The Netherlands, as a major player in the cocoa value chain, firmly believes that cocoa farming should deliver a living income to farming families while remaining free from deforestation and child labour.

Peter Dadzie, Policy Officer for Cocoa and Business Development at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ghana, said Children are the future and therefore must be given adequate care and protection without being exposed to hazardous work.

In light of this, he added, the Netherlands is investing heavily in protecting children and nurturing their potential through the Accelerating Action for the Elimination of Child Labour in Supply Chains in Africa (ACCEL Africa Project) with the International Labour Organization.

He was addressing the just-ended training workshop on Friday, June 5, 2026, in Goaso for investigators and prosecutors of the police service on combating exploitative networks, notably human trafficking and the commissioning of a child-friendly anti-human trafficking unit in the Ahafo region.

According to research by the National Opinion Research Centre (NORC) at the University of Chicago, the scale of this challenge is immense, with roughly 1.56 million children currently engaged in child labour in cocoa production across Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.

The vast majority of these minors face hazardous conditions, with a high 95% of them exposed to dangerous work that includes using sharp tools like machetes, carrying heavy loads of cocoa pods, and handling toxic agrochemicals.

Furthermore, research by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) indicates a profound trafficking nexus where forced labour and human trafficking frequently overlap with hazardous child labour. Vulnerable children from poorer regions are sometimes trafficked into cocoa-growing hubs under false promises of education or lucrative work.

Mr. Dadzie reiterated the commitment of the Netherlands Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Jeroen Verheul in ensuring dignity and general wellbeing for children in Ghana’s cocoa production communities.

“We are also proud to support IJM’s intervention to strengthen DSW and law enforcement officers in effectively fighting child labour in the Ahafo, Western North, and Ashanti administrative regions," the policy officer stated.

Today, he indicated, the partnership is not just commissioning an Anti-Human Trafficking Unit; it is also opening a permanent safe haven for vulnerable children and sending a clear message that there is zero tolerance for child labour and trafficking in the Ahafo region.

Mr. Dadzie implored the trained officers who will staff the anti-trafficking unit to uphold dedication and steadfastness to contribute immensely to achieving the initiative’s collective objective of ending all forms of child trafficking and exploitation.

The collaboration highlights the growing importance of "shared responsibility" between consuming nations and producing nations.

As major consumer markets, particularly the European Union, enact stricter due diligence laws (such as the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive), the role of foreign partners has shifted from mere oversight to active, on-the-ground co-investment.

By funding enforcement infrastructure, capacity building for police, and social safety nets, partners like the Dutch government help bridge the gap between policy and real-world enforcement. This ensures that legal frameworks transition into tangible protections for vulnerable rural families.

Mr. Dadzie expressed gratitude to the stakeholders of the initiative, including International Justice Mission and the Police Service in the Ahafo region for their partnership and resilience.

“The Netherlands is committed to working with you to ensure every child is safe to learn and grow, unleash their full potential, and secure a decent livelihood.”