Blood Chocolate
By: Kaitlin Street and Emily Meyerhofer
Background
Location
Blood Chocolate production occurs mainly in Africa, in remote areas. The most popular location of the slave chocolate is the Cote d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast.
Conflict
Chocolate became very popular after the Spaniards discovered the cocoa bean in the 1600s. Cote d'Ivoire is the leading producer of the world's supply of chocolate. Because of this, the country's ecenomics standing rely on these slaves and are resistant to other country's attempts to end this production.
Statistics
-Chocolate is a billion dollar industry -nearly 1/2 million children are involved in the making of blood Chocolate -Ivory Coast produces nearly 40% of world's supply of cocoa.
What has been done?
-Congress has set up rules to end child labor -monitor chocolate factories -raising awareness
What needs to be done?
-stay informed -know where our chocolate comes from -demand slave-free goods -let representatives know we care
Plan to address the problem
Since the production of blood chocolate was discovered, organizations have been put in place to monitor cacao bean farms. Organizations are still being created today to end this production.