Labor Rights

For five years, Musah Kalamdulai, a cocoa farmer and tailor from the Bremang Nwomaso community in Ghana’s Central region, believed that having his children work on the farm was just part of their contribution to the family farming business. Unaware of the risks to his children’s health and education, they often engaged in spraying agrochemicals, weeding large portions of farmland, pruning or carrying heavy loads.

Women play a vital role in Kenya’s artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector, but they face significant challenges. Exposure to harmful substances, long hours, and low pay are common. Eunice Atieno, a dedicated miner, is working to improve conditions for women in her community. She is raising awareness about safety, advocating for fair wages, and inspiring other women to demand better working conditions as they strive for a brighter future.

Percy Cobbina is determined to see the eradication of child labor from the supply chain in Amafie, a cocoa-farming community in the Western North region of Ghana.

Over 5,100 metres above sea level, among strong winds and falling snow, we can find Julia Pomalique. She works in the mountains performing pallaqueo, an artisanal and ancestral way of mining, work now done mainly by women. Thanks to this activity, she and more than 250 women in her association can sustain themselves and their families. She’s a pallaquera and she’s proud of it. However, Julia knows that with that name comes prejudice and systemic discrimination.

The use of mercury in mining remains a tremendous challenge for the sector worldwide. The majority of artisanal and small-scale miners have little knowledge of the impact of mercury on health and the environment. Through the Golden Line Programme, miners such as Peter Juben were educated on the impacts and trained on responsible use.