Change.org is urging people to petition major chocolate producers to stop purchasing cocao that is produced inhumanely:
Right now, thousands of young children are held in slavery in Western Africa, harvesting the cocoa that is used to produce chocolate for many of the worlds largest candy companies. These children are beaten, raped, forced to work with untreated wounds, and denied access to schooling and medical care. They are not allowed to leave and are threatened daily with violence. They are child slaves producing what should be a delicious and simple joy of childhood: chocolate.
The best way to free these children and end child slavery in the chocolate industry is for major chocolate companies like Hershey to buy Fair Trade Certified cocoa. Other large chocolate companies like Cadbury and Mars have recently made the decision to end child slavery in Africa; it’s time for Hershey to do the same. As customers of Hershey products, we must ask them to stand with us against child slavery.
For more infomation about the campaign to ask Hershey to end child slavery in cocoa farming, please visit the International Labor Rights Forum.
This petition ends on Sep 20.
Click here to view the petition on Change.org.