Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

Violence isn’t only physical or sexual in nature—it can also be economic. Economic violence is is common yet often unseen, especially in developing countries where resources are scarce or exploited by those in power. This type of violence happens when the abuser has control over the victim’s money, resources and activities. The burden of reproduction and community management is a major barrier to the economic empowerment of women in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) communities and every other labor community. 

We at BAN Toxics believe that there is a need to provide women with equal opportunities to participate in critical and profitable roles in the labor force to enhance their economic contribution. To help address this, we trained women in ASGM communities in Barangay Gumaus, Paracale and Barangay Malaya, Labo in Camarines Norte on gender-responsive planning and budgeting. We believe that there is a need for a gender-responsive planning comes because it is a prevailing reality that men and women don’t have equal status and access to decision making and there is a need to address women-specific issues which have been long overlooked. The training also involved a session for the better understanding of women spaces in the community. 

BAN Toxics believes that it is essential to eliminate all types of violence against women for the betterment of the whole community. It is imperative for everyone to better understand women spaces in the community. Through these efforts, we are hoping and working towards the elimination of gender-based violence, one ASGM community at a time.