By highlighting the precarious and unequal conditions faced by women miners, the film contributes to the broader effort to recognize their rights and build a safer, more inclusive and more equitable ASM sector.
Produced by Solidaridad and the creative agency BÁLU, as part of the RECLAIM Sustainability! programme, the film brings to light long-standing challenges faced by women in ASM—including gender discrimination, legal invisibility and unsafe working conditions. At the same time, it shows how collective organizing has become a powerful tool for building leadership and securing a seat at the table in sector reforms.
Voices from Across Peru, United by a Common Cause
Through the personal stories of María Reyes, Julia Pomalique and Vilma Contreras, Entre Polvo y Sueños captures distinct realities shaped by geography and context—but also united by shared demands: recognition, decent working conditions and full, meaningful participation in shaping the future of the ASM sector.
- In Arequipa, María gives voice to the struggles of pallaqueras (women who recover gold-bearing ores from waste rocks), describing how she confronted rejection in a deeply male-dominated mining culture.
- In Puno, Julia speaks to the cultural barriers that continue to limit women’s access to productive roles in mining.
- In Madre de Dios, Vilma recounts how she defied stereotypes to become one of the first women to lead a mining operation.
The Power of Collective Voice
A significant turning point for these women came with the creation of the National Network of Women in ASM (RNM-MAPE) in 2022, with support from Solidaridad and the RECLAIM Sustainability! programme. The network has become a key national platform for the representation and advocacy of women miners. Through their leadership roles, these women have gained visibility and legitimacy in policy dialogues with the government and other key actors.
“We realized we can organize. We can raise our voices. And we deserve to be part of the conversations we’ve been left out of for too long. It hasn’t been easy, but now we know we can propose solutions, take part in dialogue, and represent many other women who are also pushing for change.”
Julia Pomalique, woman miner in peru
A Tool for Dialogue and Sector Transformation
The documentary also includes perspectives from public officials at the Ministry of Energy and Mines, sector experts, civil society representatives and members of Solidaridad’s technical team. Together, they reflect on structural challenges such as informality, the lack of gender-sensitive public policy and gaps in social protection, healthcare and political participation.
According to Ege Tekinbas, Senior Policy Advisor on Gender Equality and Social Inclusion at the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development, documentaries play a critical role in exposing the structural barriers that affect women in ASM. They also aid in recognizing women’s transformative roles as workers, leaders and advocates.
“By sharing the everyday realities of women miners, these stories raise awareness among public officials and private sector actors about the challenges these women face. Documentaries like this inspire and mobilize audiences to take concrete action.”
Ege Tekinbas, Senior Policy Advisor on Gender Equality and Social Inclusion at the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development
A Contribution to Systemic Change
More than just raising awareness, Entre Polvo y Sueños sparks conversations and ignites action by connecting audiences with the daily reality faced by women miners. The film shifts perspectives, influences decision-making and advances reforms that prioritize equity, safety and inclusion in the ASM sector.
Ultimately, Entre Polvo y Sueños offers a transformative lens on a sector that still has a long way to go in terms of inclusion and equity. In doing so, it reflects the core mission of the RECLAIM Sustainability! programme: to strengthen civil society, amplify the voices of historically marginalized groups and build more responsible and inclusive global value chains.
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About the RECLAIM Sustainability! Programme
This documentary was developed as part of the global RECLAIM Sustainability!, Solidaridad’s joint five-year program (2021-2025) with Fairfood, TrustAfrica and Business Watch Indonesia, established in strategic partnership with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This program’s central objective is to foster genuine and inclusive sustainability across global value chains by ensuring the voices of farmers, miners, workers and citizens are effectively integrated into decision-making, while fundamentally strengthening civil society and upholding gender and social inclusion as core principles.