- Cobalt ore mining child labor cracked#
- Cobalt ore mining child labor full#
- Cobalt ore mining child labor free#
“The DRC is one of the most repressive countries in the world, but, until they are forced to do better, Apple and the other companies are relying on largely illiterate, desperately poor, and exceedingly vulnerable people to figure out Apple’s complaint mechanism and report supply chain violations,” the lawsuit said, emphasizing the Congolese people “certainly cannot afford personal computers or iPhones and they do not have internet or cellphone access to connect to the outside world within the context of a violent regime that does not tolerate dissent and an unregulated industry that could retaliate with impunity against any whistleblowers. The report, called “This Is What We Die For - Human Rights Abuses in the Democratic Republic of Congo Power the Global Trade in Cobalt,” said it is widely recognized on an international scale that the involvement of children in mining constitutes one of the worst forms of child labor, which governments are required to prohibit and eliminate.Īlthough companies like Apple have promoted voluntary programs in which human rights abuses in the supply chain for cobalt can be reported, the lawsuit contends these programs are mere lip service. In 2016, Amnesty International published a major report on the conditions for child laborers mining cobalt in the DRC. “Put simply, the hundreds of billions of dollars generated by the defendants each year would not be possible without cobalt mined in the DRC. “Ĭhild labor practices in the Congo have been widely reported in media outlets throughout the world and documented by human rights experts. Heaps of diamonds help fuel war in the Congo In 2020, Reuters reported that Tesla inked a deal with Glencore to purchase a quarter of the mine’s cobalt for its EV batteries, a move seen as an attempt to insulate it from allegations of.We set high standards to respect and empower those who build our products, while conserving the planet’s resources,” it said, adding, “We are dedicated to protecting children wherever our products are made or used.īut the lawsuit insists companies are simply turning a blind eye to the egregious abuses that include children killed in tunnel collapses or losing limbs or suffering from other horrific injuries caused by mining accidents. “Apple is committed to treating everyone in our business and supply chain with dignity and respect, to upholding human rights across our global network of suppliers, and to protecting the planet we all share. The company released a statement in 2019.
Cobalt ore mining child labor cracked#
Furthermore, they stressed they have no direct connection to mining on foreign soil.Īpple over the years has cracked down on its global supply chain of cobalt and at one point said it would stop buying cobalt mined by hand in the Congo. The companies have argued the case should be dismissed, asserting they have no control over the mining practices in a foreign country and that the families lack standing to bring the suit on U.S. COVID-19 disrupts global supply of critical minerals.Another dirty little secret about green energy: It needs more mining to support Biden’s plan.Understanding that next to economic development, a cultural change needs to occur, the FCA began implementing a long-term campaign to remediate child labour on mine sites and in the mining communities around them. It then increased to 100 in 2020 as Boss Mining, Metal Mines, and COMIKA ceased industrial ore/concentrate exports, which were replaced by crude cobalt hydroxide from industrial mines in 2020.
Consequently, the FCA focuses on 1) improving working conditions in artisanal mine sites and 2) promoting the economic diversification of the region, both with the goal of increasing household incomes.
To prevent and mitigate the occurrence of child labour inside the artisanal mining sector in the long term, we need to address its root cause: widespread poverty.
Cobalt ore mining child labor full#
In accordance with the OECD Due Diligence Guidance and children’s rights experts, we are, however, not promoting a mere ban of child labour from artisanal sites but advocate instead for the full remediation of child labour cases, placing the child’s physical and mental welfare at the centre of our efforts. Miners fill bags with cobalt ore at the depot of the Kasulo mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo. To prevent children from working inside artisanal cobalt mines, the FCA works with local cooperatives and civil society to establish effective controls and monitoring mechanisms to identify cases of child labour and prevent children from working inside their operations. This page serves as a resource hub for articles, blogs, films and podcasts on the intersection of the cobalt mining sector and child labor, labor trafficking, the green energy movement and modern-day slavery.
Cobalt ore mining child labor free#
Working towards child labour free artisanal mining operations
0 kommentar(er)
