Is there a reality of workers human rights in the Zambian copper mining industry? And if so, what is the challenges non- governmental organisations face in upholding these rights?

With the rapid increase in the globalisation of developing countries, the growing relationship between China and African development has been debated. ‘China is either seen as benign or malign to African development efforts’ but there is question as to whether focus should be on Chinese firms , the governments within these nations or non-governmental organisations. Some would argue that multinational enterprises (MNE’s) must adhere to some sort of “corporate responsibility”, but who do they answer to? Or do we look for accountability in a CEO of a Zambian mining company who believes that; ‘the idea of wealth in the ground anywhere in the world belonging to all citizens is a bit mushy for hardnosed business men’? In this dilemma a legitimate source of governance is required, however the challenge we face in legitimacy is ‘the participation of civil society in some fashion as well as the state’. This factor measures whether non-governmental organisations (NGO’s) can function within the global community and more importantly to this proposal, whether those NGO’s active in Zambia can be held accountable for the rights of workers in the country’s copper mining industry.

Human rights watch recorded the plea of a drill operator ‘who would just have to do [his] job no matter how unsafe’ or threats of sacking would be fulfilled. Other cases have ‘been documented of apparent collusion between MNE’s and host governments in major violations of human rights’, this supports the claim of a widespread conception that accountability automatically equates to blame. However this proposal seeks to dig deeper than label fault on them. Firstly, its aim is to consider the challenge NGO’s, privatisation, the government and aid donors now face of legitimacy ‘as communities on the Copper belt express their frustration, through strikes, protests and the ballot box, from the lack of the development gains Zambian citizens were promised and expected’. Secondly, this proposal will explore what is the reality of human rights in a developing country like Zambia and whether it has become difficult for NGO’s to uphold basic workers’ rights. Thirdly, this proposal hopes to assess the impact MNE’s have on the overall development of Zambian workers rights.

References Bates .G, James .R, The Tenous Hold of China Inc. in Africa, The Washington Quarterly, vol30 issue3 2007

Bekele .D, Zambia: Workers Detail Abuse in Chinese-Owned Mines Enforce Health, Safety, and Labour Laws in Copper Mining Industry, Human Rights Watch, 2013
[http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/02/20/zambia-safety-gaps-threaten-copper-miners]

Fraser. A, J. Lungu, For whom the windfalls, Winners and Losers in the privatisation of Zambia’s copper mines (Civil Social Trade Network of Zambia) Gallin .D, Organising in the Informal Economy, Global Labour Institute, (Labour Education 2002) Ghandi .S, International Human Rights Documents 6th edition (Blackstone’s Statutes ) (Oxford University Press 2008) Ishay M.R. The Human Rights Reader, (Routledge 1997) Karns M.P, Mingst K.A, The Dillemas of Global Governance, International Organizations; The politics and processes of Global governance 2nd edition (Lynne Rienner Publishers 2010)

Kondo.S, Lessons from the mining sector Foreign Direct Investment and the Environment, Forum on International Investment, (OECD 2002)

Kragelund, Peter, Part of the Disease Or Part of the Cure[quest] Chinese Investments in the Zambian Mining and Construction Sectors ,European Journal of Development Research vol21, (Palgrave Macmillan September 2009)

Muchlinski P.T, Human rights and multinationals: is there a problem? International Affairs vol77 ,2001

US Department of State, 2010 Human Rights Report: Zambia, Bureau of democracy, human rights, and labour, 2010 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices Report, 2011
[http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2010/af/154376.htm]

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[ 1 ]. Kragelund, Peter, Part of the Disease Or Part of the Cure[quest] Chinese Investments in the Zambian Mining and Construction Sectors ,European Journal of Development Research 21, (Palgrave Macmillan September 2009) p644-661
[ 2 ]. A. Fraser, J. Lungu, For whom the windfalls, Winners and Losers in the privatisation of Zambia’s copper mines (Civil Social Trade Network of Zambia) p1
[ 3 ]. M.P Karns, K.A Mingst, The Dillemas of Global Governance, International Organizations; The politics and processes of Global governance 2nd edition (Lynne Rienner Publishers 2010) p547
[ 4 ]. Bekele .D, Zambia: Workers Detail Abuse in Chinese-Owned Mines Enforce Health, Safety, and Labour Laws in Copper Mining Industry, Human Rights Watch, 2013
[ 5 ]. P.T Muchlinski, Human rights and multinationals: is there a problem? International Affairs 77 2001 p31
[ 6 ]. A. Fraser, J. Lungu, For whom the windfalls, Winners and Losers in the privatisation of Zambia’s copper mines (Civil Social Trade Network of Zambia)p2