A Review 0f Status and Challenges of Child Labour in Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining in Sub Saharan Africa: A Look Through Ethiopian Context

Abstract

Present Study reviews with the children involvement in the ‘artisanal and small-scale mining’ (ASM) in Sub Saharan Africa, and also tries to screen the situations of Ethiopia in the same context. To commence this review study the systematic synthesis methodology was used. Various concerned research articles, technical papers, reports and books were consulted and reviewed.  Study shows that most of the ASM are located in the remote-poorly accessed locations. Use of rudimentary tools, traditional techniques, shabby mining sites and involvements of children for all mining activities is a common phenomenon throughout Sub Saharan Africa (SSA). Though few countries like Ethiopia the children’s participation in ASM is by their own willingness yet most of the Western, Southern and Central African mining countries forced and bounded child labours were common. Working hours for child miner ranges from 8 to 16 hours per day, with ought holidays and proper rest. Poverty, high population, subsistence agriculture, lack of alternative source of livelihood and unemployment were the basic factors pushing people towards mining. Some specific cases like Natural calamity, political unrests and conflicts aggravates the situation. The payments for children range from poor to just survival; even this is widely misused by children. Education is the worst affected segment for child miners, growing the dropout rate and confining the future to mining only. Being hazardous and risky job child miners are facing injuries, casualties and even deaths due to the perilous terrain of sites. Highly unhealthy environment and drudgery leads sickness and various diseases among the children. Review confirms that the children with families are better and protected but single children are the worst exploited ones; boys suffer with low to now wages, over workload with no proper rest and physical and mental harassment while single girls besides all these also frequently face sexual exploitation. Bad habits like smoking, drinking, consuming stimulants and narcotics, gambling and adultery become common among the children. Though the situations of ASM in Ethiopia are similar in terms of the location of mines, drivers for mining, and bleak future of child miners yet the conditions are not so extreme in terms of control of armed militias or mining lords, exploitations, payments and blind future as found in other parts of Sub Saharan Africa. For the betterment of children in ASM, registration and regulation of such units under strict state and federal government rules are must. Evening schools/ bridge schools, complete free education including mid-day/evening meal, and counselling of dropout children are strongly recommended.