Residents near the Lega Dembi gold mine in Ethiopia’s Oromia region have long reported severe health impacts, particularly among children. Reports include children born with chronic health conditions, miscarriages, and stillbirths. Multiple studies have detected dangerously high levels of toxic chemicals, including cadmium, mercury, lead, and arsenic, in the country’s largest gold mine, raising serious concerns about long-term community health.
Next week, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child will review Ethiopia’s record on children’s rights, including the health and safety of children living near Lega Dembi. This assessment comes amid ongoing questions about how effectively the Ethiopian government has addressed the mine’s environmental and health impacts.
Between 2018 and 2021, the Ethiopian government suspended operations at Lega Dembi following public protests over pollution and pledged to reopen the mine only after environmental concerns were resolved. Instead, Human Rights Watch reported that the government suppressed the publication of a health study, reopened the mine without public notice, and kept agreements with Midroc Investment Group—the company operating the mine—confidential. Midroc has claimed in 2023 and 2025 that environmental risks were addressed through victim compensation and improved cyanide management, asserting that contaminant levels in mine waste are below World Health Organization thresholds.
Under international law, the Ethiopian government has a duty to protect children’s rights, while companies have a responsibility to prevent human rights harms. In response to the ongoing crisis, Human Rights Watch and the Kontomaa Darimu Alliance, in partnership with a human rights center at Northwestern University, have submitted evidence and recommendations to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.
The Committee is urged to call on the Ethiopian government to suspend mine operations to safeguard children’s health, authorize an independent environmental health assessment, and ensure victims receive effective remedies, including compensation, medical care, and access to justice. This review presents an opportunity to secure meaningful protections and improve the lives of children and families living near Lega Dembi.
