Artisanal diamond mining: An untold story of Basotho women

This article aims to critically analyse the role of women in mining in southern Africa, looking at the case study of Lesotho. Basotho women from the rural highlands of Lesotho used diamonds to sustain their livelihoods in the peak of migrant labour in South Africa. They joined artisanal diamond mining to support their households in the absence of men, and as remittances sent from South Africa were not enough to sustain the household. In this gender dynamic women played and continue to play a central economic role in their households. This conceptual paper demonstrates how Basotho women have been central to ASM. This is contrary to the dominant narrative which positions diamond mining as men’s work and activity. The paper draws on ethnographic data¹ on artisanal diamond mining in the highlands of Lesotho and extant literature to explore women’s experiences of violence, exploitation, and marginalisation in artisanal diamond mining.