Since the late 1800s, cocoa and chocolate industry have greatly profited from the utilization of forced child labor in West Africa. Despite the decree from the anti-slavery in 1876 to abolish child labor, the trend has continued, aided with the exploitation of loopholes and the turning of a blind eye by government officials ( Howard, 2014 ). The cocoa sector in the West has since grown into multi-billion dollar industry, yet the utilization of child labor has continued to exist. The child labor and slavery in West Africa has been characterized as the control of people for economic exploitation through violence and coercion in which one loses choice and freedom. In the many poverty-stricken West African countries, it is seldom for a child chooses to work but rather a forced decision born out of economic necessity. A study by International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITP) showed that at least 625 000 children were involved in some aspects of cocoa farming in Ivory Coast. A more recent study by the International Labor Organization (ILO) also found that there was a large number of non-family child labor used in cocoa farming in West Africa ( Dillon, 2012) . While the number of children involved in forced labor remains disputed, children are undoubtedly involved in the hazardous activities and subjected to serious mistreatment. They perform complicated tasks such as transportation of heavy loads, pesticides, fertilizers as well as clearing the land. Such difficult tasks cause injury to the children, impacting negatively on the health. A survey conducted in 2005 found that 90% of children used as forced labor in West Africa often do heavy tasks that should not be done by children and causes side effects such as wounds and other forms of injuries.
Effects of Child Labor
Since the media coverage of the child labor in West Africa, the issue has now become of concern to many human rights activists and many other organizations. Child labor is undoubtedly a bad thing because of the negative effects it imposes on children. The problem of child labor is therefore fundamental to the community as well as individuals and must be abolished. The first concern of child labor is that it denies the children the chance to attend school and get the education. Child labor involves subjecting children to long working hours, both day and night. Such children spend almost all their time working and may therefore not have the chance to get the education, yet the success of any future generation depends on educating our youths. This should bother us as a people because the future of young children gets spilled. The second concern about child labor is the exploitation and torture that children are made to go through. These children are forced to work for extremely long hours in the hot sun and horrible conditions ( Hindman & Hindman, 2014 ). Exploitation arises because most child labor does not occur by choice, but due to a forced condition. Subjecting our children to such inhuman treatments is uncalled for and must be addressed as a community. Another concern about child labor is the health effects it has on children. Working under unhygienic environment and working for long hours subject children to become vulnerable to diseases which will affect their health ( Niño-Zarazúa et al., 2012). The health of our children remains critical as a community and allowing them to get subjected to delicate situations can be uncalled for. The final important concern for child labor is that it subjects our children to a lot of stress at a very young age and this may push them to get into drug addiction and completely ruin their lives.
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Causes of Child Labor
Poverty has been mentioned as the major cause of child labor by many researchers ( Berlan, 2013 ). Children born in low-income families in West Africa are forced to look for an alternative way to get some income to provide for own theory needs as well as the needs of their family members. As a result, the only available option for these children is to venture into working on the cocoa plantations so that they can earn some income though a little amount. The traditional cultures of the West Africa communities are also one of the major contributions for child labor. The culture of these communities see children as an asset, and that it is the responsibility of children to work hard and assist parents. They see child labor not as something bad, but as a way for the children to add skills and get some income to provide for the family. As a result of such culture, children are often forced to go out and work because they are made to believe that they have a responsibility to provide for the low-income families.
Cheap labor is also another factor that has been linked to child labor. Children are known to provide labor at a lower cost than adults. As a result, plantation owners will prefer to use them as opposed to adults so that they can save on labor costs ( Sawadogo, 2012 ). A child will only take whatever he/she is given and may not complain because they are not aware of their rights. Improper implementation of the primary education system has also contributed greatly to the growing child labor in West Africa. Many parents do not take their children to school but rather stay with them at home despite having attained age for going to school. Education implementers have failed to ensure that parents do not stay home with children who have attained an age of going to school. As a result, children are only left with the option of joining plantation farms to work instead of staying home with parents. Other researchers have also claimed that child labor exists because of lack of proper laws that prohibit it. Governments have been significantly blamed for turning a blind eye to the issue of child labor at a time when action is needed to end the social problem. If strict laws are put in place prohibiting child labor, farm owners will no longer hire children to work for them. But due to the absence of strict laws on the issue, farmers use this as a loophole to hire children from economically deprived families.
Solutions to the Problem of Child Labor
Poverty reduction and economic growth is the first key solution to ending child labor in West Africa ( Berlan, 2012 ). Since many children are forced to labor by the hard economic situations, the government should facilitate economic growth and increase job creation so that many parents can get jobs and provide for their children instead of children providing for them. This can be done by promoting industrial development through facilitation and attraction of foreign investors. Development of industries will offer many jobs, and this might help reduce poverty level and subsequently reduce child labor. Another solution to end child labor is the implementation of strict laws that make it illegal to use children as laborers. Certain legal consequences should be imposed on those who disobey the law. The government has the authority and mandate to make and implement such laws.
