This study presents research findings regarding the challenges and opportunities hindering women’s participation in the ownership of rights in the Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM) sector in Zambia. The study aimed to understand the participation of women in ASM as well as the challenges and opportunities for advancing their empowerment. The study employed qualitative methods, while the selection of artisanal and small-scale female miners was done purposefully, supported by key informants that helped in identifying 15 women miners within the ASM sector. This was done in a snowball non-random sampling approach. All 15 women identified participated in the study translating into a 100 percent response rate. Findings revealed that despite women slowly gaining interest in organised mining and increased sector participation, they lacked access to capital, thus hampering their full participation, investment and productivity. Limited capital to invest in machinery also meant that mining was highly seasonal, with inadequate capacity for production during the rainy season, which affected their growth and profitability. In addition to limited access to financial capital, the processes involved in obtaining mining licences were considerably costly and bureaucratic. While mining licences were cited as relatively affordable, the cost of licence fees, such as Environmental Project .Briefs and environmental certification, was considered costly. The findings indicate that women had inadequate technical skills, as they lacked training in specialised fields such as Mining Engineering, Geology, Surveying, and Metallurgy, among others, and this posed a limitation to successful mining ventures. In addition, they lacked access geological information, which is critical in accessing investment opportunities, developing bankable financial proposals and mine planning. Furthermore, although women had control over the minerals they mined, their negotiation skills were limited. The lack of negotiating power led to failure of not yielding maximum benefits from the minerals mined, as foreign buyers benefited more due to exploitative pricing mechanisms. The study also revealed that cultural norms and beliefs negatively influenced women’s participation in ASM. For instance, some beliefs prevented women from entering mining sites during their menstrual cycle for fear that it would lead to the disappearance of minerals. In cases where women defied the aforementioned norms, they were still reluctant to enter mining sites due to the prevalence of sexual harassment. Thus, it was found that the aforementioned factors were limiting women from participating in the sector. Although the Government had been encouraging women to obtain mining licences as enshrined in the mining policy, the participants indicated that efforts to mainstream gender in mining policies were inadequate. It was noted that the majority of women in ASM were operating informally due to a burdensome tax regime. This study revealed that the prohibitive fiscal regime was limiting women’s successful participation in the sector. It was also found that the Mining Cadaster system did not disaggregate data by gender to ascertain the number of women obtaining mining licences. Thus, it is critical for mining policies to develop gender-responsive indicators that can help track the progress made in enhancing the participation of women. Notwithstanding the challenges women face in ASM, it was noted that several opportunities exist critical not only to enhancing women’s participation but also to maximising the full potential of the ASM sub-sector. These include; the expansion of minerals value chains to promote the engagement of women in non-traditional minerals such as pebble stones, granite and flat stones, among others. This presents a good opportunity for women to engage in the sector as these minerals are easily identifiable and can be found on the surface - and thus may not require much capital investment and machinery. Further, joint ventures and cooperatives are also an opportunity for investment that could help address financing challenges as members can pool their resources or attract capital. Similarly, women can partner with skilled professionals in the mining fields which would enhance their understanding of operations and requirements to maximise their benefits in the sector. The Government is therefore urged to develop a stand-alone mining policy for the ASM and mineral-specific strategies to address the challenges faced within the sub-sectors effectively. In addition to the stand-alone mining policy, the Government should consider expediting the establishment of a directorate for ASM under the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development. Further, Government is urged to support women-led ASM businesses, cooperatives and networks through the provision of incentives such as tax incentives, easing of formalisation standards, streamlining regulations and mining licence procedures, improved access to finance through the establishment of a fund at the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development, improved access to technology as well as extractive and processing machinery, among others. These incentives could encourage the formalisation of women-led ASM and spur productivity critical to stimulating economic growth, job creation and economic empowerment of women.