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THE CRUCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS IN THE DRC MINING SECTOR : a case of study on child labour

by Eunicia Lutete updated on May 21, 2024

In the heart of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) lies a paradox that has perplexed diplomats, legal experts, and humanitarians alike: the cobalt mines, the lifeblood of modern technological advancement, that are tainted with the sweat and tears of Congolese people, especially children.  Cobalt is a crucial mineral used in lithium-ion batteries that power smartphones, laptops, electric vehicles, and other tech devices. However, the cobalt mining industry in the DRC has drawn international criticism and scrutiny due to its association with child labour and human rights abuses.  

The DRC boasts one of the world’s richest mineral dépositsbut most importantly troves of cobalt. However, beneath the glimmer of this lucrative industry lies a dark reality – one where multinational giant like Apple, Microsoft and other Chinese firms source their cobalt from mines where child labour is rampant, and transparency is elusive. In 2022, the DRC was the world’s largest cobalt miner with a production of 130,000 tons, or nearly 68 percent of the world’s cobalt.  The DRC was the fourth largest producer of industrial diamonds in 2022 with a production of 4.3 million carats with some of the mines estimated to contain grades above 3 percent, significantly higher than the global average of 0.6 – 0.8 percent. (International Trade Administration 2024).  

With the growing interest in the DRC cobalt, a report from UNICEF stated that approximately 40,000 children work in mines across the Haut Katanga region which is found in the southern part of the DRC, many of whom are involved in cobalt extraction. These children work in hazardous conditions, often without proper safety equipment, for pennies as a salary. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have documented cases of child miners facing serious health risks, physical abuse, and exploitation. 

According to Siddharth Kara, an expert on modern day slavery, “more than 60% of the world’s supply of cobalt is mined in the ‘copper belt’ of the south-eastern provinces of DRC. His research suggests that of “more than 255,000 diggers mining cobalt in DRC, at least 35,000 are children, some as young as six.” His research claims that “children under the age of 14 years earn an average of $0.81 per day, adult females earn an average of $1.02 per day, and adult males earn an average of $2.04 per day.” 

 

 

With the death and degrading involvement of child labour in the mining sector, 14 Congolese families who have lost their children in the extraction process have gathered to sue  five major technology companies namely The Alphabet, Apple , Dell, Microsoft and Tesla in December 2019.   On November 5th, 2021, a Washington DC court dismissed  the cobalt mining deaths’ case against those major tech companies with Apple being the big giant of the case mentioned above. Unfortunately, this was due to the lack of tangible evidence in a global chain market. 

Recent lawsuits against tech giants like Apple have shed light on the exploitation and abuse rampant in the Congolese mining sector. Reports have surfaced detailing the hazardous conditions under which children as young as seven toil in the mines, risking life and limb for a meager wage that won’t fulfill their hunger, let alone improving their life and fulfilling their dreams  These children are robbed of their childhood, their education, and their future, all to satisfy the insatiable demand for cobalt in this  era of highly advanced technology developments.  

The fight goes on, with another lawsuit from the DRC government against Apple on March 5th, 2024, and without surprise the US court sides with Apple, Tesla, other tech companies over child labour in Africa. It seems that for the benefit of the International giant corporations, children are disregarded even though protecting children from abuse and neglect is a fundamental duty of the U.S. legal system! 

Despite the Dodd-Frank Act in the United States which includes provisions that require companies to disclose their use of conflict minerals, including cobalt, and to ensure that their sourcing does not finance armed conflict or human rights abuses. It seems that the US legal system is turning a blind eye to the matter when it comes to child labour or human rights abuses in Africa due to the longstanding culture of exploitation . Moreover, the European Union’s Conflict Minerals Regulations only came into effect in 2021 when the emerging lawsuits against multinationals started surfacing against the violation of human rights in the DRC mining industry to ensure that the European supply chain of the importation of tin, tungsten, tantalum, and gold is free of human rights violations. Unfortunately, Cobalt has not yet been included in this regulation and is one of the most critical minerals mined experiencing child abuse. One would think that cobalt would be first on the list but the more conflict there is, the less regulations and the more multinationals will benefit from the conflict. 

