Creation Of Environment Research Articles

Gender Differences in Perception of Neurosurgery as a Career Choice in Pakistan: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Survey

A low neurosurgeon-to-patient ratio persists to be a problem in many developing nations including Pakistan. Concurrent gender disparities further exacerbate the challenges posed by the already limited workforce. An understanding of the perceptions of neurosurgery among female early career doctors is crucial in the evolution of the field in terms of both, workforce strength and inclusivity. A cross-sectional study was conducted across public and private medical schools of Pakistan. A close-ended self-administered questionnaire was employed to assess subject-reported challenges and perceptions regarding neurosurgery. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 28, and p< 0.05 was considered significant. The influence of these perceptions on the choice of neurosurgery as a career was determined by binary logistic regression analysis. Of the 387 responses received from over 45 institutions across the country, 55.6% were females and 44.4% were male respondents. Compared to men, women were more likely to opt out of neurosurgery due to fear of problems with parenting (p<0.001), absence of daycare facilities (p<0.001), lack of female role models (p=0.001), fear of gender discrimination (p<0.001), and the mental (p=0.04) and physical distress (p=0.008) associated with neurosurgery. Binary logistic regression revealed that these concerns were responsible for an increased likelihood of opting out of neurosurgery among female medical students and intern doctors. Significant differences exist in how male and female medical students perceive neurosurgery as a career choice. Interventions including availability of day care facilities for children, creation of inclusive workplace environment, and promotion of mentorship programs catering to women can help bridge this gap and contribute to evolution of the field of neurosurgery in the developing world.

PenGym: Realistic training environment for reinforcement learning pentesting agents

Penetration testing, or pentesting, refers to assessing network system security by trying to identify and exploit any existing vulnerabilities. Reinforcement Learning (RL) has recently become an effective method for creating autonomous pentesting agents. However, RL agents are typically trained in a simulated network environment. This can be challenging when deploying them in a real network infrastructure due to the lack of realism of the simulation-trained agents.In this paper, we present PenGym, a framework for training pentesting RL agents in realistic network environments. The most significant features of PenGym are its support for real pentesting actions, full automation of the network environment creation, and good execution performance. The results of our experiments demonstrated the advantages and effectiveness of using PenGym as a realistic training environment in comparison with a simulation approach (NASim). For the largest scenario, agents trained in the original NASim environment behaved poorly when tested in a real environment, having a high failure rate. In contrast, agents trained in PenGym successfully reached the pentesting goal in all our trials. Even after fixing logical modeling issues in simulation to create the revised version NASim(rev.), experiment results with the largest scenario indicated that agents trained in PenGym slightly outperformed, and were more stable, than those trained in NASim(rev.). Thus, the average number of steps required to reach the pentesting goal was 1.4 to 8 steps better for PenGym. Consequently, PenGym provides a reliable and realistic training environment for pentesting RL agents, eliminating the need to model agent actions via simulation.

Enhancing behavior classification of children in dynamic interaction scenes through improved DCNN model

The rapid development of society makes people pay more attention to the quality of the environment for children’s growth. However, due to the differences of young children, different environments are often needed for cultivation in dynamic interaction scenarios. Therefore, the authors propose an environment creation method for children’s behavior classification to improve the quality of children’s growth environment. Taking the video data of children for a period of time as input, the encoder and decoder are designed to classify children’s behavior and obtain behavior characteristics. After the input image is processed by the backbone network DCNN, two outputs are obtained, which are four times of shallow features and 16 times of high-level features. Aiming at the semantic gap between environmental features and children’s behavior features, the DenseNet model is used to remove the semantic difference between children’s behavior features and environmental features, and the similarity between the two features is fitted as much as possible. The dense blocks obtained by different expansion factors of the network are used for feature connection, so that the model is suitable for feature similarity calculation of different modes. The experimental results show that this method can accurately classify children’s behavior, and the F value is more than 70%, which can provide prerequisites for children’s environment creation. This environment creation model can clearly point out the suitable environment for children and provide a guarantee for children’s growth.

Organizational and pedagogical aspects of interaction between teacher and students in distance learning conditions

The paper examines organizational and pedagogical aspects of interaction between teacher and students in distance learning conditions. Organizational aspects include the need for strict adherence to curriculum, administrative support, use of modern technology, and training for both teachers and students. Pedagogical aspects include the development of key competencies in students, such as focus, mutual trust, mutual assistance, systematic communication and the use of a variety of learning modalities. An example of the structure of a lesson in higher mathematics ("Differential Equations") is presented, where organizational aspects are discussed, such as the preparation of educational material and the creation of a learning environment, as well as pedagogical aspects, such as targeted learning, mutual trust and mutual assistance, systematic communication and feedback, and the use of a variety of learning modalities. The methodological support of the training session is also considered, including basic concepts and definitions, educational material and online resources.

