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Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) - Papua New Guinea (RATIFICATION: 2000)

Articles 5 and 6 of the Convention. Monitoring mechanisms and programmes of action. In its previous comments, the Committee noted the Government’s indication that there were gaps and loopholes in the existing structures and monitoring mechanisms with regard to child trafficking, prostitution and children’s involvement in illicit activities. It also noted that, while the Department of Police and the Department of Labour and Industrial Relations were responsible for implementing and enforcing child labour laws, enforcement by these departments was poor due to a lack of resources and cultural acceptance of child labour.

The Committee notes the Government’s information that through the implementation of the recently launched National Action Plan (NAP) to Eliminate Child Labour in Papua New Guinea 2017–20, the child labour monitoring mechanisms will be strengthened. The Committee notes from the NAP document that the overall goal of this NAP is to eliminate the worst forms of child labour and one of the strategic objectives is to build and strengthen the technical, institutional and human resource capacity of stakeholders dealing with the elimination of child labour. Within this objective, it is envisaged to provide systematic training programmes on child labour for enforcement officers, including juvenile justice and welfare officers, education and labour inspectors, teachers and provincial child labour committees and develop standardized enforcement procedures, including child labour inspection forms and systems for monitoring and referrals. The NAP document further indicates that the current review of the Informal Sector Control and Management Act of 2004 should explicitly address child labour and its worst forms and include arrangements for inspection and provision of advisory and awareness services. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the specific measures taken within the framework of the NAP to Eliminate the Worst Forms of Child Labour, particularly on measures taken to strengthen the technical, institutional and human resource capacities of the child labour monitoring mechanisms. It also requests the Government to provide information on the results achieved following the implementation of such measures under the NAP, including the number of children prevented from engaging in, or removed from the worst forms of child labour. Finally, it requests the Government to provide information on any progress made with regard to addressing the worst forms of child labour and its monitoring systems within the revision of the Informal Sector Control and Management Act of 2004.

Article 7(2). Effective and time-bound measures. Clause (a). Prevention of the engagement of children in the worst forms of child labour. Access to free basic education. The Committee previously noted some of the initiatives undertaken by the Government to improve the functioning of the education system, such as the National Education Plan, 2005–15 (NEP), and a Tuition-Fee Free (TFF) policy from elementary to secondary school. The Committee noted, however, from the Rapid Assessment Report that although educational reforms were in place, 92.2 per cent of those children who enrolled in grade 3 dropped out along the way. It also noted that school enrolment and attendance rates of girls and HIV/AIDS orphans remained low. The Committee, accordingly urged the Government to redouble its efforts to improve the functioning of the education system, paying special attention to girls and HIV/AIDS orphans.

The Committee notes that the Government endorsed the NEP 2015–19 with an initiative of 13 years of Universal Education for all regardless of their ability, gender or socio-economic background. According to the NEP document, the plan focuses on six areas, including access and equity, alternate pathways and system strengthening with specific emphasis on gender equality. The 2019 output targets include gross enrolment at 100 per cent for elementary and primary and 60 per cent for secondary education. The Committee also notes from the NEP document that although the TFF policy contributed to increased enrolment, particularly in basic education, the rates of children discontinuing between the initial enrolment and the completion of 13 years of schooling are high, with girl’s transition rates remaining relatively low. Information from the UNICEF Papua New Guinea report on Education, 2018 indicates that a quarter of the children aged from six to 18 are still out of school, with fewer girls going to school. Primary school transition rate into lower secondary school is only 56 per cent with only 50 per cent for girls. According to the UNESCO estimates of 2016, the net enrolment rate at primary and secondary level stood at 75.76 per cent and 33.26 per cent respectively. Considering that education is key in preventing children from being engaged in the worst forms of child labour, the Committee strongly encourages the Government to intensify its efforts to improve the functioning of the education system, including through the effective implementation of the NET and TFF policy. In this regard, it urges the Government to ensure the increase in the school enrolment and completion rates and the reduction of school drop-out rates, taking into account the special situation of girls and other vulnerable children such as orphans of HIV/AIDS. The Committee requests the Government to provide updated information on the specific measures taken in this regard and the results achieved.

Application of the Convention in practice. The Committee notes from the NAP document that three main forms of emergent worst forms of child labour that require priority action have been identified at the 2013 National Forum, namely child sex tourism; trafficking of children for labour exploitation and for use in illicit activities; and street children. It also notes that measures to collect data on child labour and its worst forms through surveys will be initiated within the framework of the NAP. Recalling the importance of statistical information in assessing the application of the Convention in practice, the Committee encourages the Government to undertake relevant surveys on child labour and to ensure that sufficient data on the situation of working children, including those involved in the worst forms of child labour in Papua New Guinea, are made available, if possible disaggregated by gender and age. Further, noting the emerging trends of the three types of worst forms of child labour in the country, namely child sex tourism; trafficking of children for labour exploitation and for use in illicit activities; and street children, the Committee urges the Government to take the necessary measures to protect and withdraw children from these worst forms of child labour.