Women in Mining Africa (WiM-Africa) has marked the maiden edition of Silent 15 of Bilalikoto – Honoring the Fallen, a continental day of remembrance for women who have lost their lives in mining accidents across Africa, particularly in the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector.
The annual observance commemorates the deaths of more than 48 artisanal miners — mostly women — who perished in a devastating mine collapse in Bilalikoto, Mali, on February 15, 2025, while working to provide for their families. The tragedy, WiM-Africa noted, reflects a disturbing pattern of preventable mining disasters across the continent.
Similar fatal incidents have been recorded in Obuasi, Ghana; Katanga in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Gwanda and Mashonaland West in Zimbabwe; Zamfara, Niger and Benue states in Nigeria; and Siaya County in Kenya — all highlighting persistent safety failures in informal mining operations.
According to WiM-Africa, Silent 15 of Bilalikoto is more than a memorial. It is a call for urgent and coordinated reforms to tackle systemic lapses in mine safety, regulation, and accountability. The group stressed that many women in ASM continue to work in hazardous, largely unregulated environments without proper training, protective equipment, emergency systems, or social protection.
The organization blamed recurring fatalities on weak enforcement of safety regulations, inadequate formalization of artisanal mining, gender-blind mining policies, and opaque mineral supply chains that shield buyers from on-site realities.
WiM-Africa is urging African Union institutions, governments at all levels, mining operators, mineral buyers, development partners, and civil society groups to prioritize safety in mining governance. Key demands include formalizing ASM operations, enforcing safety standards, ensuring compensation for bereaved families, strengthening mineral traceability, and integrating women into decision-making structures.
“As Africa positions itself as a major supplier of critical minerals driving global development and the energy transition, it must not ignore the human cost at the source,” the organization stated. “Women should not die extracting resources that power the world’s economies.”
The Silent 15 of Bilalikoto now stands as a solemn continental reminder that remembrance must go hand-in-hand with reform — and that Africa’s mining future must be anchored on safety, dignity, and justice.
