Rare minerals are key ingredients of industrial production. Their extraction is finite, but the demand for them rises constantly. The provision of rare minerals are high on the political agenda of the European Union and Austria. However, the extraction of such minerals is often connected with massive negative social and environmental consequences. The report  “More Human Rights in the Rare Minerals Supply Chain” analyses several mechanisms of human rights protection in minerals extraction. The underlying structures, human rights due diligence, human rights in trade policy, and  public procurement are critically reviewed. The instruments for a comprehensive human rights protection are partly in place, and can be improved, as the study shows. The report concludes that civil society should continuously work on the binding implementation of those instruments by the responsible state and non-state actors.

More Human Rights in the Rare Minerals Supply Chain: Duty of Care – Trade Policy –  Public Procurement

Autorin: Planitzer, Julia

Verlag: Dreikönigsaktion – Hilfswerk der Katholischen Jungschar, 2017