The Implications of Critical Energy Transition Minerals for Women’s Participation in the Mining Sector : Insights from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Indonesia

Analyzing women's roles in critical mineral chains, the study contrasts the early-stage cobalt industry in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with Indonesia’s more mature nickel sector. It examines how strategic policy choices can empower women economically amid surging demand for low-carbon technology inputs.

This study examines women''s participation in the cobalt value chain in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and nickel value chains in Indonesia. As the demand for Critical Energy Transition Minerals (CETM) intensifies due to their essential role in low-carbon technologies, the two countries are central to the global supply of cobalt and nickel, respectively. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the cobalt value chain remains at an early stage, yet it has significant potential to expand and generate more equitable benefits that could contribute to women’s fairer integration in this sector. In contrast, Indonesia’s nickel sector has advanced further along the value chain, with active policies to promote domestic processing and industrialization. Here too, the potential for women’s more beneficial integration is high, provided the right policy frameworks are in place. By comparing these two distinct experiences - each shaped by different socio-economic contexts and policy choices - the study aims to assess whether the current models of value chain development have led to different outcomes for women’s economic participation, and how such outcomes might inform more inclusive approaches moving forward. The analysis offers insights not only for Democratic Republic of the Congo and Indonesia but also for other countries experiencing similar transformations related to CETM.