SUPPLEMENTARY EDUCATION PORTAL CREATION FOR STUDENTS

The aim of the research described in this article is to develop and implement an educational portal that enables students to acquire additional knowledge and skills by studying the process of creating electronic resources in the educational field. The portal addresses the current demands of digital learning and provides access to supplementary educational opportunities. The article discusses software development methods, the selection of an optimal environment for application creation, and the key stages of the development process. The focus of the research is on creating a supplementary education portal, emphasizing the use of object-oriented programming (OOP) methods, web technologies, web programming, and electronic educational resource creation techniques. As a result of the research, technologies such as PHP, MySQL, and JavaScript were chosen, leading to the successful implementation of the application. An analysis of existing educational portals, such as BilimLand and Daryn Online, was conducted. The outcome of the work was the creation of a functional educational portal that allows students to effectively gain additional knowledge, meeting modern requirements. The portal offers interactive tools available to users and adapts to individual educational needs.

Barriers to Workforce-Driven Innovation in Healthcare.

Healthcare systems are continually developing new ways of delivering care in pursuit of quality improvement, increasing patient and provider satisfaction, and enhancing efficiency. This review measures the barriers to workforce-driven innovation in healthcare, a crucial yet underexamined area of study. Research into workforce-driven innovation in healthcare identifies several key barriers and solutions. Major impediments include a lack of knowledge and resources, as well as financial constraints, which hinder the implementation of innovations. Research findings from different regions enumerate organizational capability, leadership quality, and the adequacy of human resource management as influencing factors for innovation. Poor leadership, lack of inter- and cross-organizational learning, and structural barriers related to inadequate communication and formal forums also hinder progress. In addition, the resistance to change and the inability to engage employees effectively further obstruct innovation efforts. These issues can be addressed through the creation of a supportive innovation environment, enhancing training and development, and improving communication networks. Despite thorough database searches, the emerging nature of this topic has resulted in limited literature, restricting a comprehensive comparison of studies. Future research studies should be longitudinal in design, from diverse geographic contexts, and focus on the effects of emerging technologies to comprehensively understand these barriers and develop effective strategies for overcoming them.

Thermal perception and dressing behaviors of pregnant women during different stages of pregnancy: A field study at a hospital in Xi'an, China

Pregnant women have different thermal preferences during pregnancy. This paper aims to investigate the thermal characteristics of pregnant women in hospitals, addressing a research gap in the field of thermal comfort for this population. This study assessed the thermal environments of the pregnancy examination spaces (i.e., B-ultrasound room and waiting area) in a hospital located in Xi'an during the winter season. Data were collected from 1055 pregnant women at different stages of pregnancy, including demographic characteristics, thermal sensation votes (TSVs), thermal comfort votes (TCVs), and clothing insulation. The results show that the thermal sensation was significantly more influenced by the pregnancy stage than the current weight. Pregnant women in the third trimester reported a higher mean thermal sensation vote (MTSV) than in other pregnancy stages. Furthermore, the clothing insulation of pregnant women exhibited a non-normal distribution, resembling a bimodal structure. Based on this structure, typical clothing insulation values were determined to be 0.9 clo in the B-ultrasound room and 1.3 clo in the waiting area. Given these characteristics in both thermal perception and dressing behaviors of pregnant women via a subjective questionnaire, we advise lowering the temperature to ensure their comfort and save heating energy. Some personalized seats are also provided to compensate for differences in thermal preference at various stages of pregnancy. These findings contribute to the creation of comfortable and healthy pregnancy examination environments.

