Good afternoon students. Good morning ma'am. Can we start the lines today.Let's start. Twinkle, twinkle, little stars, how I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky.Okay, very good. Your rhyme class is over. It starts with ABCD.Just kidding. Hello everyone. I'm Subhashi and I'm proud social worker and also co-founder of Kung Kit which is an NGO that works for children and women.I also have the privilege to work alongside the department of children welfare at the state leve ...

Problem & Impact - Conflict minerals, especially Colton, are smuggled across borders and enter international supply chains, funding child labor, human exploitation, and rape [5][6] - Current international regulations like Dodd-Frank and traceability initiatives like ITSCI are failing to prevent conflict minerals from entering the marketplace [5] - This exploitation leads to human suffering, including preventing young girls from attending school and forcing people into backbreaking labor [3][4] Proposed Solutions - Empowering local mining communities through education, technology, and mechanization to transition to semi-industrial mining operations [7][8] - Implementing traceability bagging systems and blockchain technology to create a permanent, immutable record of each gram of mineral back to its source [8][9][14] - Forming an African Federation of Artisanal Miners, similar to the National Federation of Coffee Growers in Colombia, to offer best practices, equipment, and formalization support [20][21][22] Implementation & Results - The speaker coordinated with a US-funded initiative to construct a supply chain management system compliant with OECD, Dodd-Frank, and ICGLR in the UAE [12] - The speaker assisted the federal government in instituting the first artisanal mining publication system and performed on-site inspections in the DRC [16] - The speaker successfully imported the first clean and traceable artisanal gold export from Congo to Dubai, selling it to an LBMA refinery [17][18] Future Vision & Benefits - Creating socially responsible smartphones and clean gold jewelry lines using ethically sourced and traceable components from thriving communities [25] - Strengthening ties between exporting nations and trade partners, fostering respect, stability, and economic partnerships [26] - Transforming Africa from a source of conflict minerals to a key player in ethical trade and sustainability [26]

Ethical Sourcing & Child Labor in Cosmetics - The beauty industry faces scrutiny regarding ethical trade practices, particularly child labor in sourcing cosmetic ingredients [4] - UNICEF reports 138 million children globally are engaged in detrimental labor [6] - The United Nations calls for the end of child labor in all forms by this year (2024) [6] - World Vision's "High Price of Beauty" report (2023) found millions of children work to produce ingredients for cosmetics [3] Company Initiatives & Partnerships - Sable Labs partners with World Vision to address child labor in cosmetic ingredient sourcing, focusing on traceability and responsible sourcing [2][3] - Sable Labs aims to source ingredients responsibly and traceably, supporting rural communities [3] - World Vision collaborates with women's cooperative groups and fair trade projects to promote ethical cosmetic trade [4] Consumer & Company Responsibility - Consumers are encouraged to inquire about brands' supply chains and ingredient sourcing [7][9][10] - Companies have a responsibility to ensure their supply chains are responsibly sourced [8] - Consumers should look for information on company websites and sourcing statements, particularly for common ingredients like mica, shea, and cocoa [9][10] Obstacles to Ending Child Labor - Farmers facing unfair wages or quota pressure may resort to child labor due to financial constraints [5] - Lack of access to education contributes to the problem of child labor [6]

Industry Problem & Solution - The textile industry in Turkey caused silicosis among workers due to sandblasting denim, a disease previously known from tunnel construction in America in 1932 where 400 out of 700 workers died [1][2] - The speaker initiated the establishment of the Sandblasting Workers Solidarity Committee in 2008 to fight against silicosis [1] - In 2009, sandblasting was banned in Turkey, marking the first success of the struggle, and in 2010, silicosis was included in the occupational disease list, making treatment free [4][5] - In 2011, silicosis patients were granted retirement rights through amendments to the law [7] - The speaker started the Clean Clothes Campaign in Turkey in 2013 and founded the clean fashion movement, producing Bego Jeans to demonstrate chemical-free production [16][19] Global Expansion & Consumer Power - After the ban in Turkey, the practice of sandblasting moved to other countries like Bangladesh and Egypt, prompting the speaker to initiate a global fight [9][10] - The speaker visited fashion schools in England in 2011 to raise awareness about the consequences of fashion choices [10] - Campaigns like "Killer Jeans" and "Deadly Denim" led over 100 brands worldwide to declare they would not use sandblasting in their supply chains [12] - The speaker emphasizes the power of consumers in driving change, advocating for organizing consumers to exert pressure on brands [20] Chemical Alternatives & Continued Fight - After sandblasting was banned, bleaching techniques using potassium permanganate, a hazardous chemical affecting fertility, became prevalent in the textile industry [17] - The fight continues as bleaching techniques with dangerous chemicals are still used in textile production [17]