Sugarcoating Child Labor
Take action to stop child labor in the sugar cane industry!
Get Educated on the Topic
Child labor is defined as work done by children, but in reality, it's much more than that. It deprives children of an education, as well as exposing them to harmful conditions. Almost always, the children are not paid fairly for their work, or they are not paid at all. The sugar industry is one of the largest sectors of child labor, and has some of the most dangerous working conditions. The largest exporter of sugar by use of child labor is El Salvador. Children are often forced to work in extreme heat for nine hours a day or more, carrying heavy loads and using machetes and unprotected heavy machinery. The International Labor Organization estimates as many as 30,000 children are working on in the sugar industry in El Salvador alone.
Make a Difference
Sugar produced through child labor is in many more places than you might think. One of the largest companies who are known to use child-produced sugar is Coca-Cola. Hershey, Nestle, Snapple, and Cadbury also use resources that are made through child labor, as do many, many others. It often seems hard to find companies that don't use child labor. However, doing a little research can help a great deal. If you're in doubt, steer away from large brand names, and read labels to find out where products were made. Every purchase of ethically-sourced goods can help make a difference, so start taking a stance to end child labor right now.