The Payson Center for International Development at Tulane University has slammed the cocoa industry for failing to prevent child labor in its supply chain in the center's fourth annual industry report, entitled "Oversight of Public and Private Initiatives to Eliminate the Worst Forms of Child Labor in the Cocoa Sector in Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana."
According to the report, the cocoa industry is responsible for the "ongoing exploitation of labor rights ... including the worst forms of child labor, forced labor and trafficking." Research indicates that young workers are most commonly trafficked to the Cote d'Ivoire from Burkina Faso and Mali, usually without their natural parents or guardians, to man the cocoa farms. These young workers are subject to verbal and physical abuse, sexual harassment, human rights violations and restriction of their movements and communications, the report continues.
Companies that have pledged to take steps to eliminate child labor in their supply chains include chocolate and confectionary giants such as Mars, Kraft, Nestle and Cargill. Only one major chocolate producer is conspicuously absent from the list: Hershey's.
In a joint response to the report, Global Exchange, Green America, International Labor Rights Forum and Oasis USA stated that "it is clear from this report that the cocoa industry is not doing enough to address these problems. The world's largest chocolate manufacturers must do more to monitor their supply chains to combat child labor, forced labor and human trafficking."
The entities went on to promise that "all of the certification programs operating in the West African cocoa sector should be reviewed to ensure that they appropriately identify and address child labor issues."
According to the report, the cocoa industry is responsible for the "ongoing exploitation of labor rights ... including the worst forms of child labor, forced labor and trafficking." Research indicates that young workers are most commonly trafficked to the Cote d'Ivoire from Burkina Faso and Mali, usually without their natural parents or guardians, to man the cocoa farms. These young workers are subject to verbal and physical abuse, sexual harassment, human rights violations and restriction of their movements and communications, the report continues.
Companies that have pledged to take steps to eliminate child labor in their supply chains include chocolate and confectionary giants such as Mars, Kraft, Nestle and Cargill. Only one major chocolate producer is conspicuously absent from the list: Hershey's.
In a joint response to the report, Global Exchange, Green America, International Labor Rights Forum and Oasis USA stated that "it is clear from this report that the cocoa industry is not doing enough to address these problems. The world's largest chocolate manufacturers must do more to monitor their supply chains to combat child labor, forced labor and human trafficking."
The entities went on to promise that "all of the certification programs operating in the West African cocoa sector should be reviewed to ensure that they appropriately identify and address child labor issues."
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