Multi-dimensional distribution prediction of PM2.5 concentration in urban residential areas based on CNN

Air pollution has been one of the major environmental health issues in urban residential areas. Enhancing the air quality of the human environment has become a relevant research topic, but the study of the distribution characteristics of air pollutants under the influence of multi-dimensional indicators of residential building design is rarely considered. Herein, the PM2.5 spatial distribution of residential environment in Hefei, China, was simulated using ENVI-met. This research explored the influence mechanism of different design indexes on PM2.5 in the residential environment. A fast prediction method was proposed for PM2.5 based on the convolutional neural network (CNN). Furthermore, 4183 test points in the residential environment were selected to explore the influence of design indexes on PM2.5. The morphological features around the test points were transform to the images as input datasets for CNN model training. Results indicated that the PM2.5 mass concentration in the residential area decreases with the increase in height, and it is correlated with the sky viewfactor, the average height of the building and the density of the building. The accuracy of the CNN prediction model exceeds that of the ANN prediction model by 14.2 %, and the results can effectively predict the multi-dimensional distribution of the PM2.5 mass concentration in the residential environment, which could provide an effective reference and analytical tool for the creation of a healthy environment in residential areas.

Review of AI-Driven Solutions in Business Value and Operational Efficiency

Introduction. Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to a wide spectrum of breakthroughs that offer multiple advantages to companies in terms of increased sales. Considering the abundance of data and the significant increase in computational resources, organisations have rapidly turned to artificial intelligence (AI) to create financial benefits. Nevertheless, businesses continue to discover it is challenging to implement and employ AI in their everyday activities. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding is required due to the absence of an integrated comprehension of how artificial intelligence creates business value and what kind of corporate worth is anticipated. Aim and tasks. The study aims to review value-generating methods and explain how enterprises might use AI technology in their business activities. To accomplish its main aims, this study offers a thorough literature review. The working hypothesis claims that the use of AI can increase business value. Results. This study examines the research capabilities of AI, its use in the corporate environment, and its initial and secondary impacts. The impact of AI includes process efficiency, generating insights hidden in huge amounts of data, and transforming business processes in terms of procedural actions, operational efficiency, financial efficiency, market efficiency, and sustainability in terms of company profile. In addition to the favourable impacts, several recent cases have shown that unwanted and undesired consequences may develop in the absence of effective management procedures. These effects hurt the reputation of the businesses concerned and, in certain cases, resulted in huge fines and financial losses. Such findings increase the responsibility of AI enterprises to incorporate solutions that reduce the bias in data and algorithms at every stage of implementation. Conclusions. The role of artificial intelligence in the corporate environment in value creation and operational efficiency is extending. AI technologies can be used by companies to increase automation of corporate processes without direct interaction with customers, including applications that mean the use of AI in customer-facing services and products. Learning about the means by which AI might be employed will assist businesses in generating rational choices regarding the strength of implementing technologies in the supply chain. Assessing the possible implications of AI acceptance of artificial intelligence may enable firms to plan more successfully on a technology’s launch.

PECULIARITIES OF THE FUNCTIONING OF DOMESTIC ELITE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION

The article provides a theoretical and practical analysis of the problem of the formation and development of elite higher education in Ukraine. In the context of the specified problem, the authors singled out: trends in the activity of educational institutions in the conditions of a full-scale invasion of Russia; factors of increased interest of researchers in studying the problem of elites, elite thinking, elite educational institutions; growth trends of private educational institutions in Europe and Ukraine.An analysis of different approaches to the interpretation of the concepts of "elite", "private school", "alternative educational institutions", "elite education", "elite university", etc. is offered. The authors proposed a description of different types of private schools, in particular, elitist, denominational, compensatory, conjunctural, national and alternative models. The article presents the classification of private schools (preschool, primary, day, non-formal, with moderate and high tuition fees, with historically developed traditions and modernity, etc.), and highlights their characteristic features.A comparative analysis of research and elite universities was partially carried out, and the characteristic features of a research university were singled out and characterized (the multi-functionality of the institution, the presence of a system of training specialists with a scientific degree, a wide selection of specialities and specializations, the formation of an intellectual environment around the university, a competitive and selective approach to the selection of students; the presence of corporate ethics, etc.). The article focuses on the specific characteristics of elite universities (autonomy, compactness, own traditions, small numbers, etc.), highlights the most significant factors of the emergence and development of elite higher education institutions in Ukraine (growing demand of the population for appropriate education, creation of an appropriate educational environment, expanded network of social provision of the most gifted students, etc.).

