The program is designed to address gender gaps and barriers in the industry.
With the aim of fostering an enriching dialogue between participants and speakers, promoting the analysis and development of female leadership in a real environment and based on the experience of professionals, the fourth version of the “Female Leadership in Mining” course began. promoted by the Mining Business School of the Universidad Católica del Norte (ENM UCN), in collaboration with the Antucoya Mining Company.
Studies have shown the many challenges and difficulties that women face in work related to the mining industry. For this reason, this edition began with a workshop on gender equality led by the UCN Gender Director, Yhurka Yáñez. “On this occasion, two closely related themes were addressed, which have to do with gender equality and equality in its broadest context, bringing it down to the world of mining and the field of women; and female leadership and how to lead with gender equality.”indicated the Director of Gender.
Likewise, he emphasized that these contents should not only remain theoretical, but that it is important to put them into practice. “I think it is very interesting that these issues are actually taken into consideration seriously, because without a doubt when there is much more awareness, when there is greater cohesion, when there is more collaborative work between men and women, because this is not just about women, we can effectively have equity, we can also have or try to achieve equality in rights and in many elements that contribute to both men and women and to people in general in diversity as a society.”commented Yhurka Yáñez.
In this same sense, Dr. Mary Valdés, director of the UCN School of Mining Business, emphasized the series of challenges and difficulties that have hindered the integration of women in mining and that sometimes make the experience of women not the best possible. “In this workshop, now in its fourth version, a series of workshops were prepared with women from different areas of Antucoya in mind, to give them tools, but also to discuss the issues and generate a space for conversation, to get to know each other, to share, which helps them feel that they are not alone in this and that support networks are also created among them.”.
BIAS
In addition to these individual challenges for women entering the industry, there are gender biases that influence the inclusion and career path of women in mining. A recent study shows that around 40% of the barriers to a woman moving up in a company are simply due to gender discrimination. “Women are evaluated more harshly, they are assigned soft skills and technical skills are little recognized by their peers”he mentioned.
“So, there is a lot we need to make progress on, because very little is said about how positive it is to incorporate women in productive terms, in terms of solving complex problems, of facing work in a better way and with different perspectives, with different views. Women contribute in many ways to teams, balanced teams are much more productive, that is scientifically proven. So, we need to make progress on these issues as an industry, with mining being something so relevant as a country as well.”.
