Cobalt Mining in the DRC

Around 70% of the world’s cobalt comes from the DRC, and 20% of it is mined by hand in unregulated sites. Cobalt is mined in very narrow tunnels which increases the risk of fatal accidents as well as diseases such as lung disease. After it is processed, Cobalt is used by many international companies, such as Apple, Tesla and VW. We all indirectly, and probably without knowing it, become part of the problem.  The way in which a significant portion of cobalt is mined is a human rights violation, due to the use of child labor and unsafe working conditions. Children as young as 6 get sucked into this dangerous industry out of necessity. Many families in the Democratic Republic of Congo are constantly struggling to pay for even their most basic needs.  They are forced to prioritize their basic needs for survival over school fees. There are some children who work full-time at the mines, while others work part-time while attending school. The jobs children are given in the mines vary depending on the site. Generally, they excavate in ditches, work in rivers, sort the metal, and haul heavy material.  The conditions are terrible and security guards are often hired by the companies to physically mistreat the workers, even the children, or steal their wages. Due to the corruption of the country, there are many militias or commandos who abduct, traffic, or recruit children from all over the country. The children can be taken hundreds of miles away from their homes and put to work in order to make a dollar or two a day. 

Cobalt mining violates many articles from the conventions on the rights of the child, such as Article 32. This article discusses how children must be kept safe from being economically exploited, that the child's education must be first and ensure they are not working in hazardous conditions. What has the government done in order to protect this vulnerable population from such violations?  In 2009 the government of the DRC codified the Child Protection Code which aimed to provide the citizens of the country with “free and compulsory primary education”. However, when it comes to enforcement, the governmental institution fails to carry out protections for children mainly due to a lack of funding. 

Moreover, countries that signed and ratified UDHR, such as the DRC, are required to ensure they protect the rights of their children. Unfortunately, the DRC mining code from 2002 and regulations in 2003 do not even mention the requirement for any safety equipment in mines. This is significant as there was one incident where Six out of 14 children were killed in tunnel collapses, and the 8 suffered life-altering injuries. The mining companies have also done little to improve the human rights violations of their workers, preferring to keep costs low. From a universalist perspective, this is very problematic as human rights should be applied to everyone no matter which country they are in or their financial situation. Furthermore, it violates the idea that everyone should have universal access to education, as in this case children are being forced to give up this right in order to help their families financially. Finally, the universalist perspective believes that everyone, including children, should have the ability to work in safe and healthy conditions. Something that mining cobalt in the DRC is not. 

The exploitation children face in the majority of these cobalt mines  not only illustrates the lack of their right to protection from economic exploitation and the right to safe working conditions but also shows the lack of access they have to their right to education. When looking at this problem from a more global human rights point of view, this situation shows the importance of addressing economic problems and enforcing the current laws in place to protect children. 

Another key concept which is very important when looking at this case study is development. When looking at it from a more national level, most of the cobalt found in the world is found in the Lualaba Province located in the DRC. The mining sector accounts for 32% of the DRC’s GDP. According to the central bank, the industry also makes up around 95% of export revenue. Such resource extraction and trade accounts for an increase in employment at the local level, while increasing the overall GDP. For instance, in 2018, it is estimated to have brought around 510,000 jobs to the DRC. Due to this increased cash flow and thanks to taxes and royalties, the government has more money to invest in public projects. However, the reality is quite different as due to political factors such as corruption and lack of peace, the DRC government fails to translate the income into human development that would increase well-being for citizens such as through means of developing infrastructure, healthcare and education. For example, those who run the industry tend to be corrupt and involved in illegal trade activities. These groups often use the money from the mines to fund their illegal activities, which in turn, prevents the development of the DRC and leads to many human rights violations. Corruption happens at all levels of the society, while there are some good anti-corruption frameworks in place they are poorly implemented.

The third concept this study relates to is the idea of Globalization which is defined as: A process of interaction and integration between groups of people or governments. Cobalt mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is used in various global industries, including electronics and electric cars. While the DRC produces cobalt, a significant portion is refined in China, with independent traders sourcing and selling it before it reaches MNCs like Tesla and Apple. The increased globalization of the world has very much helped the cobalt industry as it allows it to be imported and exported to countries with fewer problems. Cobalt extraction companies are primarily located in the DRC and other LEDCs, whereas cobalt refining companies are often situated in MEDCs. Globalization has enabled this connection between these two categories of nations. Viewed from a Neo-Colonialist perspective, it highlights the disparities between Southern African countries and Northern and Western nations. In this context, most cobalt extraction occurs in the DRC, an LEDC, while the end product is typically sold to multinational corporations headquartered in the US and Europe. The end consumer is also likely to be a resident of the US and/or Europe, illustrating the global inequalities present in this market.This relationship and the increased globalization have made it easier for more powerful countries to exploit less powerful countries. Globalization has increased the need for cobalt on a global level, which increases cobalt production at national and local levels which in turn comes with implications such as security violations of certain vulnerable groups, in this case, children. This in turn will affect children being exploited. Prostitution, sexually transmitted diseases and rape, are some factors that children are exposed to.

In Conclusion, the cobalt mining issue in the DRC is a perfect example of the use of child labour and unsafe working conditions in mines that directly contradict the  international conventions on children's rights. The DRC's failure to ensure free primary education demonstrates the problem, as children sacrifice their right to education for economic survival. At the national level, the cobalt industry is crucial to the DRC's economy, contributing significantly to GDP. However, corruption, illegal trade, and ongoing human rights violations underscore the need to balance economic growth with ethical considerations and human rights protection. Global issues can be caused by the fact that globalization is trying to bring in development to LEDCs. However, if a country is corrupt the increased income will most likely not trickle down and the most vulnerable groups lose the most when looking into the aspects of security and well-being due to the corruption.