Conceptual model for strengthening international commercial arbitration in promoting cross-border trade and investment in developing economies

International commercial arbitration plays a crucial role in promoting cross-border trade and investment, particularly in developing economies where legal and institutional frameworks may be underdeveloped. This paper proposes a conceptual model aimed at strengthening international commercial arbitration to enhance its effectiveness in supporting cross-border trade and investment in these regions. The model addresses the unique challenges faced by developing economies, such as inadequate legal infrastructure, limited access to expertise, and the reluctance of foreign investors due to perceived risks. It emphasizes the need for capacity building, the harmonization of arbitration laws with international standards, and the creation of supportive legal environments that foster investor confidence. The model proposes the establishment of regional arbitration centers with a focus on developing economies, staffed by experts familiar with local contexts and international best practices. Additionally, it suggests the integration of digital technologies to streamline arbitration processes, reduce costs, and enhance accessibility. Collaboration between international arbitration bodies, governments, and private sectors is also highlighted as a critical component for the success of this model. Furthermore, the model advocates for the development of specialized training programs to build local expertise in arbitration and dispute resolution. By fostering a robust arbitration culture, developing economies can attract and retain foreign investment, thereby contributing to sustainable economic growth. This conceptual model seeks to bridge the gap between global arbitration standards and the specific needs of developing economies. By doing so, it aims to create a more conducive environment for cross-border trade and investment, ultimately contributing to the economic development of these regions. The paper concludes by outlining the potential impact of the model on improving investor confidence, reducing trade barriers, and enhancing the overall attractiveness of developing economies as investment destinations.

Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Computer Systems, and Interactive Systems: a Holistic Approach to Enhancing Creative Talent in Art Design

With the rapid development and wide application of artificial intelligence, virtual computer systems and interactive systems, they play an important role in improving innovative talents in art and design. The purpose of this paper is to explore the overall approach of using these technologies to improve innovation in the field of art and design as well as to cultivate innovative talents. Firstly, we introduce the current development of artificial intelligence in art and design. Secondly, we explore the application of AI, virtual computer systems and interactive systems in art and design innovation. Artificial intelligence technology can help designers discover new inspirations and ideas by analysing a large number of artworks and design cases; virtual computer systems can provide designers with a virtual creative environment so that they can experiment and create in an infinite space; interactive systems can provide learners with a personalised learning experience, and, through intelligent educational platforms and interactive tools, help them develop their creative thinking and problem-solving skills. By making full use of these technologies, we can cultivate more creative and innovative art and design talents, and promote the sustainable development of the art and design field.

Assessing Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours toward Salt and Sugar Consumption in the Central Division of Fiji

Objectives: This study aimed to assess salt and sugar-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviours (KAB) of adults in the Central Division of Fiji. Methods: A randomised stratified sample of 700 adults were selected. Questions on salt and sugar-related KABs were developed. The survey took place from March to June 2022. For analyses, population and sample weights were applied, and differences between predefined subgroups (sex, age, ethnicity and area) were compared using weighted chi-square tests. Results: 534 adults participated (response rate 76%). Over 80% of participants (82% (95% CI 78.5 to 84.9%)) identified that consuming too much salt or salty sauce can lead to hypertension. More than 90% recognised that consuming too much sugar can lead to diabetes (92.3% (89.7 to 94.3%)). Approximately 80% of participants thought it was somewhat or very important to lower salt and sugar intake in their diet (79.8% (76.1 to 83.0) and 84.2% (80.8 to 87.1%), respectively). However, almost 40% reported adding salt or salty sauces when cooking (37.3% (32.7 to 42.2%)) and 65% (60.6 to 68.5%) adding sugar to drinks daily. Conclusions: Despite having positive knowledge and attitudes, many people reported behaviours likely to contribute to excess salt and sugar intake, highlighting the need for interventions that support behaviour change and the creation of healthier food environments.

ORGANIZATION-PEDAGPGICAL CONDITIONS OF PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ ABILITY FOR INTERACTIVE DISTANCE EDUCATIONAL COOPERATION

The article justifies the topicality of future teachers’ preparation for work in blended learning conditions, including for organization of interactive distance educational cooperation. Such terms as interactivity and interactive education proposed by domestic researchers are analyzed. The classification of interactive activity forms is proposed.Organization-pedagogical conditions of the development of future teachers’ ability for interactive distance education cooperation are described: the implementation of models of interactive distance cooperation into educational process of a pedagogical university; the combination of various forms of interactive distance education cooperation; the use of active and interactive methods of education; the creation of open dynamic information-educational environment on the basis of equality and equivalence of objects of education, their cooperation and inter education; the use of modern dialogue technologies, modification of traditional forms of pedagogical interaction. The models of interactive distance interaction are characterized: informational, intentional, interactive, and inclusive. Much attention is drawn to the need for combination of different forms of interactive distance educational cooperation: the means of acting and dramatizing; role games; discussions, debates; press-conferences; “Brainstorming”, “Solution Tree”, method “Know / want find out / have found out”; method “Uncompleted Sentences”, “Press”, “Microphone”, sync wine. The peculiarities of active and interactive methods according to the requirements of modern educational process are highlighted. The ways of the creation of open dynamic informational-educational environment on the basis of equality, equivalence of objects of education, their cooperation and inter education are characterized. The examples of using of modern dialogue technologies, the modification of traditional forms of pedagogical interaction in future music teachers’ preparation are given.

