Have an eggcellent Easter
Be a good egg. Ensure your Easter chocolate is child labour free.
Chocolate tastes extra delicious when it’s made without harming children.
60 per cent of the world’s cocoa comes from two West African countries. Walk Free’s 2018 cocoa industry report estimated that in both Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana there are more than 700,000 victims of child labour.
These children pick the cocoa beans that are used in the chocolate we eat. Some are trafficked and taken away from their families. Many are forced to work from an early age for low wages and long hours.
Most of these children will never get to taste the chocolate they suffer for.
What can you do?
This Easter take a stand against child-labour and ensure the chocolate you purchase has been made without harming children.
This is easier said than done, but you can start by looking for one of these certification symbols on the wrapping:
There are also some chocolate brands and suppliers that are making it a priority to ensure their products are free from child labour.
Oxfam, Alter Eco, and Green and Black’s all stock chocolate that is free from child labour. Show your support for them this Easter.
If you live in Europe or the US, buy your chocolate from Tony’s Chocolonely. Tony’s Chocolonely goes one step further – it’s vision is 100% slavery-free chocolate.
You can also help by spreading the word about child labour and forced labour in the cocoa industry. Tell your friends about the risks associated with chocolate production and encourage them to make ethical purchases.
For more information or to access further resources on this topic visit Stop the Traffick or ACRATH.
A version of this article was originally published by our friends at Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans (ACRATH) in 2017.
