Taking the child labour out of chocolate

Our research finds that nearly 1.27 million children in Ghana are engaged in activities classified as child labour. The majority of these children work on cocoa plantations. Cocoa farmers are highly dependent on the cocoa industry for family income.

Since the average cocoa farmer in Ghana, with a family of 6-7 people, only earns US$ 0,82-US$ 1,37 per day they need the help of their children on cocoa plantations.

Consequently 5-7 year old children have to engage in hard physical labour. They are also exposed to health risks by working with fertilizers and pesticides and without the use of protective gear. Cocoa farmers use these fertilisers and pesticides to compensate for soil exhaustion, and the deficiency of nutrients in the soil resulting from farming the same crop over and over again.

Exposure to these pesticides could lead to brain damage and damage of the nervous system. Despite the harmful impact these pesticides have on the people (and in particular those children who are working as labourers on these cocoa plantations) and the environment, they ensure big corporations cheap and quickly produced cocoa.

The Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL) is a labour union in Ghana that works hard to improve the lives of these children. Together with CNV Internationaal, we empower the GFL to reform the food industry by building on their capacities. By raising € 4.000, we can provide at least two training sessions to the GFL on how to detect child labour on cocoa plantations. Providing the GFL with these tools can help them demand a stop to these practices and put an end to child labour in Ghana.

So, become part of the solution and donate now.

Picture credits: International Labor Rights Forum