Child labour in cocoa in West Africa
Cross-sectoral policies and strategies: social protection
Cash transfers are increasingly used as a way of addressing poverty across the world. Evidence shows that they can have a positive impact on children’s welfare, improving access to education, nutrition, health and material wellbeing. However, much less is known about their impact on child labour.
In a recent literatire review, The effect of cash transfers on child labour: a review of evidence from rural contexts, the International Cocoa Initiative analysed 21 studies of cash transfer programmes across Asia, Africa and Latin America. The review focused specifically on impacts of cash transfers in rural contexts. Building upon two earlier reviews, it incorporates several studies from the past five years, providing an important addition to the knowledge base on this topic.
Another recent study looks at the impact of income changes (increases and decreases) as a result of shocks and social policies: ICI (2020) The effects of income changes on child labour A review of evidence from smallholder agriculture
Family farming – Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation Systems
In cocoa production in West Africa, most child labour takes place on family farms.[1] In this context, Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation Systems (CLMRS) are becoming an increasingly common approach to identify children at risk, raise awareness and provide support to children, families and households to prevent and remediate child labour.
Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation Systems can reduce the prevalence of hazardous child labour among identified cases by up to 50%, according to recent analysis of data from 14,500 children.[2]
Today, CLMRS are estimated to cover at 15% of cocoa-producing households in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana and in recent months, several cocoa and chocolate companies have pledged to extend their coverage as a means of meeting their obligation to conduct human rights due diligence measures. Certifiers, such Rainforest Alliance are also building in the requirement for CLMRS where risks are identified.[3]
In 2017, the International Cocoa Initiative conducted a Effectiveness Review of Child Labour Monitoring Systems in the Smallholder Agricultural Sector of Sub-Saharan Africa, whichi identified that while these monitoring systems share several key features – training and awareness-raising, monitoring visits, data collection, response, tracking and partnerships – there are many different approaches.[4]
To better understand how the different design features of Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation Systems relate to their effectiveness – identifying children in child labour and supporting children stop doing hazardous work – a second phase of the study is underway. Based on data shared from 12 different CLMRS projects in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana and covering more than 200,000 children, the findings will be used to improve the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of such systems and facilitate scale-up. The study will be published later this year.
[1] Tulane University (2015) Survey Research on Child Labor in West African Cocoa Growing Areas 2013/14, https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ILAB/research_file_attachment/Tulane%20University%20-%20Survey%20Research%20Cocoa%20Sector%20-%2030%20July%202015.pdf
[2] Nestlé (2019) Tackling Child Labour Report: https://www.nestle.com/sites/default/files/2019-12/nestle-tackling-child-labor-report-2019-en.pdf
[3] See for example: https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/business/innovating-certification/our-new-certification-program-what-to-expect/
[4] ICI (2017) Effectiveness Review of Child Labour Monitoring Systems in the Smallholder Agricultural Sector of Sub-Saharan Africa. https://cocoainitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/ICI-CLMS-Effectiveness_15_May.pdf
Г-жа Megan Passey
Dear Bernd,
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Best, Megan