In 2001, horrific violations of child slavery in the chocolate industry were revealed.  In response, Congressman Eliot Engel of New York and Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa worked together to advocate cocoa trade that is free of child labor abuses.  Lobbyists for the billion dollar industry worked vehemently to defeat the proposed legislation – and won.  Nevertheless the fight continued through the creation of the Harkin-Engel Protocol, an innovative solution to this global problem.  The persistence displayed by Reps. Engel and Harkin is characteristic of moral courage, a quality that requires endurance and resilience in the face of push-back.

According to UNICEF, over 500,000 children work on farms in the Ivory Coast, a country responsible for nearly 40% of the world’s cocoa supply.  The children work from sunrise to late in the evening and use machetes to cut and open the bean pods containing cocoa beans.  Aly Diabat, a former child slave, described his experiences: “Some of the bags were taller than me. It took two people to put the bag on my head. And when you didn’t hurry, you were beaten.”  Aside from the obvious dangers of children using machetes, there were other unsafe conditions.  These child slaves are forced to live in small, over-crowded and unsanitary spaces with little food or clean water.

Initially, Reps. Engel and Harkin proposed legislation that would require chocolate companies to mark products with a “No Slavery Here” label, indicating ethical labor practices.  “How many people in America know that all this chocolate they are eating – candies and all of those wonderful chocolates – is being produced by terrible child labor?” said Sen. Harkin.  “We felt like…we ought to take some action to try to stop it.”

Unfortunately, this was the legislation fought so forcefully by lobbyists.  So, instead, an agreement was made, known as the Harkin-Engel Protocol.  This agreement requires candy companies to eradicate child slavery with the help of domestic and international government, NGOs and cocoa manufacturers and suppliers.

Since the protocol was voluntary, the amount of change needed to stop these illegal labor practices have not been as effective as intended.  Still, Reps. Engel and Harkin continue to demand more.  Speaking about the chocolate companies, Rep. Engel has said, “They are working with us, and we are glad that they are working with us.  But they could do better.”  With the bold leadership of Reps. Engel and Harkin and the countless others who have been inspired to join this worthy cause, change is now more possible than ever.