Also, studies have shown that providing free and quality education to all children around the world can help reduce the incidences of child labor ( Thorsen, 2012 ). This is mainly if schools can provide free meals and uniforms so that the low-income families do not have to go without certain necessities. Education can help widen the perspectives and opportunities of children and make them understand that they have many other options of being successful in life other than being low paid laborers from childhood to old age. Another way to end child labor is by the application of ethical consumerism. This is a situation where community members who are the consumers of the products decide to boycott certain products from firms which are considered to use child labor. By investigating cocoa farms that use child labor, consumers can stop buying from such unethical firms and instead spend on firms which are ethical and does not violate the rights of the children. This can be very significant in bringing down firms which use child labor and raising those that act ethically.
Most Correct Causes and Solutions
Poverty is one of the causes of child labor that I think as the most correct. This is because studies have shown the existence of high levels of poverty in West Africa, forcing children to go without necessities such as meals. As a result, a child will have no choice but to look for a way of getting some income to provide for own basic needs as well as that of other family members. The cocoa plantations owners, on the other hand, take advantage of the poverty levels of families to exploit the children by exposing them to hard labor for little pay. Having mentioned poverty as the correct cause of child labor, it is undoubtedly clear that poverty reduction becomes the correct solution. Ending poverty levels by promoting industrialization growth will create more job opportunities for the parents who will, as a result, be able to provide for the needs of their children instead of allowing the children to work in hard labor to provide for them.
Another most correct cause of child labor is lack of appropriate implementation of laws that prohibit families and farmers from using children as laborers. Due to lack of proper implementation of laws to bar people from using child labor, many farmers have taken advantage of the loophole to continue exploiting children ( Ryan, 2012 ). If laws were strictly implanted, chances of child labor would be minimal by now. The correct solution is, therefore, strict implementation of laws that prohibit the use of children as laborers.
Barriers to the Implementation of the Solutions
A report by International Labor Organization has shown that there has been only a 3% decrease in child labor over the last three years ( LeBaron & Ayers, 2013 ). This, according to ILO, was too low and the world might not reach its target by 2020. Lack of political will has been mentioned as the major barrier to the implementation of the solution. Many governments in West Africa do not show any political goodwill in helping fight for the social problem. It has been reported that anti-child labor laws exist in almost all countries in West Africa, but such laws are not being implemented by the governments in place. This has led to the slow rate of child labor reduction. This is a war that requires commitment and show of good will from all the governments if the target is to be reached.
High poverty levels in West Africa countries has also been mentioned as a barrier to the war against child labor. Trying to end this social problem at a time when many families cannot afford to buy necessities is a challenge. Despite the campaigns and all the measures, children from low-income families will still be forced to get into child labor so that they can get some income. ILO has however suggested that this can be reduced by simply providing better education that will ensure a bright future generation.
Culture and lack of community support is another barrier that has stagnated the fight against child labor in West Africa. Many communities in West Africa have a culture that does not see child labor as anything wrong, but rather as a good thing that helps improve the skills of children. While the fight against child labor requires commitment and collaboration of all stakeholders including the parent, culture has made it difficult for parents to show commitment in this fight because they don’t see anything wrong with it. As a result, the war against child labor has dragged over years.
Social Media ad Concept
The messages in my advert will be as shown below.
SAY NO TO CHILD LABOR, PROTECT THE HEALTH AND PROMOTE EDUCATION FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR CHILDREN.
(A thirteen year old child struggling to carry a heavy load during cocoa harvesting in Ivory Coast)
Social Problem
Our main social problem is child labor. Many children are being exploited by offering hard labor while working under difficult conditions. Children are forced to carry heavy loads that should not be carried by a child. They work for long hours under very hot sun without being provided with meals. The working environment is unhygienic, and our children are made vulnerable to health problems. Children cannot get education because they are being used to provide labor in the farms, yet the future of our children depends on education.
Causes of Child Labor
The major causes of child labor include poverty, lack of education, bad culture and lack of proper implementation of anti-child labor laws. Poverty concerns sending our children to go and work at the arms so that they can get income and feed us. As parents, we should not allow our children to be exploited by people for the sake of making money. The lives of our children matter. Many parents do not take their children to school even when children attain age going school. This makes our children vulnerable to being absorbed into the child labor. Educating our children is significant for the future of our generation.
Solutions to Child Labor Problem
We can stand up together as parents and as a community to say no to child labor. Think of providing education for our children. This is what is important for their future rather than spend the rest of their lives working under such difficult conditions. Avoiding the traditional culture of seeing our children as assets, as people who should provide help for us will also help end child labor. It is the responsibility of you and me to come out of this culture which put responsibilities on children. The political stakeholders and the government also need to play a part by implementing the existing laws, other than just having such laws written on paper but they don’t function. Our children, our future generation. Let us all stand up and say no to child labor. Let us build a future for our community. Let us protect our children.
