No To Child-Slavery Laden Chocolates
January 24, 2014
While we all claim to love chocolate, many of us aren’t even aware of the heavy use of child labor in West African cocoa farms, where about 70% of the world’s chocolate comes from. More than 109,000 children are nearly enslaved under “the worst forms of child labor”, according to the US Department of State.
In an attempt to cut costs, cocoa plantation owners get children to work against their will. To add insult to injury, they work for hours on end without any pay.
In response to this madness, activists, NGOs and international organizations started to campaign for awareness about child-slavery laden chocolates. By doing so, they expect consumers will take some initiative to demand change.
"The major cocoa importers need to use their vast influence on the cocoa market to bring about the kind of systemic changes necessary to eliminate child slavery once and for all," says International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) – a US based advocacy organization dedicated to achieving just and humane treatment for workers worldwide.
Another global movement, known as Stop the Traffic, strongly advocates against human trafficking. They say that they have been in an effort to spread awareness about such subject. They are working hand in hand with activists from across the globe in the campaign that screams, "We want traffic-free Chocolate."
Purchasing habits is the first thing you can change. When buying, look for labels that read Fair-Trade, Rainforest Alliance, and UTZ Certified. Certification via credible, independent standards bodies like Fairtrade, UTZ Certified, and Rainforest Alliance, are deemed significant in getting rid of child trafficking and slave labor in the chocolate industry.
Opt for certified chocolate and campaign for change.
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