Case Study about “Is Your chocolate the result of Unfair Exploitation of Child Labor?”
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Question 1
Labor practices in another country should be a relevant consideration in international trade. One of the reasons is to curb exploitation of workers in a certain industry. In the case of Cocoa farming in Cote d’ Ivoire, Ball & et.al (2013), a research done in 2002 showed that around 280,000 children were working in dangerous conditions in West Africa and approximately 200,000 of the children were in Ivory Coast. This exploitation of children ought to be monitored and substantially reduced.
The practices in another country ought to be a concern to the international trade. This is particularly necessary in cases where products are sourced from various parts of the world to make one commodity. According to Ball & et.al (2013), most people are unaware that they are consuming chocolate that has been made from the cocoa beans in West Africa. That is mostly harvested by children who are not in school and by some who work under slave-like conditions. The consumer according to Ball & et.al (2013) is being protected from this through certifying products from fair trade.
Question 2
In Ball & et.al (2013), representatives from the chocolate industry in the United States and Europe, which are the key markets for the Cocoa, have attempted to deal with the problem of child labor by devising a strategy. The Chocolate Manufacturers Association employed the services of two former senators; Bob Dole and George Mitchell. The two were given the mandate to lobby against a possible legislation that would establish the requirements for labeling and certification. The association managed to defeat the passing of the legislation and fought for self regulation. This was seen as an attempt to try and curb child labor in production of cocoa beans directly.
A protocol was developed for the industry, this protocol was to enable the establishment of a time table that would see the elimination of child labor and in some cases, forced labor in the production of Cocoa beans. The industry set a deadline for it to ensure they had in place, a viable method or ways to monitor and award certification.
Some of the nations that produce a considerably large amount of cocoa are working closely with the International Labor Organization and the International Programme on the elimination of Child Labor. The nations have taken this step in order to establish programs at a national level that will curb child labor. However, this move does not seem to have gained traction as of 2010, child labor was evidently spreading in Ghana and Ivory Coast; which are among the highest producers of Cocoa in the world.
Question 3
International trade theorists may view the fair-trade as a necessary evil. One, Fair-Trade will work to ensure that farmers of a commodity from a developing country are not exploited. (Ball & et.el, 2013) explains that fair- trade will ensure that the price the farmers receive for a commodity produced, will cover for the cost of the production of the commodity. This protects the farmers from the damaging fluctuations of commodity prices witnessed in free- trade. This will validate the International theorists as having carried out ethical practices that are morally upright and in tandem with proper International trade practices.
Fair- trade will require that farmers receive certification to enable them engage in appropriate practices in the society, labor and environment. The appropriate practices involve payment of wages that meet livable standards and in extension eliminate slave and child labor.