STOP THE TRAFFIK have been investigating the link between human trafficking and the cocoa industry.
Lambeth-based STOP THE TRAFFIK are urging people to think before they buy chocolate after a report today on child slavery in the African cocoa industry.
The charity teamed up with LexisNexis last year to investigate the link between human trafficking and the cocoa industry in time for Antislavery Day.
Over 55% of articles relating to human trafficking and chocolate since May 2010 referenced the issue of children working in the cocoa industry in the Ivory Coast, Ghana and Nigeria.
“We believe in the power of people making good choices in what they buy,” said Ruth Dearnley, Chief Executive Officer of STOP THE TRAFFIK.
“We must not stop until men, women and children stop being bought, sold and exploited. Every time we buy chocolate, our choice matters.”
In 2012 LexisNexis, founded in 1977, launched the Human Trafficking Awareness Index to analyse news articles relating to human trafficking.
The report released today, entitled: ‘Dark Chocolate. Understanding human trafficking risks in the chocolate supply chain; we have a choice’, focuses on the 476 English language articles identified since May 2010 relating to human trafficking and the global cocoa supply chain.
It found 265 articles referencing the issue of children working in the cocoa industry in Ivory Coast, Ghana and Nigeria, who are three of the world’s largest cocoa producing economies.
“Human trafficking is a global crime; millions of men, women, and children are recruited by deception or coercion and moved within countries and across borders, for exploitation,” said James Ritchie, Head of Strategic Alliances for LexisNexis International.
“We are privileged to have partnered with STOP THE TRAFFIK to help raise awareness of the effect of human trafficking within the chocolate supply chain.”
Photo in courtsey of Stop The Traffik, with thanks.
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