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Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) - Sierra Leone (RATIFICATION: 2011)

Articles 3(d) and 4(1) of the Convention. Hazardous work and determination of types of hazardous work. Concerning the adoption of the list of hazardous types of work and determination of the types of hazardous work, the Committee refers to its detailed comments under the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138).

Article 6. Programmes of action. National Action Plan against the Worst Forms of Child Labour. The Committee previously noted the Government's information that the National Action Plan against the Worst Forms of Child Labour including child trafficking had been developed, finalized, and validated. The Committee requested the Government to provide information on the adoption and implementation of the National Action Plan against the Worst Forms of Child Labour.

The Committee notes the response of the Government that there are plans to review, validate and print the National Action Plan against the Worst Forms of Child Labour, in 2021. The Committee requests the Government to provide up-to-date information on the process of adoption of the National Action Plan on the Worst Forms of Child Labour, as well as to provide information on the implementation matrix of this action plan.

Article 7(2). Effective and time-bound measures. Clause (a). Preventing the engagement of children in the worst forms of child labour. Access to free basic education. The Committee previously noted that the Education Act of 2004 provided for free and compulsory basic education, comprising of six years of primary education and three years of junior secondary education to all its citizens (section 3(1) and (2)). The Committee also expressed its concern at the discrimination against girls concerning access to education and requested the Government to pursue its efforts to ensure access to free basic education, including by taking measures to increase the school enrolment and completion rates, both at the primary and secondary level, giving particular attention to girls.

The Committee notes the response of the Government that the Free Quality Education Program, which has the objective to improve nationwide access to quality pre-primary, primary, secondary education and school-level technical or vocational training, is fully operational in Sierra Leone. The Committee also notes the overturn of the Government policy that prevented pregnant girls from attending public schools and writing entrance examinations. The Committee notes the Government's response that it overturned a 10-year policy that prevented pregnant girls from attending public and taking entrance examinations, in March 2020. It further notes the information on the Government's initiative to provide tertiary education grant support to girls enrolled in science and engineering programs, as well as persons enrolled in Distance Education Teacher Certificate Programs, Language Arts, Mathematics and Science, Medicine, Agriculture, Technical/Vocational Education and Training, and Early Childhood Education Programs and students with special needs. Accordingly, the Committee encourages the Government to continue to pursue measures that ensure access to free basic education, including by taking measures to increase the school enrolment and completion rates, both at the primary and lower secondary level, giving particular attention to girls. It also requests the Government to provide information, disaggregated by age and gender, on the impact of the recently adopted measures and the results achieved.

Clause (b). Direct assistance for the removal of children from the worst forms of child labour and for their rehabilitation and social integration. Former child combatants. The Committee previously requested the Government to take the necessary steps to address the physical and psychological recovery of former child combatants, especially girls, and to monitor the situation of those who were not included in the Government’s disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes (DDR) a view to providing them with the necessary assistance to fully rehabilitate and reintegrate into the society.

The Committee notes the response of the Government that psychosocial counselling was provided for former child combatants and that they are reintegrated into the society. However, the Committee notes that the Committee on the Rights of the Child’s 2021 List of Issues for Sierra Leone, (CRC/C/SLE/QPR/6-7, paragraph 32) indicates the need for measures to be taken by the Government to establish a mechanism for the early identification of returning children who may have been involved in armed conflict, particularly children returning from Libya, and to provide physical and psychological recovery, and social integration services for such children. The Committee once again requests the Government to take the necessary measures to address the physical and psychological recovery of former child combatants, especially girls, and to monitor the situation of those who were not included in the DDR programmes to provide them with the necessary assistance to fully rehabilitate and reintegrate them in society. It also requests the Government to provide information on the impact of the measures taken in this regard, in particular the number of children who were provided with the necessary assistance.

Clause (d). Identify and reach out to children at special risk. Street children. The Committee previously noted the initiative taken by the Government to help identify and reach out to children at special risk, such as its efforts to remove children from the street and provide the necessary direct assistance from their rehabilitation through the implementation of the Street Children Project by the Ministry of Social Welfare Gender and Child Affairs (MSWGCA).

The Committee notes the information provided by the Government that a national policy and a draft bill are being developed, to address the plight of street children. Recalling that street children are at an increased risk of being involved in the worst forms of child labour, the Committee again requests the Government to continue its efforts to remove children from the street and to provide the necessary direct assistance for their rehabilitation and social integration. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on the results achieved in this regard, such as the number of children rescued and socially integrated according to such measures.

Article 8. International cooperation and assistance. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government's statement that cooperation with the West African Network of Child Protection and the ECOWAS Anti-Human Trafficking Unit on combating the trafficking of children under 18 years of age has led to: (i) the criminalization of ‘sex trafficking’ under the Anti-Trafficking Act (2005); (ii) the criminalization of 'child prostitution' under the Sexual Offences Act (2012); (iii) an ongoing review of the Anti-Trafficking Act (2005), to eliminate the provision of a fine in lieu of imprisonment for convicted traffickers, increase penalties and improve victim protection measures; (iv) the adoption of a new 2021-2023 National Action Plan by the Anti-Trafficking Task Force, which is led by the Ministry of Social Welfare and the Ministry of Justice; and (v) the establishment of regional Trafficking in Persons taskforce bodies in all 16 regions of Sierra Leone. While noting the importance of these developments and recalling the importance of international cooperation in combatting trafficking of children, the Committee encourages the Government to pursue its efforts to promote bilateral and multilateral agreements with other countries on trafficking of children. The Committee also request the Government to continue to provide information on the results achieved in this respect.

Labour inspection and application of the Convention in practice. Concerning labour inspection and the application of the Convention in practice, the Committee refers to its detailed comments under the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138).