A US court on Tuesday absolved five major technology companies accused of aiding the use of child labour in cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In the case filed by former child miners and their representatives, Google parent company Alphabet, Apple, Dell Technologies, Microsoft and Tesla stood accused of facilitating child labour in their supply chains for cobalt. The plaintiffs said that the companies were aware of the use of child labour in cobalt mines but did not act for fear of disrupting the supply of the metal. A lot of the metal is extracted by artisanal miners who employ child labour and where safety is not observed. More than 40 000 children are working in hazardous conditions in cobalt mines in the Katanga province alone, according to the UN.

Source: Ethiopian News March 06, 2024 15:47 UTC