What Oxfam is Doing
Oxfam America and Earthworks have launched a consumer campaign calling for mining reform. Consumers have the power to change the way gold is produced, and real change will only come when companies see the demand for alternatives to "dirty gold."
In February 2004, in partnership with Washington, DC-based Earthworks (formerly the Mineral Policy Center), Oxfam America launched a campaign to push gold mining companies to respect people's rights, protect the environment, and contribute to reducing poverty in the communities where they work.
This is not an anti-mining campaign. We believe communities should have the right to decide whether they want mining to take place and, if so, under what conditions.
The campaign is educating the public and teaching consumers about the real price of gold. The goal is to create demand for responsibly produced alternatives. This campaign complements local efforts of Oxfam America's partners to press mining companies to respect communities and reform their environmental and social standards for mining operations.