HakiMadini essentially started as a reaction to the human rights abuses that were occurring during late 1990s in mining communities. Of particular focus were the Tanzanite mines in Mererani. Activities initially included: fighting for the rights of service providers to conduct business near mining areas thus providing an essential livelihood supplement; working with the accident investigation committee and deputy minister to resolve disputes between SMM and Tanzanite One.

Very rapidly it became apparent that Mererani was not an isolated case and the problems faced there epitomized much of what was happening in mining areas all over Tanzania. In Bulyanhulu an extremely dramatic example of this occurred were over 200,000 small scale miners were evicted from their land to make way for the large scale mine, Canadian owned mine. 

HakiMadini had to evolve rapidly and grow in scope in order to reflect the increasingly complex situation in the mining areas, not only in terms of dealing with the effect of increased Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and a new mining policy but with ground level issues such as high H.I.V prevalence, family violence, livelihood alternatives, and economic empowerment.

Interventions:

Human Rights and Legal empowerment 

This program focuses on ensuring human rights of miners and mining affected communities are protected. The program aims to support local small scale mining community’s activism through recognition and articulation of their legal, economic and social rights. The program has been successful in bringing systematic human rights abuses in the mining sector (including arbitrary arrest, detention, physical harm, sexual abuse and killings) to national attention through media campaigns and parliamentary engagement.

Gender and mining 

This program works to address women issues in the mining sector by encouraging women to make inroads into male-dominated mining sector despite challenges. The program is working towards women access to business finance on equal bases with men, communities that address discrimination, intimidation and violence against women in mining communities as well as safe and hygienic work places for women.

Public Education and Outreach 

The program provides education and sensitization on policies, laws and information to small scale miners and communities in mining areas with the aim of enhancing knowledge base to small scale miners and the mining affected communities and trigger their capacity to influence decision making bodies to respond to their needs. The program likes to see people’s active participation in pushing the government to adhere to the best mining practices and rights of small-scale miners and the affected mining communities.

Sustainable Artisanal and Small-scale Mining

The program aims at making artisanal and small scale mining safer and more environmentally sustainable