A Canadian mining company has agreed to pay compensation to a group of women who were raped and assaulted by security guards at its gold mine in Papua New Guinea.
The compensation by Barrick Gold to the 11 women relate to allegations of brutal sexual violence, including gang rape and imprisonment, by guards and police at the Porgera mine.
137 women originally alleged violence, bust most accepted a compensation offer under a remedy framework set up by Barrick in 2012 after a Human Rights Watch report identified systematic violence.
The 11 compensated this week refused that initial offer, and paired with the NGO EarthRights International which threatened to take legal action in the United States.
In a joint statement, Barrick and EarthRights International say they have negotiated a settlement with the 11 women, bringing all outstanding claims to a close.
