Launch of our project to reduce child labor in Colombia

© Somos Tesoro

30 April 2014

Yesterday, the Alliance for Responsible Mining, along with our project partners PACT, Fondo Acción and Fundación Mi Sangre, had the pleasure of launching our project to reduce child labor in Colombia.  The project will benefit children, workers and their families in mining areas in the regions of Boyacá and Antioquia, Colombia and is funded by the Department of Labor of the United States.

The project will focus on four strategic areas:

1. Ensure more attractive education in local institutions to make sure children want to stay in school.
2. Generate greater economic stability in families, to avoid resorting to children as a source of income.
3. Implement labor standards and standards for health and safety in mining to protect adults and their families.
4. strengthen public policies aimed at protecting children and the formalization of small scale mining.

The project is aimed at reducing the number of children associated with mining in Colombia which according to official numbers currently is at around 5000. It also seeks to protect children who may be exposed to situations that could affect their health or safety  such as heavy lifting and contact with harmful substances such as mercury and toxic gases.

See the video presentation of the project (in Spanish).

Download the official press release (in Spanish).