Bitter Chocolate

We are less than a week away from the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the International Labor Organization’s Convention 182–CONVENTION CONCERNING THE PROHIBITION AND IMMEDIATE ACTION FOR THE ELIMINATION OF THE WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOUR. That convention codified in unmistakable terms what kind of work is impermissible for children under any circumstances.

Article 3

For the purposes of this Convention, the term “the worst forms of child labour” comprises:

1. all forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, such as the sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage and serfdom and forced or compulsory labour, including forced or compulsory recruitment of children for use in armed conflict;
2. the use, procuring or offering of a child for prostitution, for the production of pornography or for pornographic performances;
3. the use, procuring or offering of a child for illicit activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs as defined in the relevant international treaties;
4. work which, by its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to harm the health, safety or morals of children.

The International Labor Rights Fund reminds us that despite the convention, the worst forms of child labor are still rampant throughout the world. The World Day Against Child Labor is intended to reinforce our commitment to work for an abolition of these forms of child labor. Although the cocoa sector is not the only sector where such forms of child labor still exist, the focus of this blog is on cocoa. So check out the ILRF’s child labor awareness poster for cocoa. Print it and hang it up.

There are also excellent educational resources for classroom activities. And, if, like me, you like chocolate, here’s a scorecard to help you evaluate the supply chains of various chocolate companies.