In recent news, the United States Department of Labor has made a crucial decision by adding cobalt from the Democratic Republic of Congo to its 2024 list of goods produced by child labor or forced labor. This decision follows a briefing note communicated by the Cobalt Institute to the Congolese government, highlighting the links between forced labor in artisanal and industrial cobalt mining in the DRC.
Such a move raises essential questions about practices in the mining sector, calling into question the responsibility of the actors involved. Eric Kajemba, coordinator of the Governance and Peace Observatory, underlines the importance of this decision to raise awareness about the realities of forced labor and the often precarious working conditions in cobalt mines in the DRC.
Me Chadrac Mukad Mway End Naw, coordinator of the Platform “Understanding and Acting in the Industrial and Artisanal Mining Sector” (CASMIA ASBL), highlights the need for concrete actions to combat child labor and forced labor in cobalt mines, emphasizing that the protection of workers’ rights is a major issue of our time.
For his part, Franck Fwamba, Director General of the magazine Mining News and founder of the NGO Natural Resources for Development, calls for a broader mobilization of civil society through the campaign “Hands off my Cobalt”. He warns against the harmful consequences of child labor and forced labor, inviting all stakeholders concerned to act responsibly to guarantee decent working conditions in the mining sector.
In conclusion, the decision by the United States Department of Labor to add cobalt from the DRC to its list of goods produced by child labor or forced labor underscores the urgency of action to end these unacceptable practices. It is imperative that governments, businesses, and civil society work closely together to ensure respect for workers’ rights and promote fair and human rights-based working conditions.