List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor

ILAB has reason to believe that multiple cocoa and chocolate products made in Côte d’Ivoire are produced with an input made with child labor, specifically from cocoa beans produced in Côte d’Ivoire. These products include cocoa paste, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, and chocolate. Cocoa from Côte d’Ivoire produced with child labor, forced labor, and forced child labor was added to ILAB’s List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor in 2009. Based on the most recently available estimate from NORC at the University of Chicago, the prevalence rate of child labor in cocoa production among cocoa growing households is 41%, meaning about 790,000 children work in child labor in cocoa production in Côte d’Ivoire. These cocoa-growing households produce the vast majority Côte d’Ivoire’s cocoa beans. Thus, products that rely heavily on cocoa beans originating from Côte d’Ivoire are at high risk of having an input produced with child labor. In 2022, the Netherlands imported 39% of its cocoa beans, 62% of its cocoa paste, 33% of its cocoa butter, and 31% of its cocoa powder from Côte d’Ivoire, using these inputs to produce cocoa and chocolate products. The availability of continued research demonstrates the Government of Côte d’Ivoire’s commitment to addressing labor abuses in the cocoa industry. Nonetheless, the use of child labor in Côte d’Ivoire’s production of cocoa beans remains a significant challenge.

ILAB has reason to believe that multiple cocoa and chocolate products made in Côte d’Ivoire are produced with an input made with child labor, specifically from cocoa beans produced in Côte d’Ivoire. These products include cocoa paste, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, and chocolate. Cocoa from Côte d’Ivoire produced with child labor, forced labor, and forced child labor was added to ILAB’s List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor in 2009. Based on the  most recently available estimate from NORC at the University of Chicago, the prevalence rate of child labor in cocoa production among cocoa growing households is 41%, meaning about 790,000 children work in child labor in cocoa production in Côte d’Ivoire. These cocoa-growing households produce the vast majority Côte d’Ivoire’s cocoa beans. Thus, products that rely heavily on cocoa beans originating from Côte d’Ivoire are at high risk of having an input produced with child labor. In 2022, the Netherlands imported 39% of its cocoa beans, 62% of its cocoa paste, 33% of its cocoa butter, and 31% of its cocoa powder from Côte d’Ivoire, using these inputs to produce cocoa and chocolate products. The availability of continued research demonstrates the Government of Côte d’Ivoire’s commitment to addressing labor abuses in the cocoa industry. Nonetheless, the use of child labor in Côte d’Ivoire’s production of cocoa beans remains a significant challenge.

ILAB has reason to believe that multiple cocoa and chocolate products made in Côte d’Ivoire are produced with an input made with child labor, specifically from cocoa beans produced in Côte d’Ivoire. These products include cocoa paste, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, and chocolate. Cocoa from Côte d’Ivoire produced with child labor, forced labor, and forced child labor was added to ILAB’s List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor in 2009. Based on the most recently available estimate from NORC at the University of Chicago, the prevalence rate of child labor in cocoa production among cocoa growing households is 41%, meaning about 790,000 children work in child labor in cocoa production in Côte d’Ivoire. These cocoa-growing households produce the vast majority Côte d’Ivoire’s cocoa beans. Thus, products that rely heavily on cocoa beans originating from Côte d’Ivoire are at high risk of having an input produced with child labor. In 2022, the Netherlands imported 39% of its cocoa beans, 62% of its cocoa paste, 33% of its cocoa butter, and 31% of its cocoa powder from Côte d’Ivoire, using these inputs to produce cocoa and chocolate products. The availability of continued research demonstrates the Government of Côte d’Ivoire’s commitment to addressing labor abuses in the cocoa industry. Nonetheless, the use of child labor in Côte d’Ivoire’s production of cocoa beans remains a significant challenge.

