They destroyed everything: mining and human rights in Malawi
A Human Rights Watch report on the mining industry in Malawi has revealed that rights of people in communities close to mining sites are being hugely violated. The report titled “They Destroyed Everything Mining and Human Right in Malawi" says it has always been difficult for the community members to access information about mining and its risks as they have no access to information that the government and mining companies hold. According to the report, the country’s legal and regulation framework does not ensure proper assessment of the risks from environmental pollution before the mining starts and fails to effectively protect the risks of nearby communities through rigorous monitoring during and after operations. Environmental and social impact assessments and ongoing monitoring are intended to ensure scrutiny and rigor in evaluating the possible negative impacts of proposes new mines and in developing mitigation strategies. Unfortunately, weak regulations for impact assessments and monitoring have rendered this key safeguard largely ineffectual in Malawi.