Harkin–Engel Protocol

Harkin–Engel Protocol

The Harkin–Engel Protocol, also known as the Cocoa Protocol, is an international agreement aimed at ending the worst forms of child labor and forced labor in the production of cocoa, the primary ingredient in chocolate. This protocol was negotiated by U.S. Senator Tom Harkin and U.S. Representative Eliot Engel in response to a documentary and subsequent media coverage in 2000 that brought attention to the use of child labor in cocoa farms in West Africa.

Background

In the late 1990s, a number of reports highlighted the use of child labor and slavery on cocoa plantations in West African countries, particularly in Ivory Coast and Ghana, which together produce more than half of the world's cocoa. These reports prompted a call for new regulations on the importation of cocoa.

Development and Implementation

In 2001, U.S. Senator Tom Harkin and U.S. Representative Eliot Engel led the development of the Harkin–Engel Protocol, an industry-wide agreement that was signed by the major chocolate companies in September of that year. The protocol outlined a series of steps and commitments for the industry to follow to eliminate the worst forms of child labor and forced labor in the cocoa supply chain.

The protocol called for public reporting by an independent third party on the progress made in eliminating these labor practices. It also called for the development of industry-wide standards of public certification.

Impact and Criticism

While the Harkin–Engel Protocol has been praised for bringing attention to the issue of child labor in the cocoa industry, it has also been criticized for its lack of enforcement mechanisms. Despite the commitments made under the protocol, reports suggest that child labor and forced labor continue to be prevalent in the West African cocoa industry.

See also

• Fair trade
• Child labor
• Cocoa production in Ivory Coast
• Cocoa production in Ghana