Over 2.1 million children in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana work in cocoa fields, where they face hazardous conditions that may imperil their health, access to education, and future livelihood. This week in the District of Columbia, leaders from Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana − which together produce 60 percent of the world’s cocoa − gathered for the annual Child Labor Cocoa Coordinating Group meeting to discuss ways to end the worst forms of child labor.

Each day, millions of Americans leave their homes and report to jobs that provide for their families, strengthen our communities and grow our economy. Prospective employees have the right to know the full scope of the safety records of an industry before entering the workforce, and all workers have the right to speak up when they believe something is unsafe.