Big problem with chocolate
Remember...? There is a big problem with chocolate. In West Africa, a cocoa farmer earns so little that he and his family have to spend about 60 cents per person per day. That is far below the poverty line. Because they do not earn enough, cocoa farmers are forced to put children to work on their plantations. Instead of going to school, children have to pick, lift, cut with dangerous knives and work with chemicals. In some places it even goes further than child labor, and children are sold to forced work on the plantations. In other words: modern slavery. We don't think this is normal. Tony's Chocolonely wants 100% slave-free to become the norm in chocolate. To solve the problem, everyone must take responsibility: cocoa farmers, chocolate companies, shops, chocolate fans and politicians.
Bill against child labor
Speaking of politics... a bill against child labor is currently being discussed in the House of Representatives. This new law makes companies responsible for researching the risks of child labor in their chain and subsequently tackling these risks. This concerns the initiative law on child labor duty of care. Yes, that's quite a mouthful. But it is a mouthful that is very dear to our hearts.
UPDATE: YES! On February 7, the Child Labor Duty of Care Act was adopted by a majority of the House of Representatives. Today, October 3, the Senate will discuss the bill. Read more.
Serious solution needed
Child labor is a crime. And it's time we start treating it that way. Legislation is a stick behind the door to bring about real change and transparency in the chain. It is the reason why Tony's Chocolonely was founded 11 years ago: the failure of the 2001 Harkin-Engel Protocol in which major chocolate companies pledged to eliminate the worst forms of child labor from the cocoa chain. 16 years after signing, nothing has come of this.
Join and sign the petition!
*NOTE: you can no longer sign. You can become a serious friend of Tony's if you support our mission. How? You can read that here!
Soooo, we are in favor of the new law, that's clear. But not everyone in the House of Representatives is in favor yet. It is still very exciting whether the law will receive a majority of votes. The decisive debate on the law took place on Tuesday, January 24, and the law was voted on on January 31. We want to do everything we can to get the law across the line. We have written an open letter to the House of Representatives with our story, read it here. And we call on you, our chocolate fans, to sign the petition for this law.
We offered your signatures in The Hague, prior to the debate. This way we increase the pressure together! Because with your signature, the law can be passed and chocolate companies* will be held responsible for child labor in their chocolate, and they must show what they are doing about this. This way you can make a conscious choice, the cocoa farmer can earn more and children can go to school.
Because only together can we make all chocolate 100% slave-free.