Civil society and mining

Abstract

The role of international and local civil society has broadened in important and notable ways that can increase trust and cooperation across the mining industry as well as quicken the attainment of the SDGs. While campaigning-style organizations and those that use traditional human rights instruments remain important voices in mining-focused social change movements, diverse types of organizations have begun taking on the language of business, sourcing, standards, and finance to influence the mining sector at different points. This article will describe four key trends in those expanded approaches. It will also acknowledge and celebrate the more diverse voices emerging at the turn of the 21st century. Together, these expanded approaches and voices are also good news for the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as civil society big and small creates new ways to tackle the industry’s persistent challenges. Discussed herein are the work of mining and civil society groups working on the following SDGs: SDG 1 (Poverty), 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), 5 (Gender Equality), 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), 8 (Decent Work), 14 (Life Below Water), 15 (Life on Land), and 16 (Peace and Justice).