Bitter harvest : child labour in sugarcane agriculture and the role of certification systems

The US Department of Labor cites 14 countries which produce sugarcane using child labour. Business and media sources suggest at least another eight could be added to that list. A conservative estimate would thus be that tens of thousands of children are currently working in sugarcane agriculture worldwide. Some of the sugar and molasses ultimately produced undoubtedly enters markets in North America and Europe. This paper first categorises the different kinds of labour that negatively affect children into hazardous work, exploitative work, and harmful adult work (where children may end up working in migrant camps for example). It then looks at reasons why it has proven difficult to protect children in sugarcane production. Not recognising child labour as a problem, failing to assign responsibility for its amelioration, inadequate monitoring, and the challenges of properly identifying children and their best interests have all played a part in why this practice continues. The paper concludes with a comparison of three certification systems – Bonsucro, Fairtrade International, and the Programa Empresa Amiga da Criança in Brazil – which can help non-state actors address child labour. By engaging in common and comprehensive standards, credible and inclusive monitoring, and open and honest assessment, further strides can be taken