ILAB has reason to believe that multiple cocoa and chocolate products made in Côte d’Ivoire are produced with an input made with child labor, specifically from cocoa beans produced in Côte d’Ivoire. These products include cocoa paste, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, and chocolate. Cocoa from Côte d’Ivoire produced with child labor, forced labor, and forced child labor was added to ILAB’s List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor in 2009. Based on the most recently available estimate from NORC at the University of Chicago, the prevalence rate of child labor in cocoa production among cocoa growing households is 41%, meaning about 790,000 children work in child labor in cocoa production in Côte d’Ivoire. These cocoa-growing households produce the vast majority Côte d’Ivoire’s cocoa beans. Thus, products that rely heavily on cocoa beans originating from Côte d’Ivoire are at high risk of having an input produced with child labor. In 2022, the Netherlands imported 39% of its cocoa beans, 62% of its cocoa paste, 33% of its cocoa butter, and 31% of its cocoa powder from Côte d’Ivoire, using these inputs to produce cocoa and chocolate products. The availability of continued research demonstrates the Government of Côte d’Ivoire’s commitment to addressing labor abuses in the cocoa industry. Nonetheless, the use of child labor in Côte d’Ivoire’s production of cocoa beans remains a significant challenge.

There is evidence that children ages 5 to 17 are engaged in cattle raising in Costa Rica. A 2015 analysis by international organizations of the Government of Costa Rica’s National Household Survey (ENAHO) 2011 indicates that 13.8 percent of child laborers in the country, or 2,230 children ages 5 to 14, were engaged in cattle raising, which includes dairy. The ENAHO 2011 counts as child labor all work performed by a child below age 15. In addition, the analysis indicates that 9.3 percent of working adolescents, or 2,905 adolescents ages 15 to 17, were also engaged in cattle raising. The analysis noted that 78 percent of children and adolescents in child labor in Costa Rica work with their families. Although more recent national surveys have shown a 65 percent decrease in the number of children ages 12 to 17 working in agriculture from 13,866 in 2011 to 4,853 in 2015, these surveys do not provide the number of children in child labor in cattle raising. Data from the 2016 ENAHO, which included a child labor module, is expected to be released in early 2017.

There are reports that children ages 5 to 17 cultivate coffee in Costa Rica. Based on an analysis by international organizations of the Government of Costa Rica’s National Household Survey (ENAHO) 2011, published in 2015, 8.8 percent of child laborers in the country, or approximately 1,422 children ages 5-14, were in child labor in coffee production in Costa Rica. The ENAHO 2011 counts as child labor all work performed by a child below age 15. In addition, the analysis indicates that 5.2 percent of working adolescents ages 15 to 17, or 1,625 adolescents, were also engaged in coffee production. The analysis noted that 78 percent of children and adolescents in child labor in Costa Rica work with their families. Although more recent national surveys have shown a 65 percent decrease in the number of children ages 12 to 17 working in agriculture from 13,866 in 2011 to 4,853 in 2015, these surveys do not provide the number of children in child labor in the coffee sector. Data from the 2016 ENAHO, which included a child labor module, is expected to be released in early 2017. 

Spanish Translation

There are reports that adults are forced to work in the production of cobalt ore in some mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Conditions of forced labor are prevalent among workers who mine cobalt in the Copperbelt region, particularly in Haut-Katanga and Lualaba. Reports from CSOs, field research, and other sources indicate the existence of the following forced labor indicators in the cobalt industry: inability to refuse hazardous work, abusive overtime requirements, denial of rights or threats of dismissal, and withholding of wages or other promised benefits. Some cobalt workers are forced to work in improperly reinforced tunnels that are at risk of collapsing, with poor ventilation and little protective equipment. In addition, it is widely reported that cobalt workers can be vulnerable to forced labor due to the lack of alternative livelihoods, and there are reports that workers face threats of dismissal for complaining about labor conditions. Further, some cobalt workers have informal financial relationships with intermediaries or sponsors, and in some cases these dynamics create vulnerability to wage manipulation, debt bondage, or other abuses. The availability of this research demonstrates the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s commitment to addressing labor abuses in the production of cobalt.

French Translation

There are reports that children ages 10-16 are forced to work in the production of gold in some mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Based on the most recently available NGO evidence, thousands of children are working in conditions of forced labor in the mines in Eastern Congo, particularly in North and South Kivu. Some children are forced to work at the mines with their families in situations of bonded labor, while other children are sent away to the mines by their parents to pay off the family's debt. Child miners are paid little if at all. Many mines are controlled by military officers or armed groups which force children to work. Some children are abducted to work in the mines. 

French Translation