A documentary-style video explores the dark side of the cosmetics industry, focusing on mica, a mineral used in many beauty products for its shimmering effect. The majority of the world's mica comes from India, where children as young as five are forced to work in unregulated and deadly mines. The video follows a journalist who visits these mines in Jharkhand, India, and meets children who have been working in the mines since they were eight years old. The journalist also speaks to local contacts and experts, revealing the complexities of the issue, including government corruption, commercial exploitation, and the lack of transparency in supply chains. Some companies, like Lush, have opted to use synthetic mica instead of natural mica to avoid contributing to the problem. Others, like Estee Lauder, are working with local communities to create a more sustainable and child-friendly mica industry. The video concludes by highlighting the importance of empowering local communities and finding a solution that acknowledges the complexities of the issue.
Here are the key facts from the text:
1. Mica is a mineral used in many everyday products, including cosmetics, electronics, insulation, paint, and toothpaste.
2. The majority of the world's mica comes from India, particularly from the eastern states.
3. In 2016, a Thomson Reuters Foundation investigation revealed that mica was being mined by children in India, resulting in a deadly cost.
4. The beauty industry was forced into a moral reckoning after the investigation, with some companies pledging to work with mining communities in India to create a sustainable supply chain.
5. Lush Cosmetics decided to pull out of natural mica altogether due to concerns about child labor and lack of transparency in the supply chain.
6. Synthetic mica is now used by Lush Cosmetics as an alternative to natural mica.
7. The mica industry is worth over half a billion dollars globally, with India at its center.
8. Jharkhand is a mining state in India with rich reserves of coal, copper, and mica, but it also has one of the highest poverty rates in the country.
9. An estimated 20,000 children are working in mica mines across the region.
10. Children as young as five or six are working in the mines, earning less than a quarter a day.
11. The unregulated nature of the mica industry leads to dangerous working conditions and predatory pricing.
12. Families are trapped in a cycle of poverty, with many children unable to attend school due to the need to work in the mines.
13. The National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has been aware of the issue since at least 2016 but has not taken sufficient action.
14. The Indian government's Ministry of Women and Child Development has also been criticized for its lack of action on the issue.
15. A model called the "child-friendly village" has been piloted by the Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation, connecting parents to new income streams and enabling children to attend school.
16. Over 3,000 children have been rescued and enrolled in school through this initiative.
17. Funding for the initiative comes from government services and private business support, including Estee Lauder.