Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking of Human’s Heather McNaught explains that child labour, forced labour, and unsafe work environments are ongoing issues in the quest for cocoa for chocolate production.

Three parish priests are examining what a ‘slavery-proofed’ parish would look like and how to implement slavery-free parish morning teas during 2022.

With the support of their parish community, they plan to start the project on February 8, which is the feast day of Saint Josephine Bakhita, Patron Saint of victims of modern slavery and human trafficking.

The Catholic Archdiocese of Perth and Catholic Education Western Australia have last month gathered to jointly launch their respective Modern Slavery Statements.