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Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) - Ethiopia (RATIFICATION: 1999)

Article 2(2) of the Convention. Raising the minimum age for admission to employment or work.  The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the revised Labour Law raises the minimum working age limit of young persons from 14 to 15 years.  The Committee welcomes this information and expresses the hope that the Government will take the necessary measures to raise the minimum age for admission to employment or work from 14 years (initially specified) to 15 years. In this regard, the Committee requests the Government to consider, after the adoption of the Labour Law raising the minimum age to 15 years, the possibility of sending a new declaration under Article 2(2) of the Convention thereby notifying the Director-General of the ILO that it has raised the minimum age that it had previously specified.

Article 3. Hazardous work and vocational education.  The Committee previously noted that section 4(1) of the Decree of the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs of 2 September 1997 concerning the prohibition of work for young workers contains a detailed list of types of hazardous work and a general prohibition of all other kinds of work likely to jeopardize the young worker’s morals or physical condition or health. The Committee observed that, according to section 4(2) of the Decree, the prohibition set out in section 4(1) does not apply to persons who carry out such activities in the course of professional education in vocational centres. Finally, the Committee noted that while the above-mentioned Decree of 1997 had been amended, young persons under the age of 18 years who carry out work in the course of professional education in vocational schools remain outside the scope of the Decree. It noted the Government’s indication that vocational training is provided upon the completion of secondary education that is completion of grade 10, during which time most children have reached the age of 17, or at least 16, which is in line with the Convention. The Committee requested the Government to provide information on the measures taken to ensure that children between 16 and 18 years of age, who are following courses in vocational schools and might perform hazardous work, receive specific instruction or vocational training in the relevant branch of activity.

The Committee notes the Government’s information that with regard to the safety, health and moral well-being of young workers, an Occupational Health and Safety training manual is being implemented in cooperation with the Technical and Vocational Training Institutions (TVETs) to guide course curriculum and training methodology towards improving the working conditions of young workers in small and medium-sized enterprises.