DRC Removes 13,587 Children from Cobalt Mines, Reinforces School Integration
DRC Announces Major Milestone: Over 13,500 Children Withdrawn from Cobalt Mines and Enrolled in Schools
On the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) announced a major achievement in combating child labor.
A total of 13,587 children have been removed from cobalt mines and successfully reintegrated into the school system, according to Richie Lontulungu, Deputy Technical Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH).
“The Davos audience welcomed the news that 13,587 children were withdrawn from cobalt mines through the Project to Support the Alternative Well-being of Children and Young People in Cobalt Mines (PABEA-Cobalt),” Lontulungu said. “These children are now back in school, with school fees, healthcare, and civil registration fully covered. The cobalt supply chain has been cleaned up, and child labor is on the path to elimination.”
The PABEA-Cobalt initiative marks a significant step forward in a sector long criticized for child labor violations. Experts in mining and social policy note that while removing children from mines sends a strong signal to investors and international stakeholders, long-term success depends on sustainable access to education and economic alternatives for families.
By providing concrete figures, the DRC demonstrates its commitment to addressing child labor and highlights the traceability and social compliance of its cobalt sector a strategic resource critical to the global energy transition.
