Event

Social justice & mining

Event Details

Online registration required before 12 February 2023
FREE ENTRANCE

PROGRAMME (More information about the event HERE)

Welcome by Barbara Segaert, project coordinator Europe and Solidarity at UCSIA, University of Antwerp
Introduction of speakers by Divin-Luc Bikubanya

KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS

MINERAL SUPPLY CHAINS: REGULATION, RISK, RESPONSIBILITY:
Presentation by Prof. Sara Geenen, chairwoman of USOS; Institute of Development Policy (IOB), University of Antwerp and Centre d’Expertise en Gestion Minière (CEGEMI), Université Catholique de Bukavu
What do today’s mineral supply chains look like? What is (and who defines) supply chain risk? How should mineral supply chains be regulated (and who decides)? And is responsible sourcing a contradiction in terms?

EMPOWERING SMALL-SCALE PRODUCERS TO PARTICIPATE IN MINERAL SUPPLY CHAIN REGULATION: RESEARCH PROJECT PRESENTATION:
Presentation by Dr. Sarah Katz-Lavigne, post-doctoral researcher, IOB, University of Antwerp and CEGEMI, Université Catholique de Bukavu
What does it mean to ensure the meaningful participation of communities and small-scale producers in decision-making around supply-chain?

IDENTIFY WAYS IN WHICH SMEs CAN IMPLEMENT AN EFFECTIVE PROCESS OF HUMAN RIGHTS DUE DILIGENCE:
Presentation by Dr. Boris Verbrugge, research expert at HIVA (Research Institute for Work and Society), KU Leuven
How and why do SMEs engage in efforts to address human rights risks? What are the barriers and opportunities that SMEs face when attempting to assess and address human rights risks more systematically by carrying out human rights due diligence?

ARTISANAL AND INDUSTRIAL COBALT MINING IN THE DRC:
Presentation by Prof. Bossissi Nkuba, post-doctoral researcher, University of Antwerp and CEGEMI, Université Catholique de Bukavu
How are transnational environmental regulatory frameworks put into practice at the local level? In the face of global environmental challenges, how can cobalt mining in DRC be a catalyst for a just transition?

EUROPEAN CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY DUE DILIGENCE DIRECTIVE AND SOCIAL ECONOMY ACTION PLAN:
Presentation by Miguel Toledano Lanza, political attaché at European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), European Parliament. Legal and economic advisor in various environments: Employment and Social Affairs, Culture and Education
How do European policies relate to the supply of natural resources more generally? Linked to this, how can we understand the role of social economy organizations as promoted by the European Social Economy Action Plan?

Q&A Session

PANEL DEBATE

Moderator: Katrien Vanderschoot, journalist at VRT NWS’s foreign affairs section, specializing in Africa

Discussions:

  1. Challenges posed by the demand for minerals in the Global South
  2. EU and companies’ responsibility in relation to minerals supply chains
  3. ‘Best practices’ or regulations for the governance of South (Extraction) – North (Consumption) of conflict minerals

Panel:

  • Barbara Cooreman (Responsible sourcing): A representative of UMICORE, a Belgian circular materials technology company
  • Guiseppe Cioffo, Corporate Regulation and Extractives Officer of CIDSE, Brussels
  • Prof. Gamze Erdem Turkelli, Law and Development Research Group, University of Antwerp
  • Cecilia Mattea, Clean Vehicles Officer at Transport and Environment (T&E), Brussels.

GLOBAL STRATEGIC PLAN: 2019-2023

Final presentation by Guillermo Otano, advocacy officer at ALBOAN and coordinator of the Justice in Mining Network, a Global Ignatian Advocacy Network: How to promote strong business regulations and corporate accountability in the supply chains of minerals? How does this debate contribute to this? What are the possible future perspectives for moving the agenda forward?

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