LET’S CELEBRATE the amazing news that by the end of summer 2009, Cadbury's Dairy Milk bars can be part of our diet again!

We congratulate Cadbury on their commitment to justice and now look to their policy being adopted across their entire product range.

Cadbury's decision demonstrates the power of ordinary consumers in bringing change and freedom. Two years ago, STOP THE TRAFFIK met with Cadbury and was told that a fairtrade Cadbury's bar was impossible and impracticable.

This is a victory for every person who has complained, campaigned and spread the message. But most of all, it is a victory for every child held in exploitative labour on West African cocoa farms. It is important to remember though that all exploited children will not be free until Mars, Nestle, Lindt, Hershey and all the others have put human rights before profit and make similar announcements.

STOP THE TRAFFIK has been calling for individual companies to take responsibility for the chocolate they sell and asking for it to be traffick free. This is a very significant step in our campaign.

STOP THE TRAFFIK have been campaigning to end the trafficking of children who become enslaved on cocoa plantations in the Cote d’Ivoire. There are estimated to be over 12000 trafficked, enslaved children currently picking the beans that make our tasty treats.

Sine our campaign started, three international companies have made the ethical choice and can now offer us traffick-free chocolate. If Cadbury can do it, why can’t Mars?

We want to show Mars that, as consumers, we care and are willing to fight for the rights of those being exploited to make our chocolate.

To do this, we have launched a global campaign called March on Mars. As with all our campaigns, anyone of any age can get involved by simply printing a letter or making a phone call. We have call scripts / letters / frequently asked question sheets / trouble shooting sheets. you name it, it’s there!www.marchonmars.org

www.stopthetraffik.org

STOP PRESS

Mars Capitulate to STOP THE TRAFFIK Chocolate Campaign...

Stop The Traffik are delighted to announce that only one month into their 'March on Mars' campaign, Mars has already committed to 'certifying its entire cocoa supply by 2020'.

As a first step, one of Mars' leading brands, Galaxy bars, in the UK and Ireland, will be certified 'from early 2010, through the Rainforest Alliance as, 'free from trafficked and exploited labour'.

The Mars announcement follows that made by Cadbury's last month promising that its Dairy Milk Bar will be Fairtrade by this autumn. Stop the Traffik welcome this bold move by Mars but are unswerving in their resolve to continue campaigning to ensure the whole industry delivers on its commitments. Attention now turns to Nestlé to see if they have any response to their competitors pledging to end child exploitation in their supply chain.

Steve Chalke MBE, Founder of Stop The Traffik and Special Advisor to the United Nations on Human Trafficking commented -  
"We congratulate Mars on taking this significant step towards rectifying the travesty of human rights that is people trafficking within the chocolate industry." But, he added, "together the consumers of world must now hold Mars and the other manufacturers account to ensure that they deliver on their promises in the agreed time scale or even sooner."

Chalke's challenge relates to a similar promise made by Mars and others within the chocolate industry eight years ago to end forced child labour by summer 2005. Stop The Traffik and other grass root activists are, this time determined that life will change for the better for cocoa farmers and the children of West Africa.

Ruth Dearnley, STOP THE TRAFFIK's CEO said -
"This first step by Mars is proof that the tide is turning and that the chocolate industry is finally realising that it has to take the demands of hundreds of thousands of consumers seriously. There is, however, a long way to go. 2020 is eleven years away and Mars still need to be clear about what they mean by 'certifying their entire cocoa supply'. Can they guarantee that it will all be traffic free? Unfortunately, we have heard empty commitments and clever words before. The world is watching to make sure that this time promises are real and are kept."

STOP THE TRAFFIK is an international coalition of organisations working together to fight the crime of people trafficking. It is comprised of over 1000 member organisations in 52 countries including NGOs, corporations, schools, colleges, faithgroups and various other community groups.

The Fight for Freedom

FREEDOM! Do you have it? Do you enjoy it? I expect you think €˜yes’. But if you didn’t have it, would you fight for it? And if you could not fight, would you live in hope that someone somewhere would fight on your behalf?

On 25th March 2007 the Abolition of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade was commemorated in many countries around the world. Did you see the production of €˜Cargo’ at Chequer Mead or elsewhere? STOP THE TRAFFIK (administered by the Oasis Charitable Trust) used this anniversary as a catalyst for an initiative to cry for freedom for every human caught in trafficking. The conviction that freedom is a human right drove both black and white abolitionists in the 18th and 19th centuries. That same conviction drives the STOP THE TRAFFIK coalition in the 21st century.

Various sources have reported that

Over 12 million people are victims of forced labour worldwide. Of these, nearly two and a half million are as a result of human trafficking.

Over one million children are trafficked each year.

Human trafficking is the third largest source of income for organised crime, (generating seven billion dollars per year) exceeded only by arms and drugs trafficking.

Are you prepared to join the fight for their freedom?

If so you could represent St John’s and act as a link with the STOP THE TRAFFIK coalition (managed by a Steering Group including Children on the Edge, Global Angels, Love146, Oasis Trust, Tearfund, Virgin Unite and World Vision.

If you are interested, please contact John Grainger for more information.

John Grainger