Objectives of the ad Campaign
The objectives of this ad are to promote community awareness on the need to unite and end child labor. At the end of the advert, the target audience, who are members of the community as well as the political players and well-wishers will understand that child labor is a bad thing for our society and end it, commitment is required from all stakeholders. The impact of the ad is to broaden the view of people who see child labor as something that is not bad. The ad will impact by changing people’s view and understanding of child labor, and make them see it as something that affects children and should thus be ended. This ad will effectively persuade the audience because the image used can make the audience feel sympathetic for what the children go through in child labor. Seeing a little child in torn clothes struggling to lift a hefty load is sympathetic and brings a clear picture in one’s mind, the kind of ordeal that children undergo. Such a message will also be useful in persuading various organizations opposed to child labor to join hands and offer any support in helping fight and end the social problem.
Competitors to the Advertisement
Another group that is also involved in the same campaign to create awareness and pressurize the government to change public policy to help end child labor is the Middle Belt Forum. This is an organization formed with the mandate to fight for human rights, especially discrimination and violation of the rights of people. Their mandate is to mobilize a peaceful street protest for any government actions that are seen to violate the rights of human beings. They deal with discrimination on gender, race, age or even religion while at the same time concerned with the violation of rights of human beings, including children’s rights.
In their advert to fight for the end of ethnic job discrimination, they used an image of the map of Ivory Coast with so many people inside as a show that the country belongs to every one of us. This was followed by brief description of why ethnicity should not be accepted in the nation. Compared to my advert, the choice of image is different. My image is specific, and one can easily understand the advert without reading any other content unlike their choice of an image which requires further explanation for one to understand.
Target Audience
My advert targets political players and the community as a whole. This is because ending child labor is not a war that can be won by one person. It requires commitment and dedication not only from the government but also from the people themselves. An awareness must first be created among people on why child labor is not a good thing, and they must be made to understand the effect child labor has on the future lives of children. The parents are the ones responsible for taking care of children, making it easy for them to control whether the children get into child labor or not. Some of the families have also been reported to send their children to work on the cocoa farms so that they can bring income to the family. The involvement of parents and community as a whole is therefore significant in the war against child labor. The government on the other hand is targeted because they are responsible for policy formation, and they can form policies to end this social problem.
Means of Communicating the Advert
Due to the global increase in the use of social media, I will use social media platforms to circulate my advert. Social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter will be the most appropriate site for circulation of the advert because of the accessibility of these sites by the target audience. Research has shown that more than 50% of people use social media globally, and thus using social media will make the advert reach many people. The advert will be shared and posted on certain Facebook and Twitter groups from which it will continue to circulate. Another way of making the advert reach many people will be through media stations such as radios and televisions which is also accessible to many target audience. Media stations will facilitate the rapid spread of the information.
The Response of the advert from Opposite View
While my view on ending child labor is based on the idea that everyone must be involved, an opposing view can be that the government and political players have full responsibility of solving the social problem, and any child labor acts are to be blamed on the government. A person may argue that the government can decide to implement anti-child labor laws and end the social problem without involving other stakeholders like the community members. I will respond to such view by identifying the government as the key player in ending the child labor, but will at the same time recognize other stakeholders who also has a role.
References
Berlan, A. (2012). Good chocolate? An examination of ethical consumption in cocoa. Ethical consumption: social value and economic practice , 43-59.
Berlan, A. (2013). Social sustainability in agriculture: an anthropological perspective on child labour in cocoa production in Ghana. The Journal of Development Studies , 49 (8), 1088-1100.
Dillon, A. (2012). Child labour and schooling responses to production and health shocks in northern Mali. Journal of African economies , 22 (2), 276-299.
Hindman, H. D., & Hindman, H. (2014). The world of child labor: An historical and regional survey . Routledge.
Howard, N. (2014). Teenage labor migration and antitrafficking policy in West Africa. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science , 653 (1), 124-140.
LeBaron, G., & Ayers, A. J. (2013). The rise of a ‘new slavery’? Understanding African unfree labour through neoliberalism. Third World Quarterly , 34 (5), 873-892.
Niño-Zarazúa, M., Barrientos, A., Hickey, S., & Hulme, D. (2012). Social protection in Sub-Saharan Africa: Getting the politics right. World development , 40 (1), 163-176.
Ryan, Ó. (2012). Chocolate nations: Living and dying for cocoa in West Africa . Zed Books Ltd..
Sawadogo, W. R. (2012). The challenges of transnational human trafficking in West Africa. African Studies Quarterly , 13 (1/2), 95.
Thorsen, D. (2012). Child domestic workers: Evidence from West and Central Africa. Pearson.
