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Social Consequences

A report from the BBC in 2000


suggests 200,000 Children are
used in the Cocoa Industry in
Cte d'Ivoire.
This region is highly important
due to it is the largest
contributor to cocoa beans
(with Ghana, Indonesia, and
South America right behind)
and it is considered the region
with the most known child
labor problems and child
slavery.
According to the US
Department of State the
number is 109,000 as of 2010.
In both reports,12,000 to
15,000 of these children have
been considered slaves.

Most of these
children begin their
work between the
ages of 12 and 16.
The youngest
recorded to date is
approximately 6 or
7 years old.

Chocolate Slave Children Lifestyles


These Children are typically tricked into slavery with the promises of better
lives and pay from the cocoa plantation owners.
A vast majority of these children are from neighboring countries and
sometimes come from Mali and Burkina Faso (neighboring countries to the
North).
When these children fall ill, they dont have access to medical services and
must depend on other youths to help.
They are forbidden to communicate with families and can face death if
they attempt to do so or if they try to run away.(Great cruelty and beatings
with swords and bricks are the less severe punishment)
They are not paid or fed by their captors and must fend for themselves for
basic survival (including water). They are also denied any form of
education leaving them illiterate and more vulnerable.
They live in remote cabins near the trees and are not allowed to leave this
region. Some cabins may even be locked at night by the owners to
reassure that none will escape.
The most typical form of abuse is through the use of machetes on various
areas on their bodies.

The average work day consists of 12 hours of labor (sometimes


ranging from 6 a.m. up to 9 or 10 at night).
Some Children may be forced to work 100 hours a week
according to a BBC finding.

Child Labor Laws and World


Regulation
ILO Min. Age Convention 138 1975: states that
entry into work should not be less than 15
years old. (exemptions: 14 for countries whose
economies and educational services are not
sufficiently developed).
Light Work is allowed of children over 12 in
developing countries (this includes nothing that
would bring harm to the child or keep it from
accessing education).
Minimum age for dangerous work is 18.
This is accepted in 135 countries excluding the
U.S.

ILO Worst Forms Convention 182


1999:
This conventions calls to eliminate
immediately the worst forms of child
labor.
1.) Slavery, Trafficking, Debt Bondage,
Forced Labor, Forced Recruitment.
2.) Prostitution or Pornography uses of
children
3.) Using Children in the trafficking of
illegal drugs
4.) Children in Hazardous work settings
First 3 referred to as unconditional worst

U.N. Convention on Rights of the Child (CRC)


September 1990: Child is defined as
Anyone under the age of 18.
It establishes that a child is to be protected
from economic exploitation and from
performing work that is likely to be
dangerous.
It also states that work cant interfere with a
childs education or pursuit to get one.
Work cannot be harmful to the childs health
or physical, mental, spiritual, moral, or social
development. (Article 32)
The states must make education free to all
(Article 28).
Every Child has a right to play, rest, and
leisure. (Article 31).
This is the most widely ratified
convention in the world.
It is ratified by 192 countries excluding the
U.S. and Somalia.

Global Market and How it Affects


Slavery
According to the World Bank, Chocolate is an 83 Billion
Dollar Industry.
This makes the industrys value larger than the GDP of
more than 130 nations globally.
Europeans make up nearly half of these consumers.
Many European and American Chocolate Companies buy
their Chocolate from South America or the Ivory Coast
(Such as Lindt, Hershey, Cadbury, and Nestle).
Ivory Coast is considered the worst offender when it
comes to child labor laws and slavery. They are also the
largest contributor at 30% standing in their sales with
international chocolate companies.
This is about 1.22 million tonnes. Ghana and other
surrounding countries combined contribute 1.41 million
tonnes.

Film Clips Reporting More Indepth


CNN Reports
Reports from Former Slaves
Marketing and Children Slavery

Environmental Impact
Due to high demand and economic pressure, farmers are driven to find
methods to increase the amounts of cocoa beans they produce.
Cocoa Beans thrive in humid areas 10 degrees above and below the
equator. They typically root under taller trees in both the Amazon
Rainforest and Western African Regions.
Due to increase demands, farmers in South America have clear-cut vast
regions of the Amazon Rainforest to supply area for the increase tree
production.
This increased deforestation hurts the biodiversity of the regions which is
considered to be one of the worlds richest (Amazon Rain Forest).
The Deforestation causes soil erosion which in turn depletes the soil of
the nutrients needed to grow the trees.
Cocoa Bean Trees have now been considered no longer a wild species but
a monoculture which disturbs the natural flow of the habitat because of
the increase use of just this plant alone.
The need for more has lead farmers to use harsh pesticides and
herbicides which harms the flora and fauna of the region and possibly
even humans.
These chemical harm the watershed of the Amazon which is the primary
health line for this area in South America.