Workers with Disabilities and the Challenges of Creating an Inclusive Work Environment

Introduction. Creating a workplace for workers with disabilities is a difficult task that requires considering a variety of factors. Many workplaces are not equipped with the necessary devices, such as height-adjustable tables, office chairs for disabled, or wheelchair lifts. Also, buildings may lack wheelchair ramps, elevators or wide doorways, which makes it difficult for people with limited mobility to access the workplace. These and many other factors significantly limit the possibilities of professional integration of persons with disabilities.The purpose of this work was to identify the main challenges of creating an inclusive working environment in order to increase the employment rates of workers with disabilities. In this research, an analysis of Russian and foreign literature was carried out.Materials and methods. The issues of the employment of workers with disabilities and the creation of an inclusive working environment were considered on the basis of a content analysis of scientific, review, and expert literature published both in scientific peer-reviewed publications and on the Internet. Papers by Rus-sian and foreign authors, analytical data from national statistical agencies, and materials from government and corporate programs aimed at integrating persons with disabilities into social and professional life were studied.Results. Discussions on disability in the workplace have been extremely limited for a long time. However, statistics show that 5–8% of the working-age population have health problems that limit their ability to carry out professional activities. The workplace should be accessible to all employees, whether for routine work or emergency evacuation. Effective use of international experience as well as continuous improvement of inclu-sive practices will help to create more accessible and fair working conditions for all.

El trinomio compromiso, satisfacción y justicia organizacional en el binomio felicidad e intención de rotar

the aim of this study was to empirically analyze the relationships between the dimensions of organizational justice, job satisfaction, andorganizational commitment with work happiness and turnover intention among academic workers in Mexico. To this end, a sample of 393 higher education faculty members in Mexico was surveyed. The statistical technique of structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) was used to analyze the data. The study’s results show that, on the one hand, the variables of job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and organizational justice areinterrelated among these workers, and on the other hand, that these variables positively explain work happiness and negatively explain turnover intention. This information is relevant for university leaders to undertake a strategic direction oriented towards Happiness Management. This way, their human capital can perform their professional activities in an environment of positive emotions, creativity, joy, and subjective well-being.

Improving foreign language reading technique using neural text-to-speech technology

Introduction. The intensification and technical development of the country, the COVID-19 pandemic and the post-crisis phase have led to the active integration of digital resources into the educational process, which has led to a new stage of development of the modern Russian education system – its digitalization. At present, new digital technologies, including artificial intelligence technologies, are being developed and introduced into the teaching of foreign languages. This article considers the use of text-to-speech technology functioning via neural networks to improve the reading technique in English and German of students of linguistic and non-linguistic specialties. Reading skills in a foreign language can be improved with the help of Natural Reader and TTSFree speech synthesizers, which students can use on their own. Due to application of the new FES HVE (Federal Educational Standards of Higher Vocational Education) of 2018 the volume of classroom work with students has decreased and the volume of independent work of students and students number in educational groups have increased, according to this matter the practical use of speech synthesizers in a foreign language classes seems relevant and important. Materials and Methods. Conducting an experiment to determine the effectiveness of the use of Natural Reader and TTSFree speech synthesizers to improve reading skills of linguistic and non-linguistic specialties students, calculating the number of phonetic errors when reading a foreign text before and after using of the voice generator, summarizing and interpreting the results obtained. Results. The list of publications studied in the process of scientific research makes 40 Russian and foreign works. These materials allowed to study the application of TTS technology with the use of neural networks, as well as Natural Reader and TTSFree speech synthesizers in foreign language classes at the university, which allowed to prove in practice the effectiveness of the analyzed services to improve the reading technique in English and German. Discussion and Conclusions. On the basis of theoretical research of scientific sources, as well as studying the experience of practical application of speech synthesizers Natural Reader and TTSFree, the conclusion about the great didactic potential of TTS technology is formulated. Possible applications of speech synthesis include the creation of an authentic language environment, the automation of reading, listening and speaking skills, as well as the self-control of students with their written language, voiced by TTS technology.

