Children working in mines and quarries: evidence from West and Central Africa

This briefing paper focuses on boys and girls working in mines and quarries in West and Central Africa. Most children work in artisanal and small-scale mines (ASM), using labour-intensive methods to extract minerals and precious stones. Artisanal and small-scale mines operate within the informal economy and on the borderline between legality and illegality. Contrary to the common perception of miners being primarily migrants, a large proportion of workers comes from surrounding villages or nearby mining towns. Artisanal mining is often a family activity where children of all ages engage in various types of work and play in the quarries and mining sites where their parents also work. Mining is an alternative to other work in the informal economy and may attract seasonal workers from surrounding villages, or longer-term migrants.