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A Poisonous Mix
Child Labor, Mercury, and Artisanal Gold Mining in Mali
Regional Maps
Summary
Key
Recommendations
Methodology
I. The
Context: Gold Mining in Mali
Mali’s
Gold Economy
Artisanal
Gold Mining
Child Labor
and Migration in West Africa
II. The
Legal Framework
International
Human Rights Law
National
Laws on Human Rights
III.
Hazardous Child Labor in Mali’s Artisanal Gold Mines
Hazardous
Child Labor throughout the Mining Process
Mercury
Poisoning of Children in Artisanal Mines—an “Invisible
Epidemic”
“Everything
Hurts:” Other Health Consequences of Child Labor in Artisanal Gold
Mining
Working
Hours and Pay: Between Family Support and Exploitation
Trafficking
Coercion
Other Child
Labor in Mining Communities
Attitudes to
Child Labor
IV. Sexual Exploitation and Violence
Sexual Exploitation
Sexual
Violence
V. Limited
Impact: Policy and Program Responses to Child Labor and Abuse
Government
Action on Child Labor
Donor and
NGO Programs on Child Labor
The
ILO’s “Minors out of Mining” Initiative: Hollow Commitments?
Efforts to
End Child Abuse and Trafficking
VI. A Poor
Health Policy Response
A Weak
Health System
Health
Access Barriers for Children in Mining Areas
Government
Neglect of Mercury Related Health Conditions
Efforts to
Reduce Exposure to Mercury
Towards an
International Mercury Reduction Treaty
VII.
“I Have Never Been to School” – Access to Education for
Child Laborers in Mines
Difficult
Access to Education in Artisanal Mining Areas
Education
Policies: Failing to Reach Child Laborers
Social
Protection Measures to Improve Access to Education
VIII. The
Gold Traders’ Responsibility
The
Responsibility of Gold Traders in Mali
The Role of
Artisanal Miners’ Associations
The
Responsibility of International Gold Trading Companies
Government
Mining Policies: Failure to Regulate Artisanal Mining
Regional and
International Initiatives towards Mining Businesses
Conclusion
Recommendations
To the
Government of Mali
To the
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
To Donor
Countries and the World Bank, and Relevant UN Agencies, such as ILO, UNICEF,
UNIDO, UNEP, and WHO
To Malian
and International Companies Trading in Artisanal Gold
To Malian
Associations of Artisanal Gold Miners
To All
Governments
Acknowledgements
Annex I
Annex II
Annex III
Annex IV
Annex V
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