the Asbestos and Kgalagadi Relief Trusts that compensate qualifying miners and environmental claimants. Results Women comprised 2.47% (n=394) of 15 940 cases. The women were older (56.6±17.11 years) than men (53.63 ±14.44 years) and had shorter mining-related exposures (7.21 ±7.71 versus 18.18±18.20 years). Most women had asbestos mining (46.19%) or environmental (14.72%) exposure; 87 (22.08%) were gold and 37 were platinum (9.39%) miners. Among men, there were 64.28% gold, 18.47% platinum and

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... .55% asbestos miners, and 0.30% had environmental asbestos exposure. Disease proportions in women and men were: emphysema, 16.00% and 27.73%; silicosis, 3.30% and 23.13%; tuberculosis, 17.77% and 23.13%; lung cancer, 4.31% and 3.67%; asbestosis, 16.75% and 4.28% and mesothelioma, 17.26% and 2.00%. Discussion The burden of asbestos-related diseases was high in women. The few cases of silicosis in women are an alert to high silica dust exposures. The study highlights the importance of autopsies for disease diagnosis, and education of women on mining and environmental OLD-related risks and their right to access statutory compensation.