Social Impacts Of Diamond Trade

The trading of diamonds in the global economy has both social and economic impacts on the lives of those that are associated in some way with the diamond trade. The social impact of mining for diamonds in some of the poorest countries such as Liberia and Angola has had a significant negative social impact on the lives of those that are used to mine for diamonds. In these countries children as young as 12 are used to mine for diamonds using only a shovel and often working 16 hour days.The social impact on these children has meant they are not able to receive an education so will very likely always live in poverty unable to break this cycle.

In other countries that are more sophisticated and wealthy, like Canada, we can see the positive social implications associated with the diamond trade. In these countries individuals and communities benefit in positive ways. These wealthier countries have the money needed to be able to purchase machinery to assist in the mining process and those employed in any of the stages of mining for diamonds are well educated and make a very good living from their work in diamond mining.

There are examples of countries that have been able to see the social benefits diamond mining has brought to the country and to individual communities. There has been positive social impacts in relation to the health of people in areas of Africa where diamond mining is one of the major activities that supports the economy. Diamond mining has meant that