India Committee of the Netherlands
+++ In solidarity with the oppressed in India +++


SUSTAINABLE STONE

Sustainable Stone - Information
Am I Important - Vulnerability mapping ofchildren in the natural stone industry/sector Rajasthan
ARAVALI, Nov 2018
The findings in this study sketch a frightening picture of children’s rights in mining areas across four different mining prone districts of Rajasthan. »
Rock quarry slavery survivors in Tamil Nadu welcome stiff sentence for captors
Reuters, Oct 16, 2018
Survivors of slavery at a rock quarry in Tamil Nadu welcomed a stiff sentence handed to the owner and managers, and said that the rare ruling sends a strong warning to other employers. A court in Tamil Nadu found three men guilty of using violence, intimidation and debt bondage ..... »
Kampf gegen Kinderarbeit: Landesregierung Nordrhein-Westfalen beschließt Runderlass zur Zertifizierung von Grabsteinen
MAGS.nrw, Sep 4, 2018
Die Landesregierung verschärft ihren Kampf gegen Kinderarbeit: Künftig dürfen Grabsteine aus China, Indien, den Philippinen und Vietnam in Nordrhein-Westfalen nur noch dann aufgestellt werden, wenn sie mit hinreichender Wahrscheinlichkeit ohne schlimmste Formen von Kinderarbeit hergestellt worden sind. »
The Global Slavery Index 2018 - Findings: Country Study India
GlobalSlaveryIndex.com, Jul 2018
The Global Slavery Index estimates that on any given day in 2016 there were nearly 8 million people living in modern slavery in India. This slavery includes labour in spinning mills and granite quarries »
European Union told to ask India to "stop" child, forced labour in granite mining units, exporting stone to West, China
CounterView, Feb 6, 2018
Prajapati, 14, a migrant, works in a granite quarry. He completed his primary school and dropped out. His father received an "advance" of Rs 2000 from a middleman, and sent Prajapati along with some other boys for work in a granite quarry in Telangana. »
RECTIFICATION regarding report The Dark Sites of Granite
ICN/Stop Child Labour, Oct 4, 2017
On the 29th of September 2017, a revision has been made to the report The Dark Sites of Granite: Modern slavery, child labour and unsafe work in Indian granite quarries - What should companies do? An irregularity was found in the analyses of export data. »
Reaction of India Committee of the Netherlands (ICN) on statements of John Lewis, Habitat and Nobilia
ICN, Sep 5, 2017
in the article "John Lewis and Habitat halt sale of worktops over slavery claims, stone sold in UK shops is from Indian quarries that abuse human rights, investigation reveals" in The Observer, Sunday 3 September 2017. »
John Lewis and Habitat withdraw granite worktops over slavery concerns
The Guardian/The Observer, Sep 3, 2017
Supply chains of high street retailers under scrutiny after investigators uncover evidence of human rights violations and child labour in Indian stone quarries. »
The Dark Sites of Granite: abstract new report
ICN/Stop Child Labour/Kerk in Actie, Aug 2017
New research, commissioned by the India Committee of the Netherlands and Stop Child Labour, reveals that modern slavery, low wages and unsafe and unhealthy working conditions are rampant in granite quarries in South India. In some quarries child labour is found. »
Sustainable Stone - Advocacy
Answer to Supplementary questions MEP Anne-Marie Mineur (GUE/NGL)
(subm. Dec 11, 2017) to the European Commission on working conditions in granite quarries in India
Feb 21, 2018
Supplementary questions by MEP Anne-Marie Mineur (GUE/NGL)
to the European Commission on working conditions in granite quarries in India
Dec 11, 2017
Answer to written question MEP Anne-Marie Mineur (GUE/NGL)
(subm. Aug 30, 2017) to the European Commission about the research report by the India Committee of the Netherlands and Stop Child Labour on conditions in Indian granite quarries
Nov 27, 2017
Answer to written question MEP Judith Sargentini (Verts/ALE)
(subm. Aug 31, 2017) to the European Commission about the call for due diligence in response to abuses in the granite industry
Oct 30, 2017
Answers to Parliamentary questions by the member Hijink (Socialist Party)
(subm. Sep 4, 2017) to the Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation on the news that granite is being quarried by children's hands
Oct 19, 2017
Answers to Parliamentary questions by the members Sazias and Van Brenk (both 50PLUS)
(subm. Aug 29, 2017) to the Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, the Minister of Economic Affairs, the Minister of Interior and Kingdom Relations and tyhe Minister of Social Affairs and Employment on the research The Dark Sites of Granite
Oct 19, 2017
Answers to Parliamentary questions by the members Voordewind (ChristianUnion), Van den Hul (Labour Party) and Diks (GreenLeft)
(subm. Aug 25, 2017) to the Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the State Secretary for Infrastructure and Environment on modern slavery, child labour and unsafe and unhealthy work in Indian granite quarries that supply Dutch and European markets
Oct 19, 2017
Parliamentary questions by MEP Judith Sargentini (Verts/ALE)
subject: Call for due diligence in response to abuses in the granite industry
Aug 31, 2017
Parliamentary questions by MEP Anne-Marie Mineur (GUE/NGL)
subject: Research report by India Committee of the Netherlands and Stop Child Labour on conditions in Indian granite quarries
Aug 30, 2017
Public Procurement and Human Rights in the Netherlands: the case of natural stone
Sandstone and granite are used for paving public spaces like streets and squares. This makes public authorities important consumers of natural stone. Despite sustainable procurement policies, governments often opt for the cheapest stone, not taking into account human rights and environmental impacts in production countries.
International Learning Lab on Public Procurement and Human Rights, Sep 30, 2016
Answers to Parliamentary Questions by members Voordewind (ChristianUnion) and Van Laar (Labour Party)
(subm. May 19, 2015) to the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Housing and the Civil Services on slavery and child labour in quarries
Jun 4, 2015

Reports Sustainable Stone