Women are also present as traders-buying full bags of ore and selling them at depots-or even in sponsoring the excavation of pits. Similarly with other minerals, women take on various roles they have in cobalt mining including digging, washing, and transport, as well as working for the mining cooperatives, or providing restaurant services and selling goods. Others told us that they were able to purchase land and build houses, which they now rent out.Īs we’ve found through our AFECCOR project, first in DRC and more recently in Burkina Faso, when miners are able to invest in additional income generating activities outside of mining, it supports economic resiliency and helps shelter them in times of insecurity. Multiple women reported that they had earned enough from artisanal mining to be able to invest in other income generating activities, such as a hair salon or restaurant services. Women economically and socially benefit from working in artisanal mining, with the income contributing to household needs and providing women with increased status in the community. These findings mirror our previous research from the gold and 3T sector. She told us she’s happy where she is, earning more than her former fellow students. She’s working as a mineral trader after being unable to find any job in her field. With the income they receive from mining, they can support their families, households, and educate their children. Women are choosing to work in the artisanal cobalt mining sector because it provides higher incomes than any other role in the community. This past November, in seven focus groups with women working in the sector, we listened to their views on their work and income, their safety, and perceptions of child labour. In 2022, IMPACT launched the Her Security project to investigate how enhancing women’s security in artisanal cobalt and copper mining communities in DRC can improve livelihoods and decrease child labour. But to support formalization, we need to invest in approaches that are rooted in gender equality, sustainable development, and peace within artisanal cobalt mining communities. Efforts are underway to support DRC’s artisanal cobalt miners to move towards the legal international market. It’s projected to grow by 25 times over the next 20 years-and companies are scrambling to assure consumers they have a responsible supply chain. With the green energy revolution, the demand for cobalt rises. International media have often spotlighted the poor working conditions in DRC’s artisanal cobalt mines including child labour or environmental and health impacts. It’s not officially considered a “conflict mineral,” but faces many similar risks as gold and 3Ts (tin, tungsten, and tantalum), or even diamonds. Over 70 percent of the world’s cobalt comes from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and it’s estimated that almost a quarter of DRC’s cobalt is extracted by artisanal miners. Cobalt fuels our smartphones, laptops, electric vehicles.
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