International Rights Advocates

04/07/2026

In 2001, the big Chocolate companies – including Nestle, Mars, Cargill, Hershey, Lindt, and Mondelez – agreed to the Harkin-Engel Protocol.

They pledged that they would take effective measures to stop child slavery in their cocoa supply chains in Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana.

They also pledged they would provide education and rehabilitation for former child slaves.

25 years later, very little has changed.

IRAdvocates has used virtually every possible legal option to try to stop the major cocoa companies from profiting from child slavery in cocoa harvesting and uphold the standards to which they pledged. On February 14, 2020, we filed a Petition with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) under Section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930 asking CBP to enforce the law that would ban the importation of cocoa harvested with child slaves.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) did not enforce this law, allowing cocoa that is harvested by child slaves to be sold in U.S. markets.

So, we sued CBP.

On Thursday, April 9, 2026, at 10:00 am, IRAdvocates will argue the case before the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C. At issue is whether CBP and DHS can ignore a law of Congress and allow cocoa harvested by child slaves to be imported to the U.S.

IRAdvocates is fighting to free child slaves in 2026! This is a must win. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/egW6bChu

01/23/2026

Great news! International Rights Advocates just won a key ruling in our consumer protection case against three major cocoa and chocolate companies, Mars, Cargill, and Mondelēz.

Since 2023, International Rights Advocates has sought to hold some of the world's top chocolate and cocoa companies accountable for allegedly misleading consumers about fair labor practices in their cocoa supply chains.

The D.C. Superior Court denied the companies’ Motions to Dismiss, which means the court is allowing the case to move forward.

Want to learn more or see the order for yourself? Follow the link to our website https://www.internationalrightsadvocates.org/cases/ghana

12/23/2025

https://mailchi.mp/internationalrightsadvocates/drummond-slapp-trial-resumes-in-two-weeks-one-last-chance-to-make-a-difference

The Drummond trial is heating up and coming to a close. On December 1, 2025, an Alabama Court put IRAdvocates and myself, Terry, on trial in a baseless SLAPP suit brought by billion-dollar coal giant Drummond. With our expert team of lawyers, we have been fighting hard these past three weeks and hop...

11/21/2025

International Rights Advocates and Terry Collingsworth exposed coal giant Drummond’s crimes against humanity in Colombia.

Now, they will go to trial December 1, 2025 in a retaliatory and baseless SLAPP suit brought by Drummond.

Learn more and help them defeat this attack on Human Rights Defenders: https://us5.campaign-archive.com/?u=d7ce5bd5a8ca48c03005c3ce6&id=7b50834c4d

10/22/2025

We are about to go to trial after Alabama coal giant Drummond targeted IRAdvocates with a SLAPP suit because we exposed it was financing the AUC's crimes against humanity in Colombia. Help us defeat this attack on a human rights defender:

09/02/2025

Did you know about Tesla's cobalt controversy? For more details, visit International Rights Advocates website to learn about the lawsuit and explore the allegations. https://www.internationalrightsadvocates.org/cases/tesla

08/28/2025

This is everything you need to know about the lawsuit filed against Tesla by International Rights Advocates.

Filed on August 20th, 2025, this lawsuit raises allegations that Tesla misleads the public regarding human rights abuses and environmental harm in its cobalt supply chains in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

For more updates and details, visit our website: https://www.internationalrightsadvocates.org/cases/tesla

08/20/2025

Today IRAdvocates filed a consumer fraud case against Tesla:

https://www.internationalrightsadvocates.org/cases/tesla

Tesla has done a great job misleading the public about its human rights crimes and the devastating environmental impact of cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Accountability is coming for Tesla.

Progress built on abuse is no progress at all. ON AUGUST 20, 2025, INTERNATIONAL RIGHTS ADVOCATES FILED A CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWSUIT AGAINST TESLA FOR MISLEADING THE PUBLIC ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES AND ENVIRONMENTAL HARM IN ITS COBALT SUPPLY CHAINS IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO. Explore the....

06/03/2025

𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆: 𝐖𝐞’𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐍𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞́ 𝐔𝐒𝐀.

Nestlé tells consumers it has “zero tolerance” for child labor. But our investigation uncovered a different story — 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬, 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐚𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

𝐓𝐎𝐃𝐀𝐘, IRAdvocates filed a lawsuit in D.C. Superior Court under the Consumer Protection Procedures Act to hold Nestlé accountable for its false and misleading claims.

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡. 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞. 𝐖𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝.

📍Filed in D.C. Superior Court | June 2, 2025
📄 Read the complaint here: https://bit.ly/cocoafraud

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04/24/2025

After extensive research in Brazil, today IRAdvocates sued Starbucks for profiting from a massive trafficking and forced labor scheme to harvest coffee:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/24/starbucks-brazil-coffee-forced-labour

At the same time, Coffee Watch filed a section 307 Petition to ban the importation of coffee from Brazil that is harvested with forced labor. Accountability is coming for Starbucks. See the filed documents here: https://www.internationalrightsadvocates.org/cases/coffee

Slavery has no place in your morning cup. ON APRIL 24, 2025, INTERNATIONAL RIGHTS ADVOCATES FILED A LANDMARK LAWSUIT AGAINST STARBUCKS ON BEHALF OF EIGHT BRAZILIAN WORKERS WHO WERE ALLEGEDLY TRAFFICKED AND FORCED TO HARVEST COFFEE UNDER CONDITIONS U.S. LAW DEFINES AS MODERN SLAVERY. In partnership,....

11/27/2024

Here is IRAdvocates' Thanksgiving Newsletter. Despite our challenges, we are thankful for the progress we are making and for the support of so many friends who believe in our mission. Corporate accountability for human rights violations in the global economy is achievable with your support!

As we reflect on this remarkable year of impact, we are filled with gratitude for our rapidly expanding community of dedicated human rights defenders. The saying, "it takes a village" resonates deeply with our mission – and you are an essential part of that village. Together, we're building a more...