Miners must uphold interest of children in operations
The mining industry is the cornerstone of many countries’ economies, with the potential to foster growth and development, thereby increasing household incomes and improving child health care.
Being rich in mineral resources is a valuable tool that can be used to promote economic growth and encourage the development of public facilities, such as the construction of schools, libraries, hospitals, and clinics.
In recognising that mining is an important developmental activity that contributes to home, office, schools, and life in general, it is important to note its role in fostering the development and realisation of socio-economic rights.
The mining sector is very important to the Zimbabwean economy, offering a vast mineral wealth with immense value generation.
However, this industry has been associated with negative impacts on the environment, health, and academic performance of local communities living close to mining operation sites.
If not properly regulated, the mining sector can contribute to labour violations, exploitation of communities, ill health of workers and people from surrounding communities, and destruction and/or degradation of the environment.
A previous weekly review by (the Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development) Zimcodd dating back to August 2022 highlighted that “a mining claim was pegged less than 50 meters away from Globe and Phoenix Primary School in Kwekwe”
Less than a year later, the school is reported to have caved in due to the mining activities being undertaken near it.
Mining sites should be at least 450 metres away from built up areas, be it homesteads, or schools given the potential negative impacts mining activities have on building and individuals.
In areas where mining activities have taken place too close to dwellings, people living in the area have had problems with their houses – cracking, and now caving in as is the case with Globe and Phoenix Primary School.
There have also been cases of dangerous sinkholes in some mining areas.
The weakening of houses and existence of sinkholes poses a danger to children and adults alike, with some children having drowned in sinkholes.
Due to the harmful impacts mining activities pose, pre and post-mining processes must consider the potential impacts of a mining project on individuals, more so on groups such as children, not only as a vulnerable group, but also as holders of constitutional rights in their own right.
The potential adverse impacts on the child, both physically and psychologically, must not be overlooked or not adequately considered during community consultation, which should take place before mining activities are conducted in any given area.
Due to their vulnerability, children need utmost protection.
It is, therefore, crucial that when people engage in mining activities the best interests of the child are upheld.
Owing to rising poverty in Zimbabwe, school children are now increasingly participating in artisanal gold mining activities with unlicenced industries utilising child labour to carry out mining activities.
As a result of the children’s proximity to mines some of the major issues that arise include sexual exploitation, being unable to attend school and environmental degradation that directly impacts them.
Toxic water in some areas has destroyed aquatic life and resulted in the contamination of boreholes thereby affecting their development and wellness.
There are increasing reports of children’s ill health as some children suffer from skin irritation that is suspectedly related to acid mine drainage.
The soil is also polluted resulting in people not being able to grow crops and vegetables for sustenance.
Some of the challenges experienced, linger well after the post mining stage.
Unrehabilitated mines pose a danger to children’s security, personal safety and lead to injuries and deaths as children fall into unmarked pits.
Violent clashes among illegal miners as well as between law enforcement agents and the illegal unlicenced miners has resulted in, or exposed children to the danger of injury and/or loss of life.