cocoaverification.net

April 24, 2009
 
 
International Cocoa Verification Board Pursues Deliberations on Verification Findings
 
Convening in Accra, Ghana from 4 to 5 March 2009, the International Cocoa Verification Board (ICVB) reviewed the verification reports for Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana and the future strategies paper presented by the verifiers, FAFO AIS and Khulisa Management Services and their local partners, Hedge - Ghana and Research International - Côte d’Ivoire. The Board further considered additional feedback received from civil society organizations and government representatives from Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana during briefings held in the USA, Ghana, and Belgium.
 
Given all of the recommendations made by the verifiers that pertain to the complex issues of Worst Forms of Child Labor and Forced Adult Labor, the ICVB recommends the following phased approach to addressing these critical issues:
 
IN THE NEAR TERM (by July 2009):
 
The ICVB encourages both governments to implement the verifiers’ recommendations to strengthen their certification survey reports. In order for the Board to conclude its deliberation on the acceptance of the government certification survey reports, we recommend that each country address the following in accordance with the detailed guidance contained in the verifiers’ reports:
 
For Côte d’Ivoire: 
·         Address the overestimation of the number of children working in cocoa production; and,
·         Provide improved estimates of all the reported results by using appropriate sample weights such that the results will be representative of the general population.
 
For Ghana:
·         For the reported results to be representative of the general population, appropriate statistical weights must be applied.
Note: The additional steps referred to above can be achieved by using the data collected during the scaled-up study and the additional secondary data that includes the verification sub-sample data.

 
IN THE MID-TERM (by July 2010):
 
The ICVB tasked the independent verifiers with the mission of reflecting on future activities that might strengthen future certification surveys and improve remediation.  The verifiers’ recommendations are detailed in the Strategy Report (January 2009) that is available on the ICVB website. It is the Board’s view that these recommendations should be fed into comprehensive strategies for the elimination of Worst Forms of Child Labor (WFCL) and Forced Adult Labor (FAL) in the cocoa sector.  Such strategies should include clear and realistic objectives, indicators, benchmarks, and timelines.

The Board welcomes additional information from both governments on:
 
Actions to be taken to ensure that adequate and reliable data on child trafficking will be gathered and that will be incorporated into their remediation plans for the cocoa sector. (The board would encourage both governments to conduct additional desk research to ensure that the data from numerous other surveys is included in this process and that efforts are made to avoid duplication of previous research).
 
IN THE LONG TERM (2011):
 
The Board recommends that both governments undertake the additional targeted research called for by the verifiers into Forced Adult Labor and trafficking.
 
The ICVB further recommends:
 
TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR:
 
That activities carried out to date be sustained through the private sector’s continued commitment to the elimination of WFCL and FAL in the cocoa sector.
 
TO ALL STAKEHOLDERS:
 
The ICVB notes the need for all stakeholders to ensure that their activities addressing WFCL and FAL in the cocoa sector are in line with, and contribute effectively to, the National Plans of Action and other relevant legislation of both governments.
 
The ICVB’s future program of action will be presented following the implementation of recommendations that emerged during the first phase of the verification process (see above) and further evaluation of the National Plan of Action of each country.
 
 
The ICVB will post all updates received from the governments and the verifiers on the ICVB website, www.cocoaverification.net.
 
Finally, the ICVB would like to underscore the appreciation that the independent verifiers offered both the governments of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana for the support and unfettered access to raw data that the verifiers received throughout this unprecedented process.