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Child Labour in the West African Cocoa Sector

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At the initiative of the Belgium Development Co-operation Directorate, in collaboration with several Development Co-operations Agencies, the SWAC has launched collaborative work on “Child Labour in the West African Cocoa Sector”.The initiative shall bring together all involved actors (West African governments, interested OECD countries, private sector, West African producer associations, NGOs, etc.) to stimulate dialogue and seek regional solutions.

To facilitate this concerted action, the SWAC will conduct thematic analysis taking stock of structural issues (demographic dynamics, child labour history, West Africa’s cocoa growing prospects, etc.), national labour policies, institutional responses, protection mechanisms, and practices of involved actors.

 

> BACKGROUND

Since 1960, world cocoa production has increased from 1.2 to 3.6 million tonnes. Two-thirds of world cocoa production originates from West Africa alone. The important West African production basin extends from Guinea to Cameroon where, apart from Benin, all the countries grow cocoa trees (Côte d’Ivoire - 39 % and Ghana - 21% of world production). The political crisis in Côte d’ivoire has not compromised this region’s dominance. However, the use of child labour in West Africa's cocoa plantations remains a critical issue that needs to be urgently addressed.

 

> OBJECTIVES

  • Identify practices that, at field-level, help combat the exploitation of children; identify ways to improve and largely disseminate these tools, including by funding many more projects and programmes;
  • Pursue the setting-up of a viable and realistic cocoa certification and border control system;
  • Capitalise on the results of analysis and strategic thinking to facilitate decision-making by West Africa’s regional actors, strengthen their ownership and political commitment to

> NEXT STEPS

  • Phase 1: Preparatory Work
    Establishment of a Task Force, collecting of contact information of actors to be involved, drafting of a concept note defining the Initiative’s framework
    >> August 2008 - October 2008

  • Phase 2: Thematic Studies & Validation
    Various experts and consultation meetings; results will be presented to the Initiative’s Task Force
    >> November 2008 - March 2009

  • Phase 3: Outreach & Follow-Up Activities
    Production of Communciations Tools on the Initiative’s outcomes; dissemination and policy dialogue for decision-making
    >> April 2009 - September 2009

 

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