first step towards this goal.”

(Lahiri-Dutt, 2006, p. 3).

Topics: Development, Economies, Poverty, Extractive Industries, Gender, Women, Gender Roles, Gendered Power Relations, Patriarchy, Livelihoods Regions: Asia, South Asia Countries: India

Year: 2006