DDII, RJC Partner to Promote Artisanal Production

140 95 Rapaport News

RAPAPORT… The Diamond Development Initiative International (DDII) and Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) will work cooperatively on advancing their shared objectives, including improving social, environmental, labor practices and good governance in the artisanal diamond mining sector; enhancing relationships between large-scale and artisanal diamond mining; and increasing market access for jewelry raw materials produced by artisanal diamond mining communities.

Addressing the artisanal mining issues, DDII’s executive director, Dorothée Gizenga, said, ”Worldwide, some 1.5 million individuals are artisanal diamond miners. They and their families will benefit from the improved working conditions and standards that are DDII’s objectives, objectives that will be enhanced by our collaboration with the Responsible Jewellery Council.”

Michael Rae, RJC’s chief executive, hailed the two organizations partnership: ”RJC is delighted to formalize the relationship between our two organizations. By working together, DDII and RJC will reinforce our efforts to improve responsible business practices throughout the jewelry supply chain and enhance the lives of artisanal diamond miners and their communities.”