Child labour in the diamond industry

Child labour in the diamond industry

• Child labour is a widely reported and criticized issue in the diamond industry.
• Children work in diamond mines and polishing procedures in poor conditions.
• Child labour is prevalent in India and Africa.
• Children come in contact with minerals, oil, and machinery exhaust.
• Workers are often paid only a fraction of the value of the stones they cut.
• The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions claimed child labour was prospering in the diamond industry in Western India.
• Economic growth in Western India in the 1980s-90s led to an increase in child workers.
• Organizations such as Janine Roberts, The Anti-Slavery Society, and Survival International raise awareness about the issue.
• The United Nations declared 2021 as the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour.
• The Indian NGO and Child Labour News Service (CLNS) work towards eradicating child labour.
• Child labourers constitute nearly 3% of the total workforce in the Indian diamond industry.
• In Surat, the percentage of child labourers in the diamond industry is as high as 25%.
• Some argue that employing child labourers in diamond factories is risky due to the potential loss or damage of high-cost diamonds.
• The South Gujarat Diamond Workers Association claims that child labour is less prevalent in the diamond industry compared to other sectors.
• A study conducted in 2005 showed a decrease in the use of child labour in India's diamond processing industry.
• During the civil war in Sierra Leone, children were used as combatants and child labourers in diamond mines.
• The police and army in Zimbabwe used brutal force to control access to the diamond fields and exploit unlicensed mining.
• Children in the Marange diamond fields in Zimbabwe work long hours with no pay.
• Angola, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone are mentioned as countries with significant child labour and forced labour in the diamond industry.
• The U.S. Department of Labor listed these countries as having a high incidence of child labour and forced labour in the diamond industry.
• Child labourers in diamond mines are exposed to health risks and hazards such as malaria, dysentery, and cholera.
• Poor working conditions in diamond mines lead to overcrowding, abuse, and long work hours.
• Child labourers in diamond mines suffer from eye strain, headaches, malnutrition, and respiratory problems.
• Workers are paid based on the number of diamonds they can polish or cut per day.
• The diamond industry is known for hazardous work sites, open pits, and exposure to heavy minerals and machinery exhaust.

Exploitation and bonded child labor in the diamond industry

• Child workers are used as cheap labor in the diamond industry to raise more profit.
• The diamond industry is known for its exploitation of youth workers, similar to mines and sweatshops in South Africa or India.
• The diamond industry is overpriced and funded for wars.
• Many families in third world countries rely on their children's income to survive.
• Working at a sweatshop is often the only option for children who do not have access to education.
• Employers sometimes pay the family in advance and the child works to pay off the debt, known as bonding.
• Bonded children cannot pay off their family's debt due to interest, leading to a life of servitude.
• The debt increases over time, trapping bonded children and passing on the cycle of servitude to their descendants.
• Bonded child labor is a common practice in the diamond industry.
• Bonded children face exploitation and are unable to escape their circumstances.

Impact of civil wars on the diamond industry

• Civil wars disrupt diamond production and reduce the supply.
• Countries like Sierra Leone, which depend on diamonds for economic activity, face disruption in production and a thriving black market in conflict diamonds.
• Conflict diamonds drive down the price of diamonds produced in these countries.
• Civil wars financed by conflict diamonds lead to the loss of lives, including child workers.
• The diamond industry in conflict-affected countries suffers from instability and illegal trade.

Forceful relocation of indigenous Bushman people by De Beers

• Indigenous people, including children, are often forced to relocate to make way for diamond mining.
• In Botswana, the Bushman tribe has faced threats and persecution due to the interests of the mining company, De Beers.
• The Bushmen have been living in the land for tens of thousands of years.
• The government has cut off their water supplies, taxed them, fined them, and subjected them to violence to force them to leave the reserve.
• Several international supermodels have supported the campaign against the forced relocation of the Bushman tribe.

Working and living conditions in the diamond industry

Working conditions of miners and local people

• Long working hours in hazardous environments
• Lack of safety measures and protective equipment
• Exposure to toxic chemicals and dust
• Low wages and exploitation by mining companies
• High rates of injuries and fatalities in mining accidents

Living conditions of miners and local people

• Lack of access to clean water and sanitation facilities
• Inadequate housing and overcrowded living conditions
• Limited healthcare services and high prevalence of diseases
• Insufficient education and limited opportunities for children
• Poverty and economic instability in mining communities

Gender issues in the diamond industry

• Gender inequality and discrimination against women
• Exploitation and sexual harassment of female workers
• Limited participation of women in decision-making processes
• Unequal pay and limited career advancement opportunities for women
• Disproportionate burden of unpaid care work on women

Child labor in the diamond industry

• High prevalence of child labor in diamond mining
• Exploitation and hazardous working conditions for child miners
• Denial of education and limited opportunities for child laborers
• Physical and psychological harm to child laborers
• Inadequate enforcement of child labor laws and regulations

Child labour in the diamond industry Data Sources