What is the Kimberley Process? Does It Verify That Diamonds are Ethically-sourced?

The Kimberley Process certification scheme was created in 2003 to break the link between diamonds and bloodshed. Unfortunately, the Kimberley Process monitors only conflict diamonds – that is, diamonds that fund bloody civil wars. It fails to address much of the violence and human rights abuses facing diamond mining today, such as torture, rape, extrajudicial killings, corruption, child labor, and forced labor. The Kimberley Process suggests that “conflict free” diamonds are ethically sourced. In fact, diamonds receiving “conflict free” certification from the Kimberley Process may have tragic histories.