CCE Issues and Views

Pact's on-the-ground CCE involvement yields practical experience with many important social development issues such as human rights and security, artisanal mining, alternative livelihoods, women's empowerment, and good governance. In this Issues and Views section, we seek to share insights and experience we are gaining along with the questions we wrestle with and dilemmas we face as this work continues.

• Community Security and Human Rights: Practical Implementation of the Voluntary Principles on Human Rights and Security
  
• Avoiding the Resource Curse: Civil Society Engagement in Revenue Transparency in Cambodia
  
• Artisanal Mining: Reducing Conflict and Improving Livelihoods Alternatives

Community Security and Human Rights: Practical Implementation of the Voluntary Principles on Human Rights and Security.

The Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights, commonly referred to as the VPs, were the result of dialogue between the governments of the United States and the United Kingdom, companies in the extractive sectors and non-governmental organizations. Announced in December 2000, the VPs are a "set of principles to guide companies in maintaining the safety and security of their operations within an operating framework that ensures respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms." The VPs address three areas related to security and human rights: risk assessment, relations with public security and relations with private security. Pact is actively working with communities, companies and host governments to assist in the practical implementation of the VPs. For example:

• Pact carries out field-based due diligence assessment of all companies with which we work to determine their level of implementation and adherence with the VPs. This then is developed into a work plan to assist them to move towards full implementation. Based on this, we also carry out a regular audit of their status and progress. With one company, for example, we are involved in training and monitoring activities since implementation of the VPs is a cross-cutting issue for project work at all sites, and we conducted one workshop last year which included a comprehensive risk analysis on human rights issues. In work with another company, we carry out a biannual assessment of the status of human rights attention within the policies, procedures and practices of the security department. With yet another company as part of consideration of whether we might work with it, we have developed a list of priority activities as the basis of a work plan for VP implementation.
• Monthly, Pact convenes a meeting of the heads of security of the mining companies, private security providers and the United Nations Peace Keeping Mission to the Congo (MONUC) to discuss issues of concern relating to human rights in the mines and common concerns relating to public security performance;
• Pact is developing contextual appropriate methodologies for carrying out background checks, as well as how to include VP adherence in supplier contracts;
• We have developed basic training and guidance materials, including a human rights reference checklist, to be distributed to security providers in appropriate languages. This is based on the UN standards for training of law enforcement officials.

Avoiding the Resource Curse: Civil Society Engagement in Revenue Transparency in Cambodia.

The so-called resource curse, the phenomenon where by countries with abundant natural resources experience lower levels of economic growth than their resource poor counterparts, afflicts many countries throughout the developing world. While some countries have suffered from its effects for decades, do other countries, where significant stocks of natural resources have only recently be found, have a chance to avoid this outcome? Pact is working in Cambodia through its anti-corruption programming and stakeholder engagement efforts to help civil society better understand the role it can play to help avoid the curse.

Check back regularly to learn more about Pact's activities and lessons from this work.

Artisanal Mining: Reducing Conflict and Improving Livelihoods Alternatives

Artisanal mining has been cited as the second largest source of employment in Africa, second only to agriculture. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) alone, there are an estimated 2 million men, women and children who depend on artisanal mining for survival. While artisanal mining is by definition a simple process, the issues that surround it are incredibly complex.

Artisanal mining is full of health, safety and environmental risks. For example, individuals are at risk of cave-ins because of lack of proper infrastructure and poor mining technique. Chemicals, such as mercury, are also used and cause illness and can cause loss of sight. In addition, in the case of the DRC, many artisanal miners work under conditions of bonded labor and are manipulated and taken advantage of by corrupt middlemen and traffickers. Notwithstanding these risks, artisanal miners depend on it for day-to-day survival and have few, if any other economic opportunities.

Another layer of complexity to the issue is the conflict between artisanal mining and large-scale, commercial mining companies. In many countries, artisanal mining is recognized as a legal profession. However, in order to be considered "legal", the mining must be undertaken under specific parameters, such as on designated "artisanal zones". Frequently, artisanal miners are working on concessions that are legally held by international mining companies. The international companies and artisanal miners then find themselves at odds with each other as they compete over access to the same resources. This stalemate has resulted in the loss of livelihoods for communities, the destruction of public and private property and resources, and most unfortunately, in some cases, the loss of life.

Can artisanal mining be practiced in a better way? Can artisanal and large-scale mining co-exist? Pact thinks so.

Recognizing the complexity of the issue, Pact's approach to artisanal mining in the Congo strives for pragmatism. We focus on six primary routes for artisanal miners: employment in the formal mining sector; training for future employment opportunities as the sector grows; SMEs and supply chain opportunities with the formal mining sector; alternative livelihoods & agriculture; high intensity manual labor on infrastructure projects; and safer, regulated artisanal mining.

Pact's approach is also built on recognition that a wide variety of actors must be engaged in order to develop viable solutions to the potential conflict between artisanal and large-scale mining operations, as well as to address health and safety issues. Pact works with international-listed mining companies, international donors, local and national government entities, world-renowned artisanal mining experts, and the communities and miners themselves to address these issues.

Solutions to improving the lives and conditions of artisanal miners are multi-dimensional and complex and even with concerted efforts and multistakeholder approaches, there remains much thinking and work to be done to identify, develop and implement alternatives that will yield living wages and acceptable working conditions to the millions of people directly involved in artisan mining.

Check back regularly to learn more about Pact's activities and lessons from this work.