Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

Family farming – Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation Systems

In cocoa production in West Africa, most child labour takes place on family farms.[1] In this context, Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation Systems (CLMRS) are becoming an increasingly common approach to identify children at risk, raise awareness and provide support to children, families and households to prevent and remediate child labour.

Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation Systems can reduce the prevalence of hazardous child labour among identified cases by up to 50%, according to recent analysis of data from 14,500 children.[2]

Today, CLMRS are estimated to cover at 15% of cocoa-producing households in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana and in recent months, several cocoa and chocolate companies have pledged to extend their coverage as a means of meeting their obligation to conduct human rights due diligence measures. Certifiers, such Rainforest Alliance are also building in the requirement for CLMRS where risks are identified.[3]

In 2017, the International Cocoa Initiative conducted a Effectiveness Review of Child Labour Monitoring Systems in the Smallholder Agricultural Sector of Sub-Saharan Africa, whichi identified that while these monitoring systems share several key features – training and awareness-raising, monitoring visits, data collection, response, tracking and partnerships – there are many different approaches.[4]

To better understand how the different design features of Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation Systems relate to their effectiveness – identifying children in child labour and supporting children stop doing hazardous work – a second phase of the study is underway. Based on data shared from 12 different CLMRS projects in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana and covering more than 200,000 children, the findings will be used to improve the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of such systems and facilitate scale-up. The study will be published later this year.