,-in-the-middle,-with-other-students-at-the-catchup-class,-DRC.jpg-ch11080139.jpg/545xod01xmq86pj425di2k1c6280c50q.jpg?g=top&w=950&h=600&format=webp&itok=bzQ_uvdR "Press Release")
Over the past decade, climate change has gained global attention, driving a shift to cleaner energy and increased demand for cobalt from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Despite its vital role in green technology, cobalt mining often exploits children and poses severe health risks. In this blog, we advocate the importance of ensuring a just transition to protect children's rights.
Over the past decade, the focus and gaze of the international community, decision-makers and investors has increasingly been drawn to the issue of our time, climate change.
Commitments are being made to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by shifting away from the use of fossil fuels through the use of innovative cleaner sources of energy, many of which rely on rechargeable solutions. This has opened new markets, and increased demand for new resources.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a key resource that forms the basis for this green transition and rechargeable batteries, is found. Home to an estimated 70% of the world’s cobalt reserves, the DRC sees tens of thousands of children working at mine sites daily to support families in making ends meet.
Further downstream, these minerals are then sourced to meet growing global demand for the mineral that powers lithium-ion batteries in electric cars and electronic devices. The cobalt is often extracted from Artisanal and Small-scale mines (ASM) in the South-Eastern parts of the country, part of the mineral dense Copper Belt stretching across parts of DRC and Zambia.
It is estimated that about 15-30% of the annual volume of cobalt reaching the world market from DRC comes from ASM, and artisanal mining is estimated to represent 20% of the DRC's mining production. Whilst reliable data on the number of children working in mines is lacking, the World Bank estimates that about 10 million people are said to depend directly or indirectly on ASM in sub-Saharan Africa.
Extracting the minerals on a small scale means a vital income for people in the area, but also comes with major health and safety-related risks, uncertain and low incomes, impacts on the surrounding environments, as well as significant levels of harmful child labour.
Save the Children, through the implementation of catch-up clubs, is helping children in mining communities access the support they need to stay in school or successfully return to the classroom.
Greg Ramm, Country Director for Save the Children in the DRC, said:
“We’re seeing a huge need for green energy solutions globally, which heavily relies on cobalt – but it is imperative that what fuels our smartphones, computers, and electric cars doesn’t also fuel child rights violations.
Testimonial: Muntosh*, 12, Kolwezi, DRC, was aged about six when he witnessed his brother being killed while working in a cobalt mine. As his family needed the income he continued to turn up to work and spent six years in the mines before joining Save the Children’s Catch-up Clubs. He is now receiving the learning boost he needs to avoid having to drop out of school completely. The toll on his body from mine work, however, still impacts him daily.
“One day I found a large block of cobalt in one of the holes and removed it. From that day on my body has hurt a lot. There are also landslides that kill. There was a landslide right next to where we were toiling for cobalt when the earth slipped and buried my brother and he died. I was in the first grade at the time,” said Muntosh.
Working in and around mines has a direct negative impact on children's health and safety, as well as depriving children of their right to development, protection and education. For people in southeastern DRC, income opportunities are few, and access to good quality education is low. Many children work in and around mines to help their families survive for the day, and in some cases to be able to earn the money needed to cover costs associated with their own schooling. The working conditions for children at the mine sites are precarious, exposing them to health risks such as respiratory and digestive diseases, as well as spinal deformities due to dust inhalation, prolonged sun exposure, and carrying heavy loads
In the face of the green transition, we need to ask ourselves new questions to ensure that the transition is not only green, but also just. We can not let the green energy transition fuel a surge in child exploitation.
Save the Children is calling for greater investment in cobalt ASM communities that enables parents to support their children without the necessity of child labor. These investments can range from strengthening case management and other support services for children in child labour - to improving access to education and health systems, both crucial in preventing child labour and other child rights violations.
The green transition should not be achieved at the expense of children and their rights. Save the Children calls for the realization of children's rights, including their participation rights, at every step of these decision-making processes, and ensuring that the transition to a low- emissions, climate-resilient and sustainable economies is just for children, their families and communities.
