Efforts to Eradicate Child Labor in the Cocoa Industry

We recently sat down with Bureau of International Labor Affairs Senior International Relations Officer Yune Lee, who shared what we’re doing to address the root causes of child labor in cocoa production in West Africa.

What factors drive child labor in cocoa in West Africa?

Though C?te d’Ivoire and Ghana produce 60% of the world’s cocoa, it’s not large plantations growing all those beans; smallholder farmers are the backbone of cocoa production. Earning a limited income, cocoa farmers experience endemic poverty, and many families feel they have no choice but to send their children into the fields. Many children work on their family’s farms. Moreover, the governments lack the resources needed to implement and enforce regulations adequately. This is especially true in remote areas, where cocoa farming often takes place.

How is ILAB’s Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking addressing child labor in cocoa?

We are tackling the issue from multiple angles. Since 2002, ILAB has implemented 14 projects in cocoa-growing areas of C?te d’Ivoire and Ghana. These projects have helped cocoa-growing communities launch community action plans to prevent and reduce child labor. Through these plans, communities have helped youth of legal working age find opportunities for decent work, established village savings and loan associations, provided occupational safety and health training and equipment to households, and more.

When ILAB first engaged in the sector, neither industry nor government knew the full nature or scope of child labor in cocoa. Since 2008, ILAB has funded three surveys to measure changes in the worst forms of child labor in cocoa over time. We’ve also worked with the governments of C?te d’Ivoire and Ghana to develop more robust policies and programs to address child labor in cocoa.

A problem as complex as child labor in cocoa production can only be solved when everyone is part of the solution. We work to bring together governments, cocoa companies, worker organizations, civil society, and cocoa-growing communities to strategize and coordinate action on addressing the root causes of child labor.

In 2010, we helped establish the Child Labor Cocoa Coordinating Group, a public-private partnership involving the governments of C?te d’Ivoire and Ghana and representatives from cocoa and chocolate companies that seeks to ensure projects are complementary and have sufficient resources. The group has sparked dialogue and collaboration and accelerated knowledge sharing.

What steps have the governments in C?te d’Ivoire and Ghana taken to address child labor?

C?te d’Ivoire and Ghana have taken significant steps to reduce child labor. In fact, this year, C?te d’Ivoire received a Significant Advancement rating in our “Worst Forms of Child Labor” report in recognition of the government’s efforts to combat child labor in cocoa and beyond.

Both governments implemented child labor monitoring systems and national plans of action on the worst forms of child labor. Ghana’s most recent plan focuses on the importance of collaboration with various sectors to address the root causes of child labor, such as improving access to quality education, strengthening social protection systems, enhancing livelihood opportunities for families, and promoting decent employment opportunities for the youth. ?

The government of C?te d’Ivoire has adopted measures to reduce child labor, such as raising the minimum working age to 16, revising its list of hazardous work prohibited for children under 18, and making education compulsory through the age of 16. Of course, both countries have more to do, though, particularly around enforcement.

What role are chocolate and cocoa companies playing in efforts to end child labor?

Many companies have also been stepping up and doing more. They have supported a significant increase in the use of child labor monitoring and remediation systems, which help prevent, identify, and address child labor in cocoa supply chains. They have provided funding to nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations to address and prevent child labor in cocoa,?including expanding work to increase the incomes of households with at-risk children, funding the construction and rehabilitation of schools, and providing school supplies in hundreds of communities in C?te d’Ivoire and Ghana.

You’ve recently spent time in Ghana and C?te d’Ivoire. How do you feel about the road ahead??

I am constantly humbled by how there is always more to learn about this sector, especially during my visits to hard-to-reach cocoa-growing communities and social service centers. The farmers and families I met with discussed how having access to loans and social services has directly benefited them and their communities. Giving farmers a platform to express themselves, fostering their ability to organize, and empowering them is crucial, but navigating the path toward achieving this is challenging. Despite the complexities, I’m optimistic that if stakeholders continue to harmonize and scale up efforts, foster collaboration, and promote greater accountability for all parties involved, ending child labor in cocoa is possible.

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Learn more about child labor in Ghana and C?te d’Ivoire and?ILAB’s work to eliminate child labor from the cocoa industry.