Cobalt is omnipresent in all our lithium-based rechargeable batteries. The end product is present in our pockets, our desk, our vehicles, and countless other ordinary devices used regularly. An essential element like this is mined interminably by artisanal miners in Congo, and this includes the labour of 40,000 children. More than half the world’s supply of cobalt comes from Congo. DRC despite being a resource-rich country, is also the second poorest country in the world. In furtherance to this, the article explores how these children and artisanal miners searching for this rare-earth material, have been powering our technological revolution despite being on the receiving end of exploitation and oppression.
My name is Avisha Pawar, studying at ILS Law College, Pune. Studying law for the last 4 years has piqued my interest particularly in the field of International law, Constitutional law, and matters of socio-economic importance. I believe matters concerning marginalized communities especially on a global scale have been little known all over. In current times when the global ideological equilibrium seems to undergo a change, it's imperative that these matters come to light.