Methodology

This chapter explains the methodology adopted in this project to learn about experiences from community perspectives, taking an exploratory, interpretive approach to investigate the impacts of the mining industry on women in Thai and Lao mining communities. In order to capture the experiences and interpretations of relevant actors in the mining industry, semi-structured personal and group interviews functioned as an appropriate data-collection technique. This technique helps the researchers to focus on language use by key informants, as well as contextual and relational aspects expressed by the interviewees.

Mining Industry and Its Influence

The mining industry has tremendous impact on people and communities. The opening of a large mine has economic, environmental, and social consequences at the national, state, or provincial and local levels. Mining company activities can also positively and negatively influence many lives. The challenge is for mining multinational corporations (MNCs), communities, and governments to rationalise real action for the community. As initiatives and programmes show success, these experiences can be woven into ongoing operations if lines of communication are kept open. Mining MNCs can promote dialogue among the various stakeholders and disseminate the results of efforts that have helped enhance the sustainability of the economic impacts of mining. This chapter discusses various impacts of the mining industry on women, including skill development, poverty, health, and economic impacts. Issues of corporate social responsibility as a key function of mining MNCs in Thailand and Laos are discussed.

The Gendered Dimensions of Mining

The costs and benefits of large mines to local communities and the relationship between mining multinational corporations (MNCs), government, and communities are subjects that have become important in developing and developed countries alike. To date, there has been a dearth of comprehensive study on roles and responsibilities of mining MNCs with respect to women and gender equality. Given that the relationship between mining MNCs and communities is changing rapidly—albeit unevenly and unsystematically—the need to develop understanding to better assess the gender impact of different approaches on this relationship and on the ability to maximise sustainable benefits from mining has become paramount. This chapter identifies the linkages between, on the one hand, work and labour-relations issues (e.g., long hours), reform of gender diversity policies and initiatives in mining, as well as the cultural lag between policy and practise; and, on the other hand, the impact of mining on women in mining towns/communities, a gendered impact assessment tool, and the relationship between mining and socioeconomic wellbeing.

Gender, CSR, and Mining

This chapter focuses on the impact of mining MNCs and the industry on women in Thailand. Similar to most cases of mining communities in developing countries, the results show various socioeconomic impacts of mining MNCs in Thailand. They include work and economic opportunities for women, political roles and participation for women, and health issues, which seemed prominent among women who participated in this study. Local and international environmental groups have become increasingly involved in mining disputes with the Thai community that participated in this study. Meanwhile, local communities have become more concerned about shouldering all the negative impacts of mining but receiving few of the benefits. This is especially the case because capital-intensive large mining operations generate only a fraction of the jobs for certain groups of people. This study shows that employment policies of mining MNCs have affected the geographic distribution of benefits and costs. The influx of new migrants from Bangkok or other major cities also puts great strains on the existing social and economic infrastructure. It is essential that some mechanisms exist to ensure an orderly expansion of activities and provision of services by mining MNCs in Thailand.

Gender, CSR, and Mining

This chapter presents the key findings on how the mining industry and MNCs influence various aspects of life and wellbeing of women in Lao PDR. The study shows that mining MNCs can provide various opportunities for women. Mining MNCs have clung to the narrow compliance-based view of CSR for certain periods of time, due to the management system and corporate policies. They seem to focus on economic activities to empower women and promote the concept of gender equality. The data supports the contention that avoiding the potential detrimental effects that mining MNCs can have on fragile ecosystems, gender inequality, and local social issues should be made a priority. Recently, however, mining MNCs have tended to shift their actions to sustainable economic and skill development in Lao, due to their understanding of local contexts. The results also show that opportunities provided by mining MNCs can create long-term benefits to various members of the community including family of the miners, suppliers, trans-border and transnational workers, and women from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

Mining and Women

Whilst CSR is significant for nearly all MNCs, CSR activities have been limited to certain activities and focus areas. In developing countries such as Thailand and Laos, CSR activities focus on economic and social development in many forms. However, we learn from this study that the CSR movement would advance if different types of MNCs actively participated in various socioeconomic activities in host countries. In most developing countries in Asia, such as Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, or Cambodia, CSR by MNCs is concerned with the integration of environmental, social, and economic considerations into business strategies and practices. However, this is not as simple as it sounds. Some argue that CSR is beneficial to MNCs that do integrate it into their everyday practices; others say that it is only a way for MNCs to promote new products and features. This chapter argues that although a feminist epistemology of mining would query the representation of women as ‘victims of mining', there are various ways for mining MNCs to empower and promote women in the mining community. The authors discuss lessons from Laos and Thailand in order to stimulate a rethinking of mining itself, as an area representing an environment, which is both feminine and masculine.