The Democratic Republic of Congo is a vital player in the global economy. It is a resource-rich nation that supplies a substantial amount of the world's rare earth minerals, which are used in the components of many of the world's technological devices. However, in recent years, Congolese citizens have been suffering from the tech boom, which has ultimately led to the exploitation of Congolese minerals.

Frustrated by this situation, citizens of the Congo went online to make their voices heard. They created the hashtag campaign #CongoIsBleeding to highlight the effects of the technology boom on the DRC. The campaign has since been featured on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

The nation's troubles can be traced back to King Leopold II of Belgium's colonial rule from 1885 to 1908. The Belgian king used brutal and dehumanizing tactics to rule over the Congo. He extracted mostly rubber, ivory, and mineral resources from the nation.

After its independence, there have been multiple wars in the country, leaving it devastated. An estimate of 6 million people have died due to violence in the country since 1996, and the instability has resulted in the rise of over 100 rebel groups in the country. Both the national army and rebel groups have been accused of various human rights abuses.

The global interest in the vast nation is because it is rich in mineral resources, namely cobalt. 42% of all cobalt supplies are used to make the lithium-ion batteries and magnetic steel batteries used in cellphones, laptops, and electric cars, with Congo supplying [url=https://investingnews.com/daily/resource-investing/battery-metals-investing/cobalt-investing/top-cobalt-producing-countries-congo-china-canada-russia-australia/#:~:text=Democratic%20Republic%20of%20Congo&text=The%20Democratic%20Republic%20of%20Congo,to%20100%2C000%20MT%20in%202019.]60% of the world's[/url] cobalt. If a company is making a tech product, the cobalt it uses will most likely be from the DRC. However, over 40,000 child laborers are currently working in the Eastern DR Congo's mines, where they work for 12 hours to receive only $2 per day.

The region's instability is a disadvantage for its citizens but a boon for others. Wars, disease epidemics, widespread sexual violence, and extensive recruitment of child soldiers have made it difficult to govern. This lawless environment makes it easier for war crimes and crimes against humanity to occur. For decades, advocates and citizens of the DRC have pleaded with the government and international communities to bring peace to the nation. But its riches are just too tempting, especially to the technology companies and their customers.

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