Child Labor

Pact’s efforts focus on stemming what the International Labour Organization considers one of the Worst Forms of Child Labor: child labor at mine sites, which exposes kids to dangerous conditions, physical injury, mental stress, disease and disenfranchisement.

Pact has worked for more than a decade to address child labor in mining. Using a systemic, integrated approach that is tailored to each community, we begin by studying factors that are contributing to child labor. Then we work in partnership with communities, governments, the private sector and miners themselves to address these root causes. Along the way, we build the capacity of local institutions, including schools, health and social service agencies and child protection organizations.

In Colombia, we’re strengthening educational opportunities for youth, applying local health and safety standards, bolstering child protection policies, helping families to increase their income, and working to formalize the small-scale mining sector.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, we’re raising awareness about the dangers of child labor, increasing families’ economic stability and improving enforcement of child labor bans. Our efforts have reduced child labor at mine sites where we work by more than 90 percent.

And in countries across Africa and Asia, we’re helping parents and caregivers boost their income – a main driver in keeping children in school and out of the labor force.