Amnesty International and African Resources Watch (Afrewatch) reported device makers Apple, Dell, HP, Huawei, Lenovo, LG, Microsoft, Samsung, Sony, and Vodafone for being connected to child labor. The NGOs reported it as human right abuses taking place in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

All the mentioned device makers got their cobalt supply from the Democratic Republic of the Congo that is reported to have employed children as workers. Cobalt is used by device manufacturers to make rechargeable batteries. It is, in fact, a key component in lithium-ion batteries used in most devices. 

The report released by Amnesty International USA also stated that more than half of the world's total supply of cobalt comes from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The data they acquired also found that there are about 110,000 to 150,000 artisanal miners in the southern part of the country. 

Some cobalt mines are called artisanal miners because the material is mined by hand with the help of only the most basic tools. It was not uncommon for these artisanal miners to involve children as young as seven years old, especially to scavenge for rocks, also to wash and sort the ore.

The report also elaborated the dangers of cobalt mining, especially for children. Chronic exposure to dust containing cobalt can impose a risk of fatal lung disease called "hard metal lung disease". Inhaling cobalt particles can also cause respiratory sensitization, asthma, shortness of breath, and decreased pulmonary function. Sustained contact with skin can lead to dermatitis. 

The risks are even higher for the workers in these Congo artisanal miners in particular because the investigation found that they are lacking protective equipment, including gloves, proper working clothes, and face masks. 

According to BBC, UNICEF estimates that the number of children working in these artisanal mines was approximately 40,000. 

It was also revealed that the mines in the southern Democratic Republic of the Congo sold their cobalt product to firm Congo Dongfang Mining (CDM), which is a subsidiary owned by Chinese mineral giant Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Ltd. All 16 device makers listed by the report were then connected to the process when they source cobalt from Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Ltd.

Following the report, some companies listed have given different responses, as reported by Venture Beat. Apple stated that they are currently evaluating materials in order to identify labor and environmental risks they impose. Microsoft, in their statement, said that they are unable to say if any or none of their cobalt sources can be traced to one of the artisanal mines mentioned in the study.

One of the researcher, Mark Dummett, stated that mining was one of the worst forms of child labour. The children reported that they were paid around $1-2 per day in the local currency. Amnesty International and Afrewatch also wrote recommendations to the listed companies, as well as to the authorities.