Tag: ILRF

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Tomorrow is World Day Against Child Labor

ILO Poster
ILO Poster

Saturday is World Day Against Child Labor. Inaugurated by the International Labour Organization (ILO), this year’s day celebrates the tenth anniversary of the the adoption of ILO Convention 182, the Convention on the Worst Forms of Child Labour.

The International Labor Rights Fund urges you to call Hershey and let the company know how you feel about the fact that, unlike other chocolate companies, it has refused to participate in any certification program or institute fair labor practices along its supply chain.

CALL HERSHEY AT 1-800-468-1714.

Here is a sample script:
Hi, my name is ___ and I’m calling from ____.  This Saturday is World Day against Child Labor.  As a Hershey consumer, I’m very concerned about the continued use of child labor, forced labor and trafficking in West Africa’s cocoa industry as well as the way Hershey’s factory workers are treated globally.  I want to know that all the workers who had a hand in making my chocolate – from bean to bar – were treated fairly.  Will Hershey take this opportunity to be more transparent about your supply chain and do more to protect worker rights?

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Get Ready for Reverse Trick-or-Treating

Global Exchange, the International Labor Rights Fund, Equal Exchange, Alter Eco, Sweet Earth, La Siembra, Cocoa Zen and a host of other organizations are getting ready for the third annal reverse trick-or-treat campaign.

The Reverse Trick-or-Treat campaign aims to educate consumers about poverty and child labor in the cocoa sector. In a sweet reversal of roles, participating children will hand the adults who open their doors a piece of dark chocolate and a card explaining the working conditions on many cocoa farms.

If your kids want to participate, contact Global Exchange for a kit. Kits are free but cost $5.50 shipping and handling.The deadline for individuals is Oct. 13. Organizations should get their orders in by Oct. 1.

If you want to give out fairtrade chocolate to children coming to your doors, you can stock up at many stores and online locations. Check any of the companies mentioned above.

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Cadbury Expands Fairtrade Commitment

Cadburys Dairy Milk Chocolate Bars (Fair Trade)
Cadburys Dairy Milk Chocolate Bars (Fair Trade)

According to Tim Newman’s blog entry at the International Labor Rights Forum, Cadbury has announced that it expand its sourcing of fairtrade cocoa beans. By 2010, all Dairy Milk bars sold in Canada, New Zealand and Australia will be fairtrade certified. That’s great news and a further sign of Cadbury’s commitment to improve the lives of cocoa farmers. I only wish that U.S. chocolate corporations would pledge the same instead of dodging the question.

This decision comes on the heals of its decision to discontinue the use of vegetable oil as a substitute for cocoa butter in Australia and New Zealand. Using cocoa butter not only makes the chocolate taste better, it also increased the amount of cocoa bought to make a bar. Cadbury is obviously on the right track. Maybe the current corporate leadership has discovered some of the company’s Quaker heritage.

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Today is World Day Against Child Labor

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.