The International Cocoa Initiative promotes child protection in cocoa-growing communities. We work to ensure a better future for children and their families.
ECLIC reduces hazardous child labour among supported households in 50 Ivorian communities
Last year, the Eliminating Child Labor in Cocoa-Growing Communities in Côte d’Ivoire (ECLIC) reached its conclusion. The project saw several key results: a substantial decrease in hazardous child labour among supported children; increased awareness of child labour and the importance of school; increased community empowerment, and improved access to quality education.
Beginni...
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Can cash transfers reduce child labour? ICI review unpacks their effects
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. The International Cocoa Initiative conducted a review of evidence on how cash tran...
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ICI publishes awareness-raising materials to support fight against child labour
During a time of global crisis that is increasing the risk of child labour in West Africa and beyond, the International Cocoa Initiative has published a collection of awareness-raising tools designed to support the fight against child labour.
“A boy your age should not be doing this kind of dangerous work, especially without an adult to watch over you,” so begins the animate...
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ICI launches new online child labour risk calculator
Following a study that found a limited set of characteristics can predict a community’s child labour risk, the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) has developed a new online calculator that helps civil society, governments and the cocoa industry estimate child labour risk.
Measuring child labour is time consuming and costly. Traditional child labour surveys require hundreds...
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How do income changes affect child labour? ICI reviews the evidence
The International Cocoa Initiative reviewed evidence on how changes in household income impact child labour, with support from the Swiss Platform for Sustainable Cocoa. The analysis of 50 studies shows a complex relationship: while decreases in household income tend to increase child labour, increases in household income can cause child labour to rise, as well as to fall. As a...
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Where we are working
Click the green symbols to visit the ICI core programme communities, and the yellow symbols to visit the ECLIC communities.
Cocoa News
GLOBAL NEWS WIRE - The Hershey Company (NYSE:HSY) today announced an expansion of its Cocoa For Good program, committing to 100% direct-sourced cocoa in high-risk areas by 2025, which will include all of its cocoa sourced by its suppliers from Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana. This expanded commitment will make Hershey’s cocoa from these countries traceable from the farm to the first point of purchase, giving Hershey a clear line of sight into where all of its cocoa from West Africa is grown and how it is produced – providing more transparency for consumers and all stakeholders. Read More
CONFECTIONERY PRODUCTION - A key international public-private venture, the Cocoa & Forests Initiative (CFI), has reported major progress towards ending deforestation in Ghana and Ivory Coast, with four million trees planted and a million farmers receiving training. Read More
THE HERALD GHANA - Food and beverage manufacturers and their consumers care more than ever before about the standards behind the things they buy, including cocoa. That’s why Cargill is committed to a transparent and sustainable supply of cocoa, which includes improving the lives of farmers and their communities in the five origin countries from where it directly sources cocoa – Brazil, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Indonesia. Read More
CANDY INDUSTRY - Half of the sustainable cocoa beans in Cargill's global direct supply chain are now traceable from farm to factory, the company revealed in its latest report. Read More
Food Processing Technology - Cargill has announced plans to advance existing partnerships to expand the reach of its child labour monitoring and remediation systems (CLMRS), as part of its ongoing efforts to address the issue in the cocoa sector. Read More
FOOD BUSINESS AFRICA - Mondelēz International has published its 2019 Snacking Made Right Report, highlighting the company’s significant progress towards achieving its 2025 sustainable and mindful snacking goals. Read More
WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM - Did you know that some of your favourite foods may be produced with child labour? Take chocolate, for instance: 60% of its main ingredient, cocoa, is grown in the Ivory Coast and Ghana, where child labour remains widespread. Read More
CONFECTIONERY NEWS - New initiative builds on other industry efforts to help cocoa farmers respond to coronavirus pandemic and is backed by more than 30 companies and organizations. Read More
CONFECTIONERY PRODUCTION - A total of 30 companies and organisations including global confectionery groups have joined together to donate $835,000 for cocoa farmers during the coronavirus pandemic through supporting government emergency plans in West Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Read More
CANDY INDUSTRY - A coalition of philanthropic partners and companies in the cocoa and chocolate industry have joined forces with Cote d'Ivoire to support its strategic objectives to combat child labor. Read More
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