ILO Launches GALAB project in Democratic Republic of the Congo to address child labour in cobalt mining sector

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (ILO News) - The International Labour Organization (ILO) has announced the launch of the GALAB Project, funded by the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), designed to combat child labour within the artisanal cobalt mining sector of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This project is part of a broader commitment to enhance the accountability of public and private actors, while promoting fundamental rights and decent work conditions within supply chains. It represents a continuation of the COTECCO Project (Combat Child Labor in the Cobalt Supply Chain in DRC), which laid the groundwork for efforts in addressing child labour in the DRC’s cobalt sector. 

The DRC is the largest supplier of cobalt, a critical mineral for technologies such as electric vehicles and renewable energy. However, cobalt extraction also faces significant challenges related to the use of child labour in the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector. Over 100,000 ASM miners are employed in the country, working under conditions that present risks not only to safety but also to ethical compliance and human rights. The GALAB project seeks to strengthen the Congolese government’s capacity and enhance the role of various stakeholders in eliminating child labour from the sector, aiming for "zero children in the mining sector." 

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Comprehensive actions to support children and families 

Building on the outcomes of the COTECCO Project, the GALAB initiative will implement a range of activities focused on child protection and sector-wide accountability. Key objectives include developing referral and remediation services for children identified as child labourers within the cobalt supply chain. These activities will be coordinated through a Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation System (CLMRS), which recently reported the registration of over 6,200 children engaged in mining in the Haut-Katanga and Lualaba provinces. 

The GALAB project will collaborate with development partners such as UNICEF, IMPACT Transform, and the PABEA-Cobalt initiative to ensure that children identified in the CLMRS are referred to appropriate remediation services, which may include educational support, income-generating activities for families, and vocational training for older children. Parents will receive assistance to help secure more stable income opportunities, fostering a sustainable shift away from child labour reliance in mining. 

In addition, the GALAB project will enhance the training and capacities of labour and mining inspectors to support a collaborative and transparent system for monitoring mining conditions and labour practices. Through partnerships with both the public and private sectors, the project will introduce tools and resources promoting safe and responsible practices and raise awareness about the need to uphold international labour standards, including those focused on eliminating child labour. 

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Strengthening collaboration and accountability across sectors 

The GALAB project is committed to building robust public-private partnerships that ensure due diligence in mining operations and compliance with fundamental rights. Key activities will include providing private sector actors with training on national legislation and international standards, with an emphasis on responsible business practices in the mining sector. Through strategic advocacy and capacity-building initiatives, GALAB will support the DRC government in securing additional resources to maintain a vigilant stance against child labour within the sector. 

Nteba Soumano, ILO Country Director for Angola, Congo, Gabon, Central African Republic, DRC, and Chad, highlighted the importance of this project as a key step in safeguarding children’s rights and addressing systemic issues in cobalt mining: 

The GALAB project is a crucial step forward in our collective efforts to combat child labour in the DRC's cobalt supply chain. By strengthening remediation services and engaging the private sector, we can make a real difference in the lives of children and their families and contribute to a more responsible and sustainable mining sector.

The expected results of the GALAB project include an increase of remediation initiatives among registered children in CLMRS and a reduction in child labour within the mining and artisanal mining sectors, increased public and private sector accountability, and improved collaboration among stakeholders to promote fundamental principles and rights at work. 

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