Child labor in resource extraction industries, particularly in regions like Sierra Leone and other African countries, is a complex and deeply entrenched issue with significant social, economic, and ethical implications.
In Sierra Leone, the diamond industry has long been associated with the exploitation of children who are forced to work in hazardous conditions for minimal pay.
These children, often from impoverished backgrounds, are lured into the mines by promises of meager wages or are simply left with no other choice due to extreme poverty.
The work they undertake is grueling and dangerous, with risks of injury, illness, and even death due to cave-ins, collapsing tunnels, and exposure to harmful chemicals.