In addition, a 2016 Amnesty International report specifically named Apple, Samsung, Sony, and other companies as being unable to verify whether the cobalt in their products was mined by children. Such reports have led to calls for boycotts and have tarnished the public image of these corporations. Unfortunately, we are still far behind in implementing legal and human right practices in the extraction process.  

 

 

What exacerbates this moral crisis is the lack of transparency and accountability from multinational corporations. Despite pledges to uphold ethical standards and ensure responsible sourcing, these companies have failed to provide adequate traceability mechanisms to verify the provenance of the minerals they procure. By turning a blind eye to the plight of Congolese miners, these corporations perpetuate a cycle of exploitation and poverty. 

The ramifications of this ethical lapse extend far beyond the confines of the DRC. The use of conflict minerals, extracted through exploitative labor practices, tarnished the reputation of the tech industry and undermines global efforts to promote human rights and sustainable development. Moreover, the profits reaped from such unethical practices only serve to perpetuate instability and conflict in the region. 

However, there is hope on the horizon. By regulating the mining sector and enforcing stringent labor standards, the DRC can reclaim control over its vast mineral wealth and channel it towards sustainable development. International pressure and legal action against complicit corporations have already catalyzed some reforms, albeit at a slow pace. 

Multinational corporations must also shoulder their share of responsibility by investing in robust traceability systems and conducting thorough due diligence to ensure that their supply chains are free from exploitation. By adopting a proactive approach to ethical sourcing, these companies can not only mitigate reputational risks but also contribute to the socio-economic upliftment of the communities they operate in. 

While major consumer electronic and automobile brands state they do not tolerate child labour in their supply chains, none have invested enough resources or time into ensuring that they can adequately address the human rights abuses that could be lurking in the products they sell to millions across the world. 

The exploitation of Congolese cobalt miners by multinational corporations represents a moral crisis of global proportions. Only through concerted efforts from Governments,  Corporations, and  Civil  Society can we hope to address this issue and pave the way for a more equitable and sustainable future. The DRC’s journey towards development and resilience hinges on the ethical conduct of all stakeholders involved in the mining sector, with transparency and accountability serving as guiding principles towards progress.





Africa, the cradle of humanity, a land that stirs the soul with its mystic allure. My soul chose to be born in a land where golden savannahs stretch far and wide. A land where one can witness the plains come alive with the rhythmic footsteps of herds embarking on their breath-taking migration in a timeless display of resilience and unity. A country that holds beauty, that enchants the senses and ignites wonder.

My land, my motherland Kenya. Born into a Kenyan family of Asian descent, a family that has lived and breathed Kenya and Africa for previous 5 generations, I can only identify as a Kenyan, a proud 6th generation African. Brought up in a family where ‘Being Human’ was the main principal belief. We have been raised with values that don’t differ greatly from those of the thousands of tribes that make up Africa – roots, heritage, family, faith, morals, principles and more.

Many years ago, I stood on stage at a speech writing contest in High School, where I described the strategy behind Muhamad Ali’s glorious win where he “floated like a butterfly, and stung like a bee” against George Foreman, in the fight forever known as the ‘Rumble in the Jungle.’ Years later, never even in my wildest imagination, did I imagine I would be living in the very ‘jungle’ itself, and working in the world of strategic storytelling and encouraging the amplification of Congolese voices and narratives far and wide across the globe from the heart of Africa.

Congo or as it was then called Zaire, a land that was stamped in the memory of the World as the place where Ali fought Foreman and caused a mighty Rumble in the boxing world. A battle that was immortalised in the song ‘In Zaire’ sung by Johnny Wakelin. Congo was a land everyone wanted to know about.

A land that is endowed with all the riches known to mankind. A blessed land, with a rich cultural heritage and a teeming, deserving population. A land sadly destroyed by its colonial past. Which, since its independence, is slowly trying to attain its rightful place in the World. It is here that I arrived five years back.

