• Diamonds

Diamonds

This report examines the living conditions of children and youth under 18 years old involved in diamond-related activities. The report documents the production of process of diamonds in Kono District in Sierra Leone; specifies characteristics of the young miners and those involved in various support functions; and identifies the most vulnerable groups of children and adolescents involved in the process.

The report finds that:

• 55 percent of the children interviewed in this survey originate from Kono. Many of these work part-time in the diamond fields to pay for their school fees in order to save money to go back to school
• the authors identify the most vulnerable group as those in the youngest age group (5-9 years), not originating from Kono and living without their parents
• most of the children claim that they started in their current job because they were encouraged or forced by their family or friends
• very few of the children and youth involved in diamond mining would like to continue with their current activities.

Recommendations from the report include:

• a programme subsidising school fees is needed to improve access to education
• there should be improved regulation of the distribution of medical drugs, in combination with more emphgasis on medical counselling given at local health clinics and by village birth attendances
• information about diamonds should be included in the local school curriculum
• stakeholders should combine a long-term perspective - improved governance of the diamond trade - with medium and short-term programmes aimed at improving the living conditions of the children who must search for work in order to survive.

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