Shifting Sands: Women Turn to Illegal Mining in Malawi Amid Climate Crisis

Due to economic necessity, many Malawian women engage in illegal sand mining, exacerbating environmental degradation. As climate change intensifies droughts and floods, unregulated mining worsens land erosion, reshaping livelihoods and landscapes. With few options, women endure grueling work in a bid for survival, despite the growing environmental impact.

In Malawi, the economic pressures of climate change are pushing more women into the harsh world of illegal sand mining. Driven by necessity, they contribute to significant environmental degradation while laboring under dire conditions.

As traditional livelihoods crumble under the weight of droughts and floods, many have little choice but to extract sand from protected areas, despite knowing the harmful impact on the landscape. The practice not only exacerbates land erosion but reduces tourism due to the damage inflicted on natural beaches.

The demand for construction materials ensures the mining business thrives, yet compensation remains paltry for those involved. With few formal employment opportunities, women shoulder heavy burdens to support their families, often at great physical and ecological cost.

(With inputs from agencies.)