The Executive Secretary of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, Monika Stankiewicz, has raised concerns about the serious health impacts of mercury use in artisanal and small-scale gold mining, particularly for women and children in Tanzania and other mining regions.

Speaking during the Eighth Global Environment Facility Assembly in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, she said some women miners have expressed fear of becoming pregnant because of the potential effects of mercury exposure on unborn children.

In Tanzania's Geita region and many other mining communities, mercury is commonly used to separate gold from ore because it is cheap and accessible.

Women often handle mercury directly, store it in their homes, and supervise the burning of mercury-gold amalgam, exposing themselves and their families to toxic vapours.

According to Stankiewicz, mercury can damage the nervous system, cause respiratory illnesses, affect reproductive health, and harm children's brain development.She noted that children and unborn babies are especially vulnerable to long-term neurological damage.

Beyond mining sites, mercury contamination spreads through rivers, fish, farmland, and ecosystems, affecting communities that depend on fishing and agriculture.The problem is also observed in regions such as the Brazilian Amazon, where illegal mining networks contribute to mercury pollution.Stankiewicz emphasized that poverty and lack of economic alternatives often force miners into risky practices.

Rather than criminalising miners, she advocated for formalising mining activities, improving access to legal markets, and expanding the use of mercury-free technologies.

She highlighted progress under the Minamata Convention, supported by significant international funding, but stressed that stronger implementation and sustained efforts are needed to protect both livelihoods and public health.