Two sisters change the chocolate market in Ghana
Ineffective voluntary commitments
Unfortunately, this grim division of labor has existed for many decades. There have been numerous political efforts to change this reality. Some companies based in developed countries, too, have attempted to ensure basic labor, environmental and social standards are met during the production process abroad.
For fair supply chains: German Development Minister Gerd Müller (CSU, left) and Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD)
In 2018, Germany s governing coalition comprising the Christian Democrats (CDU), Christian Social Union (CSU) and Social Democrats (SPD) agreed that a law to this end would be passed unless companies voluntary commitments proved effective.
Tierra del Fuego: Harsh lives and a global history
Tierra del Fuego, or the Land of Fire, is on the southern tip of South America. The landscape with its fjords, glaciers and even rainforests is beautiful, but it can also be a pretty harsh place for the people living there. Europeans first set foot there 500 years ago when they were looking for a passage connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans around Cape Horn. It became the main trading route between the Indies and Europe for centuries. But most of the indigenous Yagán did not survive their encounter with the white intruders. By the early 20th century, they had almost been wiped out. Michael Marek traveled to Tierra del Fuego to find out about the past and present of this unique part of the world.