It’s a minefield: Elizabeth Coleman on child labour in the DRC

‘The problem is too complex for simple solutions.’

by Elizabeth Coleman 20th September 2024

Before I got to know people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), I would have thought it obvious that ethical consumers should avoid produce that had used child labour. But at a recent meeting organised by the Conflict Minerals Campaign, George Bani and Joel Amani made me aware that the problem is too complex for such a simple solution. Many of these children have no income other than what they earn from working in mining areas; it is an essential supplement to their families’ budget.