The silent (and gendered) violence: Understanding water access in mining areas through the rights lens

Abstract

Gender is the key explaining factor for why the social and environmental impacts of mining do not affect communities in a homogeneous manner. Deliberate neglect of gendered power dynamics within the community often engineers a shift to, or enhances, masculinities associated with mining projects in the Global South. Drawing on a feminist political ecology perspective, this chapter argues that a rights-based approach to the study of mining impacts on communities must also integrate gender considerations when thinking about changes in water quality and quantity caused by large mineral extractive operations. Show more