Growing demand for the lithium used in batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage has created a new frontier for mining in Nigeria. But it's led to exploitation of children who are often poor and take work in small, illegal mines to support themselves and their families. One is Juliet Samaniya, a 6-year-old girl whom The Associated Press saw working with five other children to chip away at rubble from illegal mines in the state of Nasarawa. Juliet works from morning to evening for less than a dollar a day. Nigeria has laws requiring basic education and prohibiting child labor, but enforcement is a challenge with many illegal mines in hard-to-reach areas. Corruption is also a problem. Activists say it's essential that nations and corporations protect human rights.
Growing demand for the lithium used in batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage has created a new frontier for mining in Nigeria. But it's led to exploitation of children who are often poor and take work in small, illegal mines to support themselves and their families. One is Juliet Samaniya, a 6-year-old girl whom The Associated Press saw working with five other children to chip away at rubble from illegal mines in the state of Nasarawa. Juliet works from morning to evening for less than a dollar a day. Nigeria has laws requiring basic education and prohibiting child labor, but enforcement is a challenge with many illegal mines in hard-to-reach areas. Corruption is also a problem. Activists say it's essential that nations and corporations protect human rights.
