Gabriela Factor, Chief Advisor at the Danish Institute for Human Rights: ‘We can contribute to the formalisation and inclusion of small-scale producers.’

"The International RBC Agreement for the Renewable Energy Sector is the first Agreement we are participating in. The Danish Institute is the national human rights institution in Denmark, and also has project offices in other countries. We are responsible for protecting and promoting human rights in Denmark by monitoring and reporting on the human rights and equality situation in Denmark. We also have a mandate at international level to promote respect for human rights, including the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. We support national human rights institutions, civil society organisations, as well as sectoral and multi-stakeholder initiatives such as this agreement.”

Aim of the Peru project

“Efforts in the first year of the Agreement have focused on getting organised, identifying priorities and developing key tools and plans. But increasingly, the focus should be on making a real difference in the companies and on the ground for the people affected. That is why it is so important to work together on the Peru project, which focuses on small-scale copper mining. The energy transition is creating a huge demand for minerals and, as a result, a new artisanal and small-scale mining sector. Not just copper in Peru, but lithium in Zimbabwe among many other countries. First of all, artisanal mining is not necessarily illegal, nor is it necessarily problematic. In fact, it is a livelihood strategy and a source of income for many people, including those displaced by conflict and climate change who do not have access to land and other opportunities. There are not many women miners in large-scale mining, but in artisanal and small-scale mining they can make up 30 per cent or more of the workforce.

The Danish Institute for Human Rights facilitated the contact with a locally based NGO that is leading the project. Companies participating in this project will have first-hand access to the voices on the ground, opportunities to become involved and learn about the impacts, opportunities and challenges faced by workers and communities in mining operations.

The crucial question is how can we better support small-scale mining organisations in their efforts towards formalisation, responsible production and legal and transparent access to markets. And how to apply the principles of responsible mining and improve its environmental and human rights governance, working conditions and gender equality. Rather than excluding small-scale producers from renewable energy supply chains, we can contribute to their inclusion and improved production and marketing conditions through engagement, capacity building, tools and frameworks that enable them to grow and develop.”

Priorities for the second year

“In the second year of the Agreement, the focus should be more 'on the ground'. Companies are busy drawing up their action plans. Much will be learned from the proper implementation of the action plans. As Civil Society Organisations, trade unions and knowledge institutions, we have a special vantage point and could play an even greater role in raising awareness of less obvious risks and impacts, and in guiding the private sector to take effective action to address these. We are on the ground, we talk to the rights holders, we should have the space to say:
‘These are the issues you should be paying attention to. These are the environmental and human rights themes and approaches that members of the Agreement should be considering.

Communities and workers are at the front line of these impacts. We need to talk about the whole range of rights that are at risk due to the demand for minerals and the development of renewable energy. Not just forced labour, but also environmental degradation and gender-based violence, among other issues. We should listen to rights holders, gain a better understanding of the impact of business activities on workers and communities. And more importantly, take individual and collective action to improve the situation on the ground throughout the renewable energy value chain.”