Sand Extractive Industries and Human Rights

Abstract

Sand mining is associated with a wide range of human rights abuses, primarily through environmental degradation that undermines the rights to food, water, health, and life. Affected communities face issues relating to land tenure and governance, and often experience violations of their procedural rights to public participation, access to information, and access to justice. This report analyzes the major human rights impacts of sand extraction in the Upper Midwestern United States, Kenya, and India, incorporating the perspectives of various stakeholders and evaluating the relevant legal and regulatory structures and practices for each case. Employing a qualitative research approach informed by literature review, stakeholder and expert interviews, and media analysis, we describe the human rights situation in each location and identify major trends characterizing the issue across different human, political, and physical geographies. We conclude by offering recommendations for States, businesses, and civil society organizations to respect, protect, and fulfill the human rights threatened by sand extraction.