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Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) - Argentina (RATIFICATION: 2001)

The Committee notes the observations of the Confederation of Workers of Argentina (CGT Autonomous), received on 31 August 2021.

Article 3 of the Convention. Worst forms of child labour. Clauses (a) and (c). Trafficking of children for sexual and labour exploitation. In its previous comments, the Committee noted the legislative and institutional framework to combat the trafficking of children and requested the Government to continue providing information on the effect given to Act No. 26842 of 2012 to combat trafficking in persons and assist victims in relation to cases of trafficking of children for sexual and labour exploitation. In this regard, the Committee notes the Government’s indication in its report that during the period 2018-19 there were a total of 22 convictions for the crime of trafficking of children (ten for labour exploitation, 11 for sexual exploitation and one for forced marriage). The total of victims under 18 years of age affected by these cases was 35, the majority of whom were girls. It also notes the examples of court sentences relating to cases of the trafficking and sexual exploitation of children provided by the Government.

With reference to the resources available to the labour inspectorate to detect situations of child trafficking, the Government indicates that in 2018 the Secretariat of Labour adopted, through Decision No. 230/2018, a special procedure to assess evidence of trafficking for labour exploitation which may be detected by labour inspectors during their inspections, one part of which is intended for persons under 18 years of age. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that there were 11 cases in which evidence was noted of trafficking of persons under 18 years of age for labour exploitation during the period 2018/19. The Committee welcomes the measures adopted by the Government to improve the detection of cases of trafficking of children for labour exploitation and requests the Government to continue providing information on the number of investigations, prosecutions and convictions under Act No. 26842 in relation to the trafficking of children for labour and/or sexual exploitation. The Committee also requests the Government to continue providing updated statistical data on the number of child victims of trafficking.

Article 7(2). Effective and time-bound measures. Clause (e). Special situation of girls. The Committee notes that, according to the Survey of Activities by Boys, Girls and Young Persons (EANNA) 2016-17, girls and young persons who work are mainly engaged in intensive unpaid domestic work. Moreover, 12.5 per cent of girls who work in urban areas care for children, elderly or sick persons, and that for that reason night work is common for them in view of their care work. The Committee notes in this regard the indication by the CTA Autonomous that the findings of the EANNA shed light on the gender inequalities in child labour in all regions of the country, and emphasizes that intensive domestic work in their own household, in which a majority of working girls and young persons are engaged, is prejudicial to their rest, play and schooling. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the measures adopted taking into account the special situation of girls engaged in intensive domestic or care work with a view to preventing them from becoming victims of the worst forms of child labour.

International cooperation. The Committee notes that the Government is continuing to participate actively in the Latin America and Caribbean Free of Child Labour Regional Initiative, and that in this context it has engaged in the exchange of good practices with countries that are members of the Initiative.