Mali HUMAN A Poisonous Mix RIGHTS Child Labor, Mercury, and Artisanal Gold Mining in Mali WATCH A Poisonous Mix Child Labor, Mercury, and Artisanal Gold Mining in Mali Copyright © 2011 Human Rights Watch All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 1-56432-831-7 Cover design by Rafael Jimenez Human Rights Watch is dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the world. We stand with victims and activists to prevent discrimination, to uphold political freedom, to protect people from inhumane conduct in wartime, and to bring offenders to justice. We investigate and expose human rights violations and hold abusers accountable. We challenge governments and those who hold power to end abusive practices and respect international human rights law. We enlist the public and the international community to support the cause of human rights for all. Human Rights Watch is an international organization with staff in more than 40 countries, and offices in Amsterdam, Beirut, Berlin, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Goma, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Nairobi, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo, Toronto, Tunis, Washington DC, and Zurich. For more information, please visit our website: http://www.hrw.org DECEMBER 2011 1-56432-831-7 A Poisonous Mix Child Labor, Mercury, and Artisanal Gold Mining in Mali Regional Maps .................................................................................................................. i Summary and Recommendations ........................................................................................ 1 Methodology .....................................................................................................................14 I. The Context: Gold Mining in Mali ................................................................................... 16 Mali’s Gold Economy .............................................................................................................. 16 Artisanal Gold Mining ............................................................................................................. 18 Child Labor and Migration in West Africa ................................................................................ 20 II. The Legal Framework .................................................................................................... 22 International Human Rights Law ............................................................................................. 22 National Laws on Human Rights .............................................................................................. 27 III. Hazardous Child Labor in Mali’s Artisanal Gold Mines .................................................. 29 Hazardous Child Labor throughout the Mining Process ............................................................ 30 Mercury Poisoning of Children in Artisanal Mines—an “Invisible Epidemic” ............................. 36 “Everything Hurts:” Other Health Consequences of Child Labor in Artisanal Gold Mining ......... 39 Working Hours and Pay: Between Family Support and Exploitation .......................................... 41 Trafficking .............................................................................................................................. 45 Coercion ................................................................................................................................ 46 Other Child Labor in Mining Communities ............................................................................... 47 Attitudes to Child Labor ......................................................................................................... 48 IV. Sexual Exploitation and Violence ................................................................................. 50 Sexual Exploitation ................................................................................................................. 50 Sexual Violence ...................................................................................................................... 52 V. Limited Impact: Policy and Program Responses to Child Labor and Abuse ..................... 53 Government Action on Child Labor .......................................................................................... 53 Donor and NGO Programs on Child Labor ................................................................................ 55 The ILO’s “Minors out of Mining” Initiative: Hollow Commitments? .......................................... 57 Efforts to End Child Abuse and Trafficking ............................................................................... 58 VI. A Poor Health Policy Response .................................................................................... 60 A Weak Health System ........................................................................................................... 60 Health Access Barriers for Children in Mining Areas ................................................................. 61 Government Neglect of Mercury Related Health Conditions .................................................... 62 Efforts to Reduce Exposure to Mercury ................................................................................... 62 Towards an International Mercury Reduction Treaty ................................................................. 63 VII. “I Have Never Been to School” – Access to Education for Child Laborers in Mines ....... 64 Difficult Access to Education in Artisanal Mining Areas........................................................... 64 Education Policies: Failing to Reach Child Laborers ................................................................ 68 Social Protection Measures to Improve Access to Education .................................................... 70 VIII. The Gold Traders’ Responsibility ............................................................................... 72 The Responsibility of Gold Traders in Mali ............................................................................... 72 The Role of Artisanal Miners’ Associations .............................................................................. 74 The Responsibility of International Gold Trading Companies ................................................... 75 Government Mining Policies: Failure to Regulate Artisanal Mining ........................................... 77 Regional and International Initiatives towards Mining Businesses ........................................... 79 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 82 Recommendations ............................................................................................................ 85 To the Government of Mali ...................................................................................................... 85 To the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) ............................................... 89 To Donor Countries and the World Bank, and Relevant UN Agencies, such as ILO, UNICEF, UNIDO, UNEP, and WHO ..................................................................................................................... 89 To Malian and International Companies Trading in Artisanal Gold .......................................... 90 To Malian Associations of Artisanal Gold Miners ..................................................................... 91 To All Governments ................................................................................................................. 91 Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... 92 Annex I ............................................................................................................................. 93 Annex II ............................................................................................................................ 97 Annex III .......................................................................................................................... 101 Annex IV ..........................................................................................................................104 Annex V .......................................................................................................................... 106 Regional Maps i HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH | DECEMBER 2011 A POISONOUS MIX II Summary and Key Recommendations Human Rights Watch | December 2011 An artisanal gold mine, Kéniéba circle, Mali. © 2010 International Labour Organization/IPEC A POISONOUS MIX Child Labor, Mercury, and Artisanal Gold Mining in Mali Children carry calabashes and buckets for panning at an artisanal gold mine, Kéniéba circle, Mali. © 2010 International Labour Organization/IPEC In many poor rural areas around the world, men, women, and children work in artisanal gold mining to make a living. Artisanal or small-scale mining is mining through labor- intensive, low-tech methods, and belongs to the informal sector of the economy. It is estimated that about 12 percent of global gold production comes from artisanal mines. 4 A Poisonous Mix Human Rights Watch | December 2011 5 Mining is one of the most hazardous work sectors in the Nevertheless, some child laborers attend school but struggle world, yet child labor is common in artisanal mining. This to keep up, as they are working in the mines during holidays, report looks at the use of