U.S. pledges millions to end child labor in cocoa harvests

[one...two...tree 2,762]

From the 2001 series: Lenikpo Yeo, also known as Le Gros, which means "The Big Man," carries a gun while walking with his own children and nephews. Le Gros had 19 Malian children working on his farm before he was arrested by the government and forced to pay the children for their work.

By Renee Schoof | McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON — The U.S. government and the chocolate industry pledged $17 million on Monday to help end child labor — some of it forced and dangerous — in two African countries where much of the world's cocoa is grown.

"If there's one thing people around the world share in common it's our love of chocolate. But it is a bitter reality that the main ingredient in chocolate, cocoa, is produced largely by child labor," said Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, at a signing ceremony for a new agreement between industry, the Department of Labor, the Ivory Coast and Ghana.

A June 2001 investigation by Knight Ridder, later acquired by McClatchy, gave readers a close-up look at the lives of boys who were tricked or sold into slavery on cocoa farms in the Ivory Coast. The stories led to a voluntary program by industry to end abusive and forced child labor on the cocoa farms. Harkin and Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., drew up the agreement with industry in September 2001.

Harkin and Engel said Monday that while some progress had been made, large numbers of children are still working in the cocoa sector. Engel said there are times when he and Harkin are "very, very frustrated by the slow pace" of change.

The new plan calls for a 70 percent reduction of internationally unacceptable child labor by 2020.

The Labor Department pledged $10 million and chocolate industry groups pledged $7 million for building schools and helping rural families in the two West African countries escape poverty so they don't have to rely on their children's wages. The Labor Department will monitor and report on progress.

The new initiative will rely on Ghana and Ivory Coast for enforcement. It doesn't include any certification program to assure people who buy chocolate that it isn't produced by children.

Harkin said he doesn't object to children working after school or on weekends, as long as the work doesn't endanger their safety and health.

Engel noted that canned tuna has a stamp showing it's "dolphin free." Someday, there could be a similar stamp to show that chocolate isn't made from cocoa beans harvested and processed by children who work instead of going to school, he said.

That criteria is covered by the Fair Trade stamp, but many major companies don't use that certification.

A survey by Tulane University for the Labor Department last year found that the majority of children in cocoa-growing areas of Ivory Coast and Ghana were working, but many of them were also in school: About 60 percent in Ivory Coast and 90 percent in Ghana were enrolled. Less than 0.5 percent of children working in cocoa reported being forced to work by a non-relative.

Ivory Coast Labor Minister Emile Guirieoulou said that the nation's parliament is expected to adopt a bill soon that would ban human trafficking and forms of child labor that don't comply with the standards of the International Labor Organization.

In a related move, the Hershey Co., the largest chocolate maker in North America, issued its first corporate social responsibility report Monday, the birthday of founder Milton Hershey. Hershey said it encourages and trains its suppliers to meet fair labor practices and has taken steps to help increase incomes and build schools in Africa. The company is part of the Harkin-Engel Protocol.

Critics said the Hershey report failed to show it's making any progress on child labor.

The human rights and environment groups Global Exchange, Green America, the International Labor Rights Forum and Oasis USA, in a report Monday, said the company should have a system in place to make sure its cocoa doesn't come from farms with labor abuses and make the information available.

The groups called on Hershey to adopt the Fair Trade label for all of its products by 2022.

Fair Trade certifies that farmers are paid a fair price and that social, environmental and labor standards — including the prohibition of forced child labor — are enforced.

Read more: http://www.mcclatchy...l#ixzz0zWvagxWX

[Peikko 1,575]

Hershey should be made to pledge to make decent chocolate.

That said, Fair Trade It was so easy to buy Fair Trade products in the UK, I'm sorry to say it's not so easy in the US; even in CA.

Edited September 14, 2010 by Madame Cleo

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Hershey should be made to pledge to make decent chocolate.

That said, Fair Trade It was so easy to buy Fair Trade products in the UK, I'm sorry to say it's not so easy in the US; even in CA.

Trader Joe's sells some Fair Trade chocolate and it is some of the best chocolate I've eaten.

[mawilson 2,133]

Child labor should be safe, but otherwise it's a good thing.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

What's wrong with child labor?

Work the little devils!!!!

[Jenn! 918]

What child wouldn't love to harvest chocolate!? It's probably a lot like being an oompa loompa.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

What child wouldn't love to harvest chocolate!? It's probably a lot like being an oompa loompa.

[lostinblue 1,989]

I guess Reparations for Slavery are in order. We do use cocoa made with slave labor. How many trillions will dear leader throw away on this cause. Fifty lashes to anyone who ever had a hot cup of cocoa.Throw in their 401k also for good measure.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

So why do we allow US employers to exploit illegal aliens to avoid worker protection laws, wage and hour laws, social security, medicare, etc.?