Every time we get on our smartphone, apply a dash of makeup, or admire the shiny finish of a new car, we unknowingly fuel an industry primarily built on the backs of children connected to the mining of mica—a mineral celebrated for its sparkle and resilience.
But behind this veneer lies a troubling story of child exploitation, where thousands of children mine mica under harsh conditions.
In southern Madagascar, the situation is dire.
A joint investigation by Terre des Hommes Netherlands and the Centre de Recherche sur les Multinationales uncovered that around 11,000 children, some barely five years old, labour in mica mines.
Forced into a life of exploitation due to poverty, lack of education, and societal expectations, these children wake up to exhausting physical labour, constant threats of injury, and dangerous exposure to mica dust, all for wages of less than five dollars per month. The minimal pay does little to power their dreams of lifting their families out of poverty.
Child suffering swept under the carpet
The result is the children are trapped in a perpetual cycle of exploitation fuelled by demand from the biggest buyers of mica who are mainly the electronics and automotive industries based in Europe, Asia and America.
This is not just a Madagascar's issue—it is everyone's issue. Notable big beauty brands, recognisable motor vehicle manufacturing companies, and preferred electronics franchises are the heavy users of mica and have a role to play.
Mica is mined with child labour for these brands. Question remains: do they care?
Sadly, consumers of these products have little idea of where mica, critical in the manufacturing process, comes from, inadvertently fuelling child exploitation. When confronted with evidence of child labour, some companies cut ties with problematic suppliers.
While this approach might protect corporate reputations temporarily, it ultimately sweeps child labour exploitation deeper under the carpet instead of dealing with the root problems.
The Malagasy government plays a crucial role in regulating and monitoring mica mining activities. Efforts have been made to eliminate child labour and promote responsible mining practices.
However, challenges persist due to the informal nature of many mining operations and limited resources for enforcement. Historical marginalisation and lack of alternative livelihoods for mica-mining families in the South of Madagascar, where mica is mined, does not help matters.
Strengthening legal frameworks, increasing funding for inspections, and collaborating with international organisations are vital steps toward systemic change.
Even at the international level, despite progress such as the EU's 2024 Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, regulations remain inadequate to ensure genuine corporate accountability.
While non-governmental organisations have stepped in to tackle this issue directly by empowering communities, ensuring children's education, offering alternative economic opportunities, and advocating for stronger enforcement, this is hardly enough.
More strategic partnerships need to be forged to ensure a significant reduction in the number of children forced into mining by creating meaningful, lasting change. However, this intervention also faces hurdles.
Collective action
A deep-seated cultural acceptance of child labour, intricate supply chains, and insufficient funding continue to pose serious challenges.
Real change requires a collective effort. Companies must commit to fully tracing and auditing their supply chains, actively correcting abuses instead of distancing themselves from them.
Governments need to strengthen their enforcement mechanisms, allocate adequate resources to combat child exploitation effectively, and provide alternatives to livelihoods perceived to be supported by this vice.
Communities too must be sensitised to stop normalising child labour and encourage children to be real children in order to enjoy their childhood and subsequently their adulthood.
For these interventions to succeed, consumers ought to responsibly use the immense power that they wield by collectively demanding transparency from suppliers—transparency that will ensure all raw materials are ethically sourced and are child-labour free
World Day Against Child Labour is marked each June 12 to spur governments, non-governmental agencies, and the private sector to collectively confront the uncomfortable reality of child labour.
We all have a role in ending the suffering of children hidden within our everyday products – including mica's sparkling façade.
The problem of child labour in mica mining is well documented. Yet global inaction allows it to persist.
Corporations, governments and consumers must take collective responsibility to end the exploitation of vulnerable children.
Without urgent intervention, the industry will continue to profit off the suffering of children in some of the world’s lowest-income regions.
Authors: Jean-Louis Rault, Country Director, Madagascar, Terre des Hommes Netherlands and co-authored by Raphael Kariuki, Africa Regional Director, Terre des Hommes Netherlands.
Disclaimer: The views expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect the opinions, viewpoints and editorial policies of TRT Afrika.
