Several countries, namely Angola, Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe, appear in the recently released United States Department of Labor report on Child Labor.
Angola
The report explains that some children in rural areas work in artisanal diamond mining, noting that “Congolese children are trafficked into Angola. Some children may be trafficked to Angola for work in the diamond mines.”
Central African Republic
The report states that children in the Central African Republic work in the diamond industry, transporting and washing gravel, and in gold mining, digging holes and carrying heavy loads.
As for trafficking of children in the Central African Republic, the report notes that such trafficking is internal, with children trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation; domestic service; and work in agriculture, restaurants or markets, and mining, including diamond mines.
Democratic Republic of Congo
Children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) work in subsistence agriculture and artisanal mining. In mining areas, children sift, clean, sort, transport, and dig for minerals under hazardous conditions. Children are used to extract copper, cobalt, diamonds, and gold.
Côte d’Ivoire
Anecdotal reports indicate that Ivorian children work in small-scale family-operated gold and diamond mines, where they perform activities such as digging holes, clearing out water, and carrying and washing gravel.
Ghana
Children, including girls, are also engaged in quarrying and small-scale mining activities, including extracting, transporting, and processing. Children are known to work in diamond and small-scale, illegal gold mining, known locally as “galamsey.”
Guinea
Children work in gold and diamond mines in Upper and Lower Guinea. They also work in sand and gravel mines and quarries, breaking rocks, extracting gravel, transporting materials, and selling water and other items near work sites. More boys than girls work in the mines, especially boys 15 to 17 years, though younger children and girls sort through and wash rubble, and push water through sieves in search of diamonds. Children in the mines work 12 to 18 hours per day, do not wear protective gear, and are prone to accidents, broken bones, and respiratory, skin, and other diseases.
Liberia
Children in Liberia work on family farms and in alluvial diamond and gold mines.
Sierra Leone
Children work in alluvial diamond mining areas. The majority of children that work in the diamond mining areas are boys generally between the ages of 10 and 17 years. These boys work in areas such as the Kenema and Kono districts and generally engage in petty trade and perform supportive roles. Some children report being forced to work in diamond mining areas 6 to 7 days a week without pay and report injury and illness due to the activities they perform.
Children are also trafficked internally for forced labor in agriculture, fishing, diamond mines, and begging.
Zimbabwe
Children engage in the mining of diamonds, gold, chrome, and tin, as well as illegal gold panning with their families.
The entire report can be found at http://www.dol.gov/ilab/programs/ocft/PDF/2008OCFTreport.pdf
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