Harkin-Engel Anniversary Noted in Australian Senate

Australian Senators Support Harkin-Engel Protocol

During their recent visit to  the Australian Federal Parliament ACRATH spoke to members of the House of Representatives and the Senate about the Harkin-Engel Protocol which aimed at eliminating the worst forms of child slavery in the cocoa industry.  On Monday 19th September 2011, the tenth anniversary of the signing of this protocol, five Senators, representing the ALP, Coalition and Greens, presented the following motion in the Senate:

“Senator MOORE:
Senator MARSHALL:
Senator BIRMINGHAM:
Senator PARRY: and
Senator HANSON-YOUNG: To move:
That the Senate—

(a) notes the 10th anniversary of the Harkin-Engel Protocol signed in September 2001, designed to encourage voluntary standards for the certification of cocoa production that prohibits and eliminates engagement in the worst forms of child labour, as defined by the International Labour Organization Convention 182 which has been ratified by Australia; and

(b) calls on the Australian Government to:

(i) be proactive in measures to counter people trafficking or slavery,

(ii) actively engage in international fora to ensure greater priority for consideration of measures against child slavery and trafficking,

(iii) work cooperatively to improve traceability of products through the monitoring of their derivation where practical with reference to people trafficking or slavery, and

(iv) cooperate closely with organisations and entities against people trafficking.”

(Quoted from Senate Hansard of 19th September 2011)