Child labor in African mines.

The United Nation’s International Labor Organization estimates there are around a million child laborers ages 5-17 working in African gold mines. These are small scale operations and there are so many it is hard to actually step in and stop it from happening. It is also noted that due to family need sometimes these kids don’t have a choice if they want to survive. Child laborers make as little as $2 per day. The work that they do is very dangerous and difficult.

 Here is a interesting article.

According to a 2008 report published by the Geneva, International Labor Organization, it states that mining is by far the most hazardous area for children in regard to fatalities. Research shows an average fatality rate of 32 per 100,000 full-time workers between the ages of 5 and 17 years working in mining.

 

 

The report also states that Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest incident rate of 15.1 percent/38,736 incidents of children aged 5–17 engaged in hazardous work.

 

Mining is dangerous for many reasons some include:

Hauling too heavy of loads.

Being lowered into very small tunnels where oxygen is limited and the presence of dangerous gases exists.

Long term sun exposure.

The strenuous nature of the work.