Chocolate and child labour
In: 1874-2033 ; The Broker, 28. (2009)
According to a recent International Labour Organization (ILO) report, some 74 million children below the age of 14 are engaged in the so-called 'worst forms' of child labour. Although this number has been declining over time, it is still too high and is a shameful reminder of our inability to achieve global justice. The 'worst forms' of child labour lead to suffering and a loss of schooling opportunities for the children involved. Limited 'accumulation of human capital', to speak in economic jargon, perpetuates poverty and thus creates conditions that increase instances of child labour – it is a depressing cycle. A recent study by Eric Edmonds and Nina Pavcnik of Dartmouth College, US, documents a strong correlation between trade and child labour: when countries trade more, children work less. This is attributed to the positive effect trade has had on family incomes. Most parents prefer not to send their children to work if they don't have to, so the inevitable result of higher incomes is a decline in the incidence of child labour.