News
The relevance of the EU Conflict Minerals Regulation for 3TG producing countries
December 17, 2020The EU Conflict Minerals Regulation will come into force on January 1, 2021. From this date, European 3TG importers will need to carry out due diligence to identify, manage and report on risks in their supply chains. Concerned companies, the Member State Competent Authorities, the EU Commission and producing countries all need to make the necessary adjustments in the coming months. Civil Society O
Kufatilia – Towards a more responsible gold supply chain in eastern DRC
December 10, 2020Artisanal and small-scale gold is widely used in the electronics industry. But gold is also the predominant conflict mineral in eastern Congo, where it is illegally traded to fund armed actors. Artisanal gold is difficult to trace, and because of its volume it can be easily smuggled. Few gold mines in eastern Congo are officially qualified, and traceability initiatives for gold remain largely expl
Supporting mining cooperatives in Beni
November 9, 2020The population of Beni Territory has been victim of deadly violence since 2014, following the presence of national and foreign armed groups such as the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebellion and Mai Mai groups. The stabilisation project ‘Ensemble pour Beni’ aims to address insecurity and promote stability in the territory through a variety of initiatives, including a pillar focusing on ‘relaunch
Shining a light on IPIS data – A goodbye from our latest GIS intern
November 6, 2020With the world going into lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, late March 2020 was perhaps not the optimum time to move to a new city and begin a six-month internship. My bewilderment was quickly alleviated: IPIS staff did a great job of welcoming me on to the team and provided training on various software remotely, so I was soon up and running as a GIS intern. The internship was the concludi
Transparent, independent and participatory: How can a platform support a network of CSO in Congo?
November 3, 2020On the occasion of the 2020 GeONG Forum, IPIS presented its project Kufatilia. In a video, IPIS explained how this phone-based participatory platform helps Congolese CSOs reporting and monitoring incidents in the mineral supply chains.
Intermediate findings on the Belgian National Baseline Assessment on Business and Human Rights.
November 3, 2020On October 29th, researchers from the University of Antwerp, the University of Leuven and IPIS presented their intermediate findings on the Belgian National Baseline Assessment on Business and Human Rights (NBA) during a workshop of the Sustainable Development Goal Forum 2020.
Story Map of ASM Sites in the DRC
October 6, 2020Explore IPIS’ eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) webmap with a guided narrative. In its new story map, IPIS presents data gathered on eastern DRC’s artisanal mining sector and highlights key information from its reports investigating the interactions between natural resources and conflict dynamics in the region.
Online Conference – Human Rights in the Diamond Supply Chain
October 6, 2020On October 7th and 8th, representatives of IPIS, the Kimberley Process Civil Society Coalition and Human Rights Watch, will highlight the human rights violations occurring in diamond mining communities producing Kimberley Process certified diamonds and present recommendations.
IPIS’ project Matokeo among the winners of the ASM Grand Challenge
October 2, 2020On October 1st, IPIS and its partner Ulula were awarded a $118,000 price for their project “Matokeo” during the ASM Grand Challenge Award Ceremony.
IPIS’ successful handover of the Regional Mineral Database to ICGLR
September 29, 2020IPIS finalised the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) Regional Database on Mineral Flow and successfully handed it over to the organisation. Once operational, this web-based database will be gathering and updating data on mine sites, chain of custody, and exporters.
IPIS on BNNR’s Training Day: “Natural Resources: Stakes, Consequences, Alternatives”
September 18, 2020On Saturday, October 3rd 2020, the Belgian Natural Resources Network (BNNR) will welcome you for a day of training on the stakes of natural resources, the consequences of their exploitation and the alternatives to be built.
Kufatilia leaflet
September 17, 2020IPIS supports an independent, transparent and participatory platform for incident reporting and community empowerment in responsible sourcing in the eastern DRC artisanal mining sector. Discover what Kufatilia is all about.
New Website on the Belgian National Baseline Assessment on Business and Human Rights
July 23, 2020The website on the Belgian National Baseline Assessment on business and human rights (NBA) informs stakeholders on the NBA process, timeline and methodology.
Webinar on the Impact of COVID-19 on African communities affected by diamond mining
July 7, 2020On Monday July 6, the Kimberley Process Civil Society Coalition (KP CSC) organised a webinar on addressing the challenges posed by Covid-19 for African diamond mining communities.
IPIS recrute deux chercheurs pour une consultance en Août 2020
June 5, 2020Dans le cadre du projet “Améliorons la sécurité, la cohésion sociale et les droits humains dans les régions minières de l’est du Congo”, IPIS, membre du consortium formé avec International Alert et l’Observatoire Gouvernance et Paix (OGP), cherche à recruter deux consultants pour une cartographie des acteurs et une analyse des dynamiques du conflit et des enjeux politico-économiques de l’artisanat
Story Map of ASM sites in Central African Republic
June 4, 2020Discover a new approach to IPIS interactive webmap of Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM) sites in Central African Republic through this interactive Story Map. In partnership with national authorities in Central African Republic (CAR) and USAID’s Artisanal Mining and Property Rights project, IPIS mapped and analysed the artisanal mining sector in the western part of the country, and outlines so
IPIS’ policy regarding the covid-19 crisis
April 3, 2020April 1st, 2020 Faced with the present covid-19 context, IPIS is concerned with the health and security of its staff, local researchers, surveyors, partners and local communities. IPIS wants to contribute to curbing the spread of the virus. Following the recommendations from the Belgian government, the headquarter staff in Belgium is actively teleworking since mid-March. In the light of the evol
Second multi-stakeholder dialogue on Business and Human Rights in Tanzania urges focus on “the human rights impact of large infrastructure projects”.
March 24, 2020Dar es Salaam, 18 March 2020 For the second time, Business and Human Rights Tanzania (BHRT), the Tanzanian Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance (CHRAGG) and the International Peace Information Service (IPIS) brought together key stakeholders from civil society, the business community and various government agencies from Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar for an annual multi-stakeholder dial
“Civil society challenges complacency of the Kimberley Process at UN gathering in New York”
March 4, 2020Addressing government and industry representatives in New York on March 3, at the occasion of the adoption of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution on the Role of Diamonds in Fueling Conflict, the Kimberley Process (KP) Civil Society Coalition (CSC) questioned the often-hailed contribution of the KP to preventing conflict and promoting development. A conflict prevention tool? During event
Mapping ASM sites in the Central African Republic: Official Presentation in Bangui
February 3, 2020In January 2020, IPIS presented the results of its diagnostic report and mapping of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sites and gold supply-chains in western Central African Republic (CAR) to national authorities and civil society organizations during a three-days’ workshop in Bangui. The objectives of the mapping exercise are to support the CAR Ministry of Mines and Geology (MMG) and other k