IANRA is a network of organizations from several different African countries. The network is working for the sustainable use of Africa’s natural resources and strives for a fairer distribution of them.

Background

Several countries on the African continent are rich in natural resources, such as platinum, gold, cobalt, diamonds, copper, oil, fertile soil and timber. However, there are often only a few people who control these resources and get to take part of the wealth. Most of the time, is the international investments that are behind the exploitation of natural resources for commercial purposes, and the local population is not favored by these industries. To challenge the unfair distribution of resources, a strong civil society in the different countries are highly important.

IANRA’s activities

IANRA (International Alliance on Natural Resources in Africa) consists of national networks and 26 non-governmental organizations in ten African countries. The network works to strengthen local communities through research, opinion formation, campaign work and organization. Together with local communities, IANRA is working to influence decision-makers at different levels of the society and to support people in their struggle for their rights. IANRA mean that even poor and marginalized people should benefit from the natural resources that are found on the continent and that the extraction of natural resources should be done in a sustainable way. The themes that IANRA mainly deal with are land, water, energy, forests and mines and minerals.

A mining that benefits the society

In South Africa, the mining industry is widespread and often causes the environment to be destroyed and cheap labor being exploited. National and transnational companies get huge profits through the extraction of natural resources in the country while local communities rarely benefit as much. In order to change this, IANRA is working on researching and spreading knowledge about how mines operate and how certain mining practices can benefit local communities. Women are usually particularly vulnerable to mining work with poorer wages than men, dangerous working conditions, sexual harassment and less power to influence. IANRA therefore focuses on women’s situation and how the industry can benefit from them. IANRA strives to increase knowledge among those working in mining, those in power and the wider public. In addition to research and information, IANRA also wants to strengthen the organization of women in rural areas and to support the movements that are part of the female miners’ struggle for better conditions.

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