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Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) - Eswatini (RATIFICATION: 2002)

Article 1 of the Convention. National policy. The Committee previously noted the allegations made by the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU) that there was no national policy or action programme for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour and that there was no political will on the part of the Government to address the legislative and policy issues concerning child labour.

The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the redrafting of the proposed Employment Bill and of the National Action Programme on the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour (NAP–WFCL) has been finalized by the Labour Advisory Board (LAB) and that both would soon be submitted to Cabinet for adoption and publication. Noting that the Government has been referring to the draft Employment Bill and draft NAP–WFCL for several years, the Committee urges the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that they are adopted without delay, taking into consideration the comments made by the Committee. It requests the Government to provide information on the progress made in this regard.

Article 2(1). Scope of application. Informal economy, including family undertakings. The Committee previously observed that, in practice, children appeared to be engaged in child labour in a wide range of activities in the informal economy. Yet, the Committee noted that, pursuant to section 2 of the Employment Act, domestic employment, agricultural undertakings and family undertakings were not included in the definition of “undertaking” and therefore not covered by the minimum age provisions of section 97. The Committee further observed that the draft Employment Bill also exempts family undertakings from the minimum age provisions. The Committee therefore reminded the Government that the Convention applies to all branches of economic activity and that it covers all types of work, including work in family undertakings. The Committee also recalled that, in its first report, the Government did not avail itself of the possibility of exclusion of limited categories of employment or work as envisaged in Article 4 of the Convention.

The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the Employment Bill, once adopted and promulgated, will include all workers, even those working in the informal economy, so as to be in line with the Convention. Moreover, the Committee notes the Government’s information that, with technical assistance from the ILO, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security has been training labour inspectors on child labour issues and on how to identify child labour in all sectors of the economy. The Committee requests the Government to continue to take measures to adapt and strengthen the labour inspectorate in order to improve the capacity of labour inspectors to identify cases of child labour in the informal economy and to ensure that the protection afforded by the Convention is effectively applied to all child workers. It also requests the Government to provide a copy of the adopted Employment Bill along with its next report.

Article 2(3). Age of completion of compulsory education. The Committee previously noted the Government’s indication that it enacted the Free Primary Education Act of 2010, which contains provisions requiring parents to send their children to school until the completion of primary schooling. However, the Committee noted with concern that primary schooling finishes at the age of 12 years, while the minimum age for admission to employment is 15 years in Swaziland.

The Committee once again notes the Government’s statement that the concerns raised by the Committee with regard to linking the school-leaving age with the minimum age for admission to employment will be considered in due course. Considering that compulsory education is one of the most effective means of combating child labour, the Committee once again urges the Government to take the necessary measures to extend compulsory education up to the minimum age for admission to employment, which is 15 years in Swaziland.

Article 3(2). Determination of hazardous work. The Committee noted the Government’s statement that once the draft Employment Bill was adopted, measures would be taken in consultation with the social partners to develop a list of types of hazardous work prohibited to children and young persons, as envisaged by section 10(2) of the draft Employment Bill. The Committee reminded the Government that, under the terms of Article 3(2) of the Convention, the types of hazardous work prohibited to children under 18 years of age shall be determined by national laws or regulations or by the competent authority, after consultation with the organizations of employers and workers concerned.

The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the multi-stakeholder Child Labour Committee initiated talks to determine the list of hazardous work and that this list would be sent to the LAB for consideration before being transmitted to the Minister of Labour and Social Security. The Committee therefore requests the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that the types of hazardous work prohibited to children under 18 years of age are determined and that the list is adopted in very near future. It requests the Government to provide information on the progress made in this regard.

Article 7. Light work. The Committee previously noted that, according to the joint ILO–IPEC, UNICEF and World Bank report on Understanding Children’s Work in Swaziland, 9.3 per cent of children between the ages of 5 and 14 years were engaged in child labour. The Committee noted that the draft Employment Bill did not appear to set a minimum age for light work, including work in family undertakings. Noting that national legislation did not regulate light work and that a significant number of children under the minimum age were engaged in child labour, the Committee requested the Government to envisage the possibility of adopting provisions to regulate and determine the light work activities performed by children between 13 and 15 years of age, in accordance with Article 7 of the Convention.

The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the concerns raised on this point have been noted. Expressing the hope that, in the framework of the draft Employment Bill, provisions will be adopted to regulate and determine light work activities, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on the progress made in this regard in its next report.

The Committee urges the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure, without delay, the adoption of the Employment Bill. In this regard, it strongly encourages the Government to take into consideration the Committee’s comments on discrepancies between national legislation and the Convention. The Committee reminds the Government that it may avail itself of ILO technical assistance to bring its legislation into conformity with the Convention.

The Committee is raising other points in a request addressed directly to the Government.