Deforestation

Cacao is typically found in humid areas.


These areas consist of Ecuador,
Peru, Colombia, and Brazil in South
America with Malaysia, Indonesia,
and the Philippines in Southeast Asia.
West Africas Ivory Coast are the highest
producers.
Each of these regions are facing massive
episodes of deforestation (seen in map above)
due to the demand of increased agriculture to meet
international demand. The key offender is the cacao
bean.

South America (Seen


Below) Houses the
Amazon Rainforest
which has the most
biodiversity in the
world. The Green
represents forests that
remain while the yellow
and red represent forest
lost.

Environmental Help?
Some researchers from both North and South
America suggest trying to introduce the tree
back into the environments natural course.
The reintroduction would help heal some of
the effects of deforestation and would
restore the rhythm of the cocoa bean growth.
The tree itself would also provide a root
system which would help prevent soil erosion
as well.

World Regulations of Chocolate and


some fun facts

Swiss candy makers are required by law


to use Swiss raw materials.
This regulation is not found in any other
country. This allowed other countries to
invest in Switzerland (Mars Company)
which allowed them to sell their cheaper
chocolate (M&Ms and Milkyways) in the
1960s. This allowed American Chocolate
companies to boom while Switzerland
expanded in areas such as Saudi Arabia,
Turkey, and various areas in Europe.
There is a large debate in Europe over the
contents of chocolate. The U.S. and
Europe agree that chocolate, if it is to be
considered real, must be made entirely
with cocoa butter. Some European
countries allow candy manufactures to
replace 5% of the cocoa butter with
cheaper vegetable oil. The E.U.s big issue
is whether or not this chocolate like
candy made with Palm Oil can be labeled
as chocolate or if it would require labels
such as vegetable fat in the product
name.
In the mid 2000s, Hershey replaced cocoa
butter with vegetable oil. Hence, when
you purchase Mr. Goodbar, Milk Duds, and

Fun facts: Sometimes there are spies


that invade other chocolate
companies. One such event happened
in the 1980s. An employee of a Swiss
Candy Company photographed the
recipes and attempted to sell it to
Russia, China, and Saudi Arabia. In the
earlier parts of the 2000s, a major
Venezuelan Chocolate Trader was
gunned down while in his own vehicle.

Healthy sides of Dark Chocolate


Some benefits you might want to
consider:
-Doctors recommend eating up to 7
ounces a week or 1 ounce per day.
-Dark Chocolate contains flavonoids
called procyanidines and epicatechins
which are all antioxidants. These are
also found in tea, red wine, and various
fruits and vegetables.
-Helps decrease LDL Cholesterol (the
bad)
-Reduces the risk of blood clots
-Increases blood flow in arteries and
your heart.
-May lower high blood pressure
-May help improve mood (happy!)
-Regular consumption has been
associated with better cognitive
performance in the elderly.
-Many minerals packed in such as
calcium, potassium, and magnesium.
-Uses Cocoa Butter instead of fats like
palm/coconut oils.

-May lower high blood pressure


-May help improve mood (happy!)
-Regular consumption has been
associated with better cognitive
performance in the elderly.
-Many minerals packed in such as
calcium, potassium, and magnesium.
-Uses Cocoa Butter instead of fats
like palm/coconut oils.

Health Downfalls of Dark


Chocolate
Migraines: Dark Chocolate
Caffeine: Theres a

higher amount of
caffeine found in Dark
Chocolate. Those who
are sensitive should be
aware.
Kidney Stones: Dark
Chocolate contains
oxalates which can lead
to increase in urinary
oxalate excretion. This
raises the risk for
forming kidney stones
which are highly painful.

contains a natural chemical


called tyramine. This is thought
to trigger migraines but the
date is still inconclusive. Not
everyone is effected but those
who are at risk or have had
migraines before should be
careful before hand.
Pets: Animals are at high risk
of dying after chocolate
consumption. Dogs are the
most susceptible. (4 ounces
can kill a chihuahua, 1 lb could
kill a dachshund, and 2 to 4 lbs
can kill a labrador). Vets
suggest never feeding
chocolate to pets no matter
what species.

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