In 2007 - 2008, the governments of Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana conducted certification studies with the objective of estimating the incidence of the worst forms of child labor and forced adult labor in the cocoa sector. Commissioned by the International Cocoa Verification Board (ICVB), independent verifiers FAFO and Khulisa verified each country's survey to evaluate the validity of the studies conducted and make recommendations for future improvements in survey methodology.

These independent verifiers noted that within the verification findings, the results reported in the scaled-up studies were valid for the selected samples, but could not be generalized to all cocoa growing areas in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana. In consideration of this, the verifiers recommended that these results would be statistically representative for all cocoa growing areas in both countries if the appropriate statistical weights were computed and applied to the data.

Both countries applied sample weights to the data and submitted their initial weighted reports to the ICVB in August 2009. According to FAFO, these reports contained incorrect formulas and were therefore rejected by FAFO in September 2009. The reports were consequently adjusted according to FAFO's recommendations, with the corrected formulas re-applied to the original data (during October - November, 2009) and revised weighted reports were submitted to the ICVB in December. In January 2010, FAFO issued a final report indicating that the results of the studies by both Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana were valid, and that the data accurately predicted conditions across the cocoa producing areas of each country.

In the opinion of the ICVB, the proper weighting of this data, and its independent verification, are significant achievements as all stakeholders now have a credible baseline upon which to target programmatic interventions and allocate resources. These in-depth results on the incidence of the worst forms of child labor and forced adult labor in the cocoa sectors of Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana have accordingly been used to strengthen remediation policies and actions on the ground. For example, in a recent speech, the government of Ghana noted that 2009 witnessed the greatest increase in remediation activities since the inception of the program in 2006. After the data gathering programs were completed in 2008, remediation activities were scaled-up to cover 36 additional districts and 415 communities. Thirteen additional NGOs were recruited to implement interventions to eliminate worst forms of child labor. In order to build their capacities to implement interventions, these districts and NGOs were supported with funds and logistics (motorbikes, bicycles, computers).(1) As another example, in Côte d'Ivoire, 3,668 children have been removed from the farms since the completion of the verification exercise. Further, 669 Defense and Security officers from the cocoa production zone were trained for the fight against human trafficking and the worst forms of child labor by the National Police Sub-Division in charge of child trafficking and juvenile delinquency. This action led to the identification and interception of 321 children who were victims of trafficking.(2)

The two governments have indicated that achieving this important milestone has enabled them to prioritize community-based programs over annual surveys, such as the CCLMS in Ghana and the SSTE villages in Côte d'Ivoire. Inherent in these community-based systems, which were designed with the input of several stakeholders including the ILO, is the emphasis on preventative strategies, rather than a singular focus on remediation strategies. This community-based approach is especially vital in the effort to identify and prevent child trafficking.

The Board reviewed the final verification reports that were posted on the ICVB web site (www.cocoaverification.net) on January 19, 2010. The independently-verified weighted studies will form the basis for recommendations that the ICVB will issue to stakeholders in the coming weeks. As the ICVB will soon outline in greater detail, these studies, which represent the entire sector for the two countries that collectively produce more than 70% of the world's cocoa, should be used for planning, implementing, and evaluating programs to address the worst forms of child labor and forced adult labor in the cocoa sector. The board also recognizes that these studies were insufficient in analyzing the extent of trafficking and will recommend additional, more targeted research and programming in this critical area. The ICVB looks forward to sharing with all stakeholders the logical lines of action that the two countries are taking.

The ICVB acknowledges both governments' significant work in achieving this important milestone in the effort to eliminate the worst forms of child labor and forced adult labor in the cocoa sectors of Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana. The ICVB also realizes that with such data in hand, the focus of funding and programming must shift to increased remediation efforts that include rigorous on-going internal monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, as much work remains to be done.

(1) Honorable Deputy Minister Antwi Boasiako Sekyere, as cited at http://www.childprotection.gov.gh/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52&Itemid=20

(2) Letter from the Prime Minister of Côte d'Ivoire submitted to the US Department of Labor: http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#documentDetail?R=0900006480a67f37

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