World History // Modern Day Slavery

World History was one of my favourite modules of semester 1. 

Our first essay was for us to choose an international issue on "Modern Day Slavery". 

And this was my essay.

“Child Labour in Cocoa Plantations of Western Africa”

Chocolate brings sweet joy to everyone. It has become an integral part of our lives in such a way that it’s no longer a luxury but a common commodity. What is not known however, is how this soaring demand for this “joy” is a catalyst for the modern day slavery of children in West African cocoa plantations.

Ghana and Ivory Coast produce 70% of the world’s cocoa, the primary ingredient for chocolate, making these two West African nations major contributors to the growing $100 billion Chocolate Industry (Dogbevi, 2016).

As the industry continues to grow, so does the pursuit for cheaper cocoa by big chocolate corporations. Surprisingly, West Africa is still poverty stricken even with such high exports, with the cocoa farmers themselves under the poverty line (Soley, 2015). To make cocoa a viable livelihood and to make ends meet, the cocoa farmers cope by acquiring cheap labour. This comes in the form of children as slave labourers.

Majority of these children are trafficked from neighbouring Mali, Togo and Burkina Faso. Traditionally, it is culturally acceptable for young children to work to ease their family’s economic predicament as education is expensive (Chanthavong, 2002). In the cocoa plantations however, it’s a different story as parents are often misguided on the actuality. While some of these children were coerced by their family to work or fooled into getting a good paying job, others were abducted and sold to traffickers or farm owners. Whichever it may be, all were trafficked across borders into the cocoa farms of Ghana and the Ivory Coast. The age of these children can range from 11 to 16 but there have been cases of children as young as 5 found working in the plantations. (United States Department of Labour, 2015)

Many of these children go through what the International Labour Organization (ILO) calls “the worst forms of child labor.” These are methods “likely to harm the health, safety, or morals of children” and include the use of “hazardous tools” and any work that “interferes with schooling.” (Kuma, 2013). The worse part, is majority of these children are not paid, held against their will and have no option out.(Chanthavong, 2013).

Research shows a 46 percent increase in child labour in West Africa from 2009 (Tulane University, 2015) and the figure appears to be growing with approximately1.8 million child labourers currently slaving in cocoa plantations. (Tulane University, 2013)

Efforts are set in place to combat the situation by the Western African governments and international labour groups. Like the $US10 million from U.S. Department of Labor to the governments of Ghana and Ivory Coast to help ease the reliance of children for labour (O’Keefe, 2016). However, there has been little progress on the ground. Local governments have issued many a legislation on regards of child labour and trafficking but do nothing to implement it further. It’s a tricky situation as corruption runs deep in these countries with the government, traffickers and cartels all involved. Even with the help of NGOs, it’s a challenge. Many of the farms are small, remote and numerous making it hard for any help to get to them.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is important as they set the standard for international labour rights norms, and have created programs like the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) just for this. Both countries have been ratified by the ILO, and requested the ILO’s assistance in many instances.(International Labour Rights Forum, 2008)

The Harkin–Engel Protocol is another international legislative amendment formulated in 2001 by US Senator Tom Harkin, Rep Elliot Engel, and the cocoa industry, to eradicate in West African cocoa farms the worst forms of child labor. However, it has changed its initial objective from funding a “no child slavery” label, to the eradication of child slavery by 2005. Sadly, progression was stagnant and it had to be extended twice to 2008 and then to 2010. As of 2011, progress is still unclear.

Tackling this issue will not be easy or fast. Progression is slow. Issues of poverty and tradition runs rampant and needs to be uplifted in order for this cycle to dissipate with the commitment from all involved.

Major chocolate corporations are obligated to keep their promises and not profit billions from the backs of children. To quote filmmaker Miki Mistrati “the companies have not had the will to end it for many years. Only empty words and expensive advertising instead of using money to pay back to the children on the ground”. (Halgage, 2015)

Everyone has a role to play from the parents, to the cocoa farmers and governments, to the chocolate corporations and us as consumers. Till then, chocolate will only be the blood, sweat and tears of the millions of children of West Africa.