With an ever strengthening global economy, here in California, we’re not strangers to the life of privileged consumption. Most of us have grown so accustomed to this reality that we frivolously go about our day to day lives without a question as to where the products that we’re purchasing are actually coming from. One example of this, is something as simple as the chocolate that is pumped into our extravagant Starbucks mocha. This is where things becomes critically important, because the vast majority of cocoa that goes into making our chocolate products, actually comes from overseas. In fact, there is a dark side to chocolate that most people are completely unaware of. At the root of this darkness lies a reality that can shatter through to
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Though the topic of child labor, and unethical labor in general, is viewed by most as highly immoral, it still remains a large scale issue around the globe. Unfortunately, the same aspects of a global economy that we benefit from, others tend to pay a price for. While it is believed that roughly 21 million people worldwide fall victim to forced labor. The majority of these people (of all ages) are living in the Asia- Pacific region and make up 56% (11.7 million people) of the world total for forced labor, with Africa having the second highest number of victims of forced labor (3.7 million people) .DEFINE FORCED LABOR (http://www.ilo.org/global/topics/forced-labour/policy-areas/statistics/lang--en/index.htm). The type of labor tends to vary based on location and spans anywhere from agricultural, production, and sexual exploitation. Even here in the united states people fall victim to trafficking. This is by every definition a global issue. The numbers for child labor in its general term (not classified as forced) are staggering. According to unicef.org, “An estimated 150 million children worldwide are engaged in child labour.” (https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-protection/child-labour/). “The term “child labour” is often defined as work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development.”- International Labour Organization
Though the topic of child labor, and unethical labor in general, is viewed by most as highly immoral, it still remains a large scale issue around the globe. Unfortunately, the same aspects of a global economy that we benefit from, others tend to pay a price for. While it is believed that roughly 21 million people worldwide fall victim to forced labor. The majority of these people (of all ages) are living in the Asia- Pacific region and make up 56% (11.7 million people) of the world total for forced labor, with Africa having the second highest number of victims of forced labor (3.7 million people) .DEFINE FORCED LABOR (http://www.ilo.org/global/topics/forced-labour/policy-areas/statistics/lang--en/index.htm). The type of labor tends to vary based on location and spans anywhere from agricultural, production, and sexual exploitation. Even here in the united states people fall victim to trafficking. This is by every definition a global issue. The numbers for child labor in its general term (not classified as forced) are staggering. According to unicef.org, “An estimated 150 million children worldwide are engaged in child labour.” (https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-protection/child-labour/). “The term “child labour” is often defined as work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development.”- International Labour Organization