A Poisonous Mix - Human Rights Watch

Child labor is not good. The gold goes to their head [affects their attitude].
They lose track of education. But I cannot influence the parents. Sometimes
parents send children here to sell me gold. 359
The Role of Artisanal Miners’ Associations
Malian artisanal miners and mining operators are organized in several associations,
including the Union des opérateurs miniers au Mali (UNOMIN), the Fédération nationale
des orpailleurs au Mali (FNOM), and the Association des femmes minières au Mali
(AFEMIN). In some cases, they have helped miners create cooperatives or economic
interest groups, or provided them with equipment. 360 Professionalizing the artisanal
mining sector could help increase miners’ income and, as a result, reduce child labor. 361
However, so far, this has not been the case. Worse, there has been insufficient emphasis
among certain organisations on problems such as child labor, mercury use, and exploitation
of poor miners. For instance, members of the newly established Mali Mining Chamber, the
representative body for small- and large-scale mining businesses, denied that child labor is
a problem. 362 The president of the Mining Chamber told Human Rights Watch:
There is no child labor in the artisanal gold mines.… A child cannot do this
work. Some might look like children but are adults. 363
He also defended the use of child labor, should it occur, by saying that parents in different
work sectors in Mali often take their children to work with them. Another member of the
Mining Chamber defended child labor as part of a child’s upbringing (socialization). 364
In contrast, the head of the National Federation of Malian Gold Miners expressed concern
about the use of child labor and said he was keen to take action on this. 365
2011; Human Rights Watch interview with Abdoulaye M., age 15, Baroya, April 3, 2011; Human Rights Watch interview with
gold trader, Worognan, April 9, 2011.
359 Human Rights Watch interview with gold trader, Kéniéba, April 4, 2011.
360 Human Rights Watch telephone interview with representative of the Association des femmes minières au Mali (AFEMIN),
May 26, 2011; Human Rights Watch interview with Morike Sissoko, president of the FNOM, Kéniéba, April 2, 2011; Human
Rights Watch interview with Abdoulaye Pona, president of the Mali Mining Chamber, Bamako, April 11, 2011.
361 Hilson, “A load too heavy,” Children and Youth Services Review, pp. 1233-1245.
362 On the creation of the Mining Chamber, see Abdoul Karim Maïga, “Chambre des Mines du Mali: Abdoulaye Pona aux
commandes,” L’Indicateur Renouveau, February 25, 2011, http://ankamali.net/economie/1313-lindicateur-renouveauchambre-des-mines-du-mali--abdoulaye-pona-aux-commandes
(accessed August 10, 2011).
363 Human Rights Watch interview with Abdoulaye Pona, president of the Mali Mining Chamber, Bamako, April 11, 2011.
364 Human Rights Watch interview with legal advisor, Mali Mining Chamber, Bamako, April 11, 2011.
365 Human Rights Watch interview with Morike Sissoko, president of the FNOM, Kéniéba, April 2, 2011.
A POISONOUS MIX 74