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Helping Kids, Helping Families

Child Labor on Cocoa Farms

In West Africa, there are more than a million cocoa farms. Most of these are small family farms, with children helping out as members of the family. Like children everywhere, they do household chores, run errands for their parents and care for little brothers and sisters.

Recently, there have been claims that a few cocoa farmers in West Africa were breaking international rules for child labor. There have even been reports of child slavery. Although we have since learned that this is extremely rare, it is outrageous that it could happen at all.

What's Being Done

The companies who make the chocolate you eat are working very hard to make sure that no children are harmed in the growing of cocoa. We want children on cocoa farms to enjoy their childhood and grow up healthy, educated and ready to take their places in their communities. Learn what's being done to stop abusive child labor.

What Are Abusive Labor Practices?

• If a child's health or safety is at risk, the cocoa industry wants to prevent it.
• If children can't attend school because they are forced to work, their work must be changed.
• If children aren't free to run and play with their friends, they must be given that freedom.

The chocolate and cocoa industry will do everything possible to ensure that children on cocoa farms have a chance to enjoy their childhood.

Solving the Problem: A Three-Step Process

The first step in solving any problem is to understand what is going on. Once we understand a problem, we can figure out how to solve it and who can help.

1. Understand the Problem
   Where are abusive labor practices happening? What are the causes? How can these problems be solved without harming the families who depend on cocoa for their livelihood? To find the answers, the chocolate and cocoa industry conducted a survey of farm labor practices.
   
   
2. Find Experts to Help
   The cocoa industry is determined to protect children from harm. But the industry does not have experience with child labor issues. That's why they joined with groups who have dealt with these problems in the past. The industry organized an international alliance to help fight abusive child labor practices. The people most affected - West African cocoa farmers - were included from the start.
   
   
3. Create a Plan
   The cocoa industry, along with international experts and regional governments, has developed a plan to stop abusive child labor on cocoa farms. Learn what is being done right now to protect children and to improve the standard of living for farming families in the Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Ghana and Nigeria.
   
   

Respecting Cultural Traditions

Abusive child labor is completely unacceptable. At the same time, in many West African cultures children play an important role in helping out on the family farm. The cocoa industry and its partners are working hard to balance international labor standards and local cultural traditions.

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VIDEO: Educating Farmers (1 Min., 30 Sec.)

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