Reversing Conflict Minerals: Let’s Formalize Artisanal Mining for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies

Dec 2, 2020 | Jorden de Haan
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Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) is a largely informal industry, known for its close relations with armed conflict, organized crime, human rights abuses, and corruption. But the sector is also a critical engine for rural development in the Global South.

The world’s first complete ASM-SDG assessment, published in September 2020, finds that the sector has both negative and positive impacts across the SDGs. And a recent book chapter on SDG 16 demonstrates how inclusive formalization processes could unlock the sector’s potential in supporting peaceful, just and inclusive societies.