Globalization and Human Rights

From Bean to Bar…

Cocoa Bean Producing Countries

The Dark Side of Chocolate (2010)

What is Harkin-Engel Protocol and how effective was it

when the documentary was being filmed?

Where are the Malian children smuggled from? What is the procedure of trafficking?

What happened to the French Canadian journalist who attempted to investigate the cocoa industry in the Ivory Coast?

How does the government official in the Ivory Coast feel about the child labour issues?

What does a buyer pay to purchase a child? 

PART 1

What are the root causes of child labour and

trafficking in West Africa? Who are to be blamed?

The statement issued by major chocolate companies with regard to the child labour and trafficking in the industry says “The vast majority of cocoa farms are not owned by the companies that make chocolate or supply cocoa, and we therefore don’t have direct control over cocoa farming and labour practices.” Do you think these companies are directly responsible for this issue? Why or why not?

PART 2

What measures can we as consumers take to

put pressure on the chocolate industry to end the use of child labour and trafficking in their supply chain?

Despite the efforts made by many people to combat child labour and trafficking, this issue continues to exist even today. Do you think there is a way to stop this completely? Why or why not?

PART 2 cont’d…

If it’s not trafficking…

Since 2012, Nestlé and Fair Labor Association

(FLA) have worked together to improve the supply chain of the chocolate industry.

“School Project” to build and repair schools in the Ivory Coast (40 schools by 2015)

Aftermath…

Temporary Foreign Worker Program

Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada

Case Studies

Why did they move to Canada?

What kinds of challenges do they face in Canada?

What are the problems of this program?

What are some of the reasons why some employers prefer to hire foreign workers over Canadians?

22% were paid less than minimum wage. 31% reported that their pay was late. 17% received paycheques that bounced. 39% who worked overtime hours never received overtime

pay. 34% had problems receiving vacation pay. 36% were terminated or laid off without termination pay

or notice. 37% did not get public holidays off with pay. 17% were charged a fee for temporary work.

Source: Made in Canada: How the Law Constructs Migrant Workers’ Insecurity (2012)

More about Reality…

Do you think the success of the global market economy and the protection of human rights can be achieved at the same time?

Discussion Question