As I look back on my first five years of living in the Democratic Republic of Congo, there have been moments of floating and very often, little stings. I moved to Kinshasa for love. In the beginning, I can honestly admit, it was not love for the city or the country or the people – I didn’t know enough about this 

ginormous country and the 100+ million people that fill its borders – it was personal love. But five years later, I never thought I could love a country and its people as though they were mine. That love comes from the heart that feels the mystic rhythm of the African land, and I couldn’t be prouder to call it home.

You can never shake the ancient dust of Africa off your boots – no matter how far and wide you travel.

Having lived in London for thirteen years followed by a few years in the Middle East, returning to Africa was natural. 

The love for Africa always remains in the soul. Living in the heart and soul of Central Africa, has been an adventure.

The narratives that have filled Western Media have sung a different song for many years, call it geo-politics, strategic positioning, economic control, all things aside, the story of the Congo has never really been told loudly by the Congolese themselves. From the outside looking in, the perceptions are dotted and plagued with negativity, but on the ground, the beating hearts of the Congolese are rumbling a little louder day by day towards progress, and it’s in these slivers of hope, that the true stories are revealed.

The stories that spotlight the young entrepreneur battling to build a viable business, young students carving out their careers currently into untapped and underdeveloped industries, the non-existent middle class that should build the private sector and contribute to its growth and the country’s economy, international investors building projects that create jobs and wealth for the locals as much as it does for the financial interest in the Congo. We can’t talk about changing the narrative of a country when we don’t discuss the positive changes that education, infrastructure developments, economic policies, universal health care, food self sufficiency etc can contribute towards developing Congo.

In Africa, a transformative era is on the horizon as the continent sets its sights on change and development like never before, and country examples like Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Morocco, and Kenya are a testament to these positive changes. A combined drive by the Africans to build an Africa by Africans for a future developed Africa. A daunting task as a fellow African who first arrived in Kinshasa for a two-week trip which quickly extended from month to month and snowballed into creating a business in the field of strategic advisory and communications. It was created around the simple premise – the African narrative needs to be written by the Africans, and the Congolese needed a platform for their voices to be heard as far and wide across the globe.

At the heart of Africa, the center of its soul, the Congolese beats are picking up. Business is quietly picking up, post the first peaceful democratic elections. As the incumbent President Felix Tshisekedi embarks on his second mandate, the world waits with bated breath for the promised change and greater development, the impact of which can be felt across the entire population. Whether its infrastructure, governance reform, education, better health, access to basic needs – there are plenty of conversations to be had. Storytelling, an essential part of Congolese culture, an oral tradition that is filled with narratives, stories, and songs, need to be told from the perceptions and opinions of the Congolese.

In the past, and especially in 2023 the power and bias of the international media came to the forefront.

Geopolitics and powerful Media Houses controlled and amplified the narrative that in their perception was important. It’s only natural to question the visibility of certain global issues over another. This raises the question about the impact of our voices when catastrophes and issues affecting an African country are narrated differently. Whether it’s election, unrest or other catastrophes affecting an African country, sometimes the western media does not consider it newsworthy because they do not have an in-depth understanding and information of the issues and disasters that affects this Continent.

There are a lot of positive changes happening as well, and these news worthy developments need to be made a part of the Global narrative. Positive or negative these conversations need to be had openly and who better than the Africans to be at the forefront of this narrative. The true voices of the Congolese need to be heard from their heart and soul and from their perspective. That’s when the true picture of the reality of their lives, struggles and aspirations emerges.

There is a need for a platform where the Congolese voices and the African voices can be heard, where views can be freely given not as a negative but as a positive approach to help bring the DRC to take its rightful place, not just in Africa but also in the World. Is it not our experiences from around the world when put together with like minded individuals – where greatness begins? Where stories and narratives become the basis for legacies.

DRConversations is the platform created as a gift for all the voices that need to be heard, for all the emotions that need to be expressed and to bring forth the dreams and aspirations of a nation on the cusp of development. Join this journey by sharing openly your knowledge and experience to make DRC a happy, positive and progressive Nation.

It’s time for another rumble in the jungle – Welcome to the conversations from the Congo.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             KS