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15 August, 2005ICEM news release No. 14/2005
The 20-million-member ICEM, the leading Global Union Federation in the mining industry, and the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) signed a memorandum of understanding to eliminate child labour from any mining or quarrying worksite. The initiative was signed in advance of the 12 June World Day Against Child Labour, as designated by the UN's International Labour Organisation (ILO).
The ILO's fourth World Day Against Child Labour on that date in 2005 will focus specifically on child labour in mines and quarries. The ILO estimates that one million children work in small-scale, informal mining and quarrying around the world, and many are faced with dying on the job or sustaining injuries or illnesses that affect them throughout their lives.
On 10 June, the ILO will host a forum in Geneva entitled "A Load Too Heavy." ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs, ICMM Secretary General Paul Mitchell, along with ILO Director General Juan Somavia, US Department of Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, and Luxembourg Minister of Labour and Employment Francois Biltgen, who is also president of the EU Employment Council, will headline the forum.
Higgs will present a plan by the ICEM to supplement the accord with the ICMM. The plan will aim to establish partnerships nationally with mining companies in order to address child labour in mining and quarrying. It will also engage with national and local governments, together with the formal mining industry, to eradicate the practice in the mining sector with a set target date.
"The agreement with the ICMM is an important first step in mounting a comprehensive initiative to stop this horrible practice," said Higgs. "Child labour in the informal mining industry is a serious problem and we are confident it can be curbed with an effective campaign driven by labour, management, and government entities."
The broader issue of child labour in the informal mining sector, Higgs said, is a direct consequence of poverty. With 1.2 billion people in the world living on less that US$1-a-day, it is the responsibility of G-8 nations to do more in the developing world where informal and unregulated mining practices exist. Higgs will suggest at the ILO forum that G-8 nations do a much better job of targeting aid, implementing debt relief, and abolishing protectionist trade policies.
"No parent wants to see their child working in mining," said Higgs. "But without access to education and meaningful employment opportunities, child labour in unregulated and undocumented mining operations becomes the reality."
The agreement signed in late May by the ICEM and ICMM is the second joint initiative between the two representative organisations. Last year, ICEM and ICMM together with the ILO launched an initiative with the Chinese government to provide technical expertise to improve the health and safety practices inside China's coal mines.
The child labour memorandum, signed by Higgs and the ICMM's Mitchell, states: "Leaders in the industry believe that (child labour) can and should be stopped. They join the ILO in its call to action addressed to those principally responsible: national governments and artesian and small scale mining organizations, requesting that they take all steps necessary to stop child labour in mining.
"For their part the signatories will continue to ensure that no children are employed in their member organizations and will undertake activities to provide better employment or educational activities for those people who might be affected."
London-based ICMM is an employers' federation comprised of 16 of the biggest mining houses in the world, including Alcoa, Anglo American, Anglo Gold Ashanti, BHP Billiton, Freeport-McMoran, Lonmin, Mitsubishi Materials, Newmont, Nippon Mining and Metals, Noranda, Placer Dome, Rio Tinto, Sumitomo Metal Mining, Unicore, WMC Resources and Zinifex. It is also composed of 23 national or industry trade groups. The ICEM has 425 affiliated national unions-including 150 in the mining sector-in 125 countries.
The ILO's fourth World Day Against Child Labour on that date in 2005 will focus specifically on child labour in mines and quarries. The ILO estimates that one million children work in small-scale, informal mining and quarrying around the world, and many are faced with dying on the job or sustaining injuries or illnesses that affect them throughout their lives.
On 10 June, the ILO will host a forum in Geneva entitled "A Load Too Heavy." ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs, ICMM Secretary General Paul Mitchell, along with ILO Director General Juan Somavia, US Department of Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, and Luxembourg Minister of Labour and Employment Francois Biltgen, who is also president of the EU Employment Council, will headline the forum.
Higgs will present a plan by the ICEM to supplement the accord with the ICMM. The plan will aim to establish partnerships nationally with mining companies in order to address child labour in mining and quarrying. It will also engage with national and local governments, together with the formal mining industry, to eradicate the practice in the mining sector with a set target date.
"The agreement with the ICMM is an important first step in mounting a comprehensive initiative to stop this horrible practice," said Higgs. "Child labour in the informal mining industry is a serious problem and we are confident it can be curbed with an effective campaign driven by labour, management, and government entities."
The broader issue of child labour in the informal mining sector, Higgs said, is a direct consequence of poverty. With 1.2 billion people in the world living on less that US$1-a-day, it is the responsibility of G-8 nations to do more in the developing world where informal and unregulated mining practices exist. Higgs will suggest at the ILO forum that G-8 nations do a much better job of targeting aid, implementing debt relief, and abolishing protectionist trade policies.
"No parent wants to see their child working in mining," said Higgs. "But without access to education and meaningful employment opportunities, child labour in unregulated and undocumented mining operations becomes the reality."
The agreement signed in late May by the ICEM and ICMM is the second joint initiative between the two representative organisations. Last year, ICEM and ICMM together with the ILO launched an initiative with the Chinese government to provide technical expertise to improve the health and safety practices inside China's coal mines.
The child labour memorandum, signed by Higgs and the ICMM's Mitchell, states: "Leaders in the industry believe that (child labour) can and should be stopped. They join the ILO in its call to action addressed to those principally responsible: national governments and artesian and small scale mining organizations, requesting that they take all steps necessary to stop child labour in mining.
"For their part the signatories will continue to ensure that no children are employed in their member organizations and will undertake activities to provide better employment or educational activities for those people who might be affected."
London-based ICMM is an employers' federation comprised of 16 of the biggest mining houses in the world, including Alcoa, Anglo American, Anglo Gold Ashanti, BHP Billiton, Freeport-McMoran, Lonmin, Mitsubishi Materials, Newmont, Nippon Mining and Metals, Noranda, Placer Dome, Rio Tinto, Sumitomo Metal Mining, Unicore, WMC Resources and Zinifex. It is also composed of 23 national or industry trade groups. The ICEM has 425 affiliated national unions-including 150 in the mining sector-in 125 countries.