The International Labour Organization's Child Labour Platform (ILO CLP) and the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) have formalized a strategic partnership to combine their expertise, networks and influence in support of the elimination of child labour in mineral supply chains.
The partnership reflects a shared recognition that tackling child labour in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) requires coordinated, multi-stakeholder responses that bridge the public, intergovernmental and private sectors. Growing due diligence obligations, alongside persistent governance challenges in high-risk sourcing contexts, make such collaboration both timely and necessary.
The ILO CLP, as the leading business-led initiative dedicated to eliminating child labour in supply chains, brings deep technical expertise, a tripartite approach grounded in international labour standards, and established relationships with national governments and social partners. The RMI, for its part, contributes an extensive industry membership, practical tools for responsible mineral sourcing, and direct engagement with companies navigating complex due diligence environments. Together, the two platforms will help bridge the gap between the demands of downstream industry and the realities of upstream mining communities.
Under the agreement, both organizations will coordinate closely with their respective memberships, share knowledge on child labour risks and mitigation strategies, and support member engagement in coherent, field-level responses. The ILO will lead technical coordination and dialogue with national, sectoral and community-level actors, while the RMI will continue to inform its members of developments and opportunities to contribute to efforts to prevent and remedy child labour in mineral supply chains in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Madagascar, where the ILO is already operational. Both parties will engage in joint communications on issues of common interest.
The collaboration is expected to expand the reach and impact of existing efforts to eliminate child labour, notably by creating pathways for downstream companies to contribute meaningfully to upstream strategies for prevention and remediation. By aligning the CLP's normative and programmatic work with the RMI's industry convening capacity, the partnership positions the private sector as an active partner in addressing not only the symptoms but also the root causes of child labour in mining: poverty, informality, limited access to education, and inadequate social protection.
This agreement also reflects the growing momentum around responsible sourcing of critical and strategic minerals, driven by demand linked to the energy and digital transitions and by an evolving global regulatory landscape. With child labour risks particularly pronounced in ASM operations, the ILO CLP-RMI partnership offers a structured and standards-based avenue for companies to translate their due diligence commitments into tangible impact for children and their communities.
