Forced labour and labour rights abuses exist in cocoa farming and common risks include the lack of formal contracts, withholding of wages or workers performing tasks that were not specified at the time of recruitment. Community-based grievance mechanisms provide individuals with a safe way to report abuses, enabling early detection of risks and ensuring timely remediation for those affected.
Forced labour is all work or service which is exacted from any person under the threat of a penalty and for which the person has not offered himself or herself voluntarily. It is a severe violation of human rights affecting 28 million men, women and children around the world, according to 2022 ILO estimates.
Grievance mechanisms are formal processes that allow individuals to raise complaints about actions that may have impacted their human rights or labour rights. These mechanisms can be used to resolve work-related disputes, investigate allegations of abuse, provide solutions for those affected, and ultimately prevent further harm.
Community-based grievance mechanisms can be put in place through effective community-level structures such as Community Labour Protection Committees. Thesegroups of trained adult volunteers raise awareness about labour rights, listen to grievances, and work to resolve them. Many cocoa farming-related grievances can be successfully addressed through listening, mediation, and signing a formal employment contract. However, some cases can be more complex and must be referred to the relevant authorities.
Community-based grievance mechanisms play a crucial role in safeguarding workers' rights by providing a safe platform for raising concerns and promoting ethical labour practices. These mechanisms can also drive positive social change by increasing awareness of labour rights and improving working conditions in the long run. Furthermore, they ensure that individuals whose rights have been negatively impacted by business activities receive appropriate remediation, thereby aligning with standards of responsible business conduct.
ICI has developed a Learning into Action brief that provides step-by-step guidance on establishing community-based grievance mechanisms to address forced labour risks in cocoa-growing communities. The brief offers practical measures to strengthen these mechanisms, drawing on ICI’s experience of piloting these mechanisms in Ghana.