The Fourth Educational Revolution and the Impact of AI on Pedagogy

This study explores the capacity of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to revolutionize educational pedagogy, aiming to foster a more personalized and effective learning experience. Methodology: Through a bibliometric analysis of publications in Scopus and Web of Science, the research examines AI's impact on adaptive learning, personalized instruction, and effective teaching methods. It also evaluates AI's role in assessment, creation of simulated learning environments, and widening access to education, while addressing the integration challenges. Conclusions: The investigation demonstrates that AI has considerable potential to improve teaching and learning. AI-driven tools like intelligent tutoring systems, machine learning algorithms, and virtual simulations can facilitate a learner-centric approach. Nonetheless, it also highlights the necessity to confront issues such as technological overdependence, privacy concerns, and the potential displacement of teachers. A thoughtful adoption of AI in education could lead to a more equitable and engaging learning system. The advent of this educational revolution demands a focus on augmenting human capabilities with AI and transforming pedagogical strategies to enhance student outcomes. The research advocates for further development of ethical standards and informed policies to guide AI integration in the educational sector.

Exploring the Role of Wireless Networking in Uganda’s Socio-Economic Development: Deployment, Impact, and Challenges

In Uganda, wireless networking technologies are considered an indispensable destination for advancement in connectivity, digital inclusion, and socio-economic progress. Wi-Fi connectivity is the technology that uses radio waves to send data without cables, permitting devices to share files wirelessly. Resolving the linkage problem and creating a chance for a digital economy are what matter most in Uganda’s economic development. Because of the high cost of setting up and operating wireless infrastructure in rural areas, we could use cellular networks, Wi-Fi, and satellite internet in tandem to bridge the digital divide. Such an infrastructure also provides an enabling environment for innovations, start-ups, job creation, and education. This paper will examine the deployment of wireless networks in Uganda, specifically focusing on sectors like telecommunications, education, healthcare, and agriculture. It emphasized the importance of Wi-Fi and its various benefits, including bridging the digital divide, promoting digital inclusion, and fostering innovation. Nevertheless, these problems of infrastructure constraints, spectrum allocation problems, interference issues, and socioeconomic hurdles are still there and remain. The content also includes sections on power supply, safety, staffing deficiencies, and regulatory compliance. It is capable of demonstrating the current level of cellular networking as well as its future growth prospects. We will employ pertinent recently published data (2014–2024) from multiple reliable databases. Uganda’s wireless technology future is promising for growth, innovation, and social-economic development. Accelerating 5G deployment, developing rural connectivity, and investing in IoT and smart infrastructure are essential. The government should provide financial incentives, strengthen cybersecurity, raise public awareness, and collaborate on modernised curriculum and certifications. Keywords: wireless networking, Uganda, telecommunications, digital inclusion, innovation, challenges, opportunities.

“If you don't go to site, they call you a lazy person”: Drivers of women's participation in artisanal and small-scale mining: The case of rural northern Ghana

In recent years, women's involvement in informal artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) activities in sub-Saharan African countries have surged. While many studies have attributed the increased involvement of women in ASM to the rising economic hardship in rural landscapes, a deeper interrogation of the socioeconomic and sociocultural drivers of the surge in women in ASM remains underexplored. This study inquires as follows: has women's increased participation in ASM anything to do with socioeconomic factors, or sociocultural factors, or to both? The study draws on a qualitive case study research design involving in-depth interviews with 67 women miners in northern Ghana, one of the emerging ASM hotspots. It answers the question by analyzing (1) the socioeconomic drivers of women's participation in ASM, and (2) the sociocultural drivers of women's participation in ASM. This helps in identifying the contextual constraints to women's participation in ASM in Ghana and other regions in sub-Saharan Africa. Findings show that the socioeconomic drivers of women's participation in ASM are unemployment, increasing household needs, climate change effect on agriculture, and the quest to acquire physical assets. A key contribution of the study relates to how the local communities' sub-culture, social recognition for women who made it in ASM and marital challenges drive women's participation in ASM. Participation in ASM inures to women's empowerment in the long-run provided the sociocultural, financial, and technological barriers facing women miners are addressed. The findings underscore the urgent need for a robust policy on gender mainstreaming and the creation of a gender-sensitive mining environment alongside formalization of ASM activities in developing countries.