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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2010-06-30 Daily Xml
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WORLD DAY AGAINST CHILD LABOUR

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (15:45): Today, I rise to once again to talk about fair trade, and specifically the issue of child labour. Saturday 12 June marked World Day Against Child Labour. When we talk about child labour, we are not talking about children who do (or do not) do chores for their parents at home or teenagers who help with the family business outside of school hours. Rather, the term 'child labour' is defined as work that deprives children of their childhood, potential and dignity and is harmful to physical and mental development.

On 3 May this year, I watched with great sadness a Four Corners/Panorama report entitled 'Chocolate: The Bitter Truth'. The program highlighted the use of child labour in Ghana's cocoa farms. Of course, child labour is not isolated to the cocoa farms of West Africa, but the one million children employed on farms in Ghana and the Ivory Coast are part of an estimated 215 million children around the world who are being employed and exploited in this way. That is 215 million children who are forced to work in abusive and dangerous conditions, some of whom are trafficked and moved from country to country to work illegally.

Child labour is a complex problem with many causes. Despite the efforts of the UN, UNICEF, the International Labour Organisation, local governments, NGOs and businesses, child labour is widespread in developing nations.

Many consumers who choose to purchase fair trade certificated chocolate believe that the fair trade logo is a guarantee that products have not been sourced from farms that exploit children. However, while Fair Trade Australia & New Zealand adopts a zero tolerance approach to child labour, the organisation is realistic and owns up to the fact that it cannot guarantee 100 per cent that its products are free from child labour.

In response to the Four Corners program, Mr Steve Knapp, Executive Director of Fair Trade Australia & New Zealand, said:

Poverty is always the underlying problem that causes unacceptable forms of child labour. By tackling poverty, fair trade is part of the solution.

So, what exactly is Fair Trade doing to address these issues of child labour and exploitation? As detailed in the Fair Trade labelling child labour position paper, Fair Trade works closely with leading children's rights organisations to ensure that its child protection policy and procedures reflect the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child guidelines and the relevant ILO conventions.

Fair Trade has developed its standards, compliance criteria and audit tools in accordance with ILO convention 138, concerning minimum working ages, and ILO convention 182, which outlines the worst forms of child labour. Prior to certification, Fair Trade works with local producers to ensure they understand the implications of these standards. If needed, producers are advised on how to make necessary changes. Once certified, local farmers must comply with Fair Trade's rigorous audits.

FLO-Cert, an independent certification body, conducts regular unannounced audits to ensure that the Fair Trade standards, including those relating to its child protection policy and procedures, are being met. Audits take place when seasonal workers are most likely to be hired, and FLO-Cert auditors communicate with workers in their own language.

Should auditors suspect producers are using child labour, the producer organisation is suspended until protective measures are put in place, and the situation is immediately reported to the relevant child protection authorities. Fair Trade follows up on the wellbeing of the children to ensure that they are returned to safety. In the worst cases, Fair Trade decertifies the farm until protective measures are put in place. Before the suspension can be lifted, FLO-Cert ensures that the protective measures have been put in place in follow-up audits. While the producer organisations can reapply for Fair Trade certification, they will once again undergo an initial audit, which will ensure conformity with all Fair Trade standards but focus specifically on the use of child labour.

As the Four Corners program concluded, Fair Trade can take such action only because its farms are open to scrutiny. Non-certified farms avoid such scrutiny. Fair Trade asserts that the only real way of addressing child labour in the long term is by paying farmers a fairer price for their products. By empowering Third World producers and alleviating poverty, Fair Trade is playing its part in preventing child labour.

Significant progress is being made worldwide in combating child labour. However, with 215 million children still at risk, a strong and sustained global movement is needed to provide the extra push towards eliminating the scourge of child labour. As individuals we can do our bit by supporting such organisations as Fair Trade. While Fair Trade certification does not guarantee that products are child labour free, it is fair to say that the Fair Trade system of regular audits means that certified products are one of the best options available to consumers who want to make ethical choices.

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