African countries are in the process of coming up with better policies to protect women and children who are exposed to mercury. This is after the United Nations Minamata Convention on Mercury, which is aimed at protecting the lives of people and the environment from toxic substances, took effect on 16th August 2017.
Under this treaty, governments are required to put in place control measures in polluting industries, such as artisanal gold mining. While looking for gold, miners are exposed to mercury poison because they have to process the ore with the toxic substance, risking brain damage and life long disability.
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