Combating Child Labour in Cocoa Farming

A cocoa farming without child labour. This objective of the concerned actors in the fight against child labour is on the way to becoming a reality. At least for 50 communities in Côte d'Ivoire which are making a living out of the cocoa farming. In fact, the Minister Dosso Moussa, President of the Interministerial Committee for combating trafficking, exploitation and labour of children, on behalf of Mrs Dominique Ouattara, First Lady of Côte d'Ivoire, launched the project 'Eliminate Child Labour In Cocoa (ECLIC)'.    

The project launching ceremony took place on Thursday 16 May at Pullman Hotel, in Plateau in the presence of the Minister Moussa Dosso, representative of the First Lady, Dominique Ouattara, Mrs Sarah Fadiga Sako, Deputy Speaker of the National Parliament and many other personalities. 

Funded to the tune of more than F CFA two (2) billion by the United States Department of Labour (USDOL) and implemented by the International Cocoa Initiative Foundation (ICI), the project within four (4) years will enable 50 cocoa producer communities in Côte d'Ivoire to receive and implement Communities' Action Plans for Combating Child Labour. In those communities, 5,450 vulnerable children, involved or taking the chance to be involved in child labour those age ranges from 5 to 17 years old, will be supported. 

Minister Dosso Moussa, President of the Interministerial Committee and the representative of the First Lady, Dominique Ouattara welcomed this initiative which aims at curbing child labour.  He took this opportunity to call on different actors for more actions synergy for the welfare of children.