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Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) - Cambodia (RATIFICATION: 2006)

Articles 3(d) and 5 of the Convention. Hazardous work and monitoring mechanisms. 1. Hazardous work in the garment and footwear sectors. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes that the Better Factories Cambodia (BFC) programme, developed in partnership with the ILO and the International Finance Corporation, is ongoing. It notes with interest the Government’s information, in its report submitted regarding the application of the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138), that in the framework of the BFC programme, the number of cases of child labour in the garment and footwear factories decreased from 13 in 2015 to zero in 2020. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing information on the measures taken to monitor child labour in the garment and footwear sectors and on the results achieved.

2. Hazardous work in the sugarcane sector. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s information that the labour inspectors from the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT) monitor and inspect the working conditions in the sugarcane fields to promote better working conditions, safety and health, and prevent debt bondage and forced labour. Campaigns on child labour prevention and labour inspections were also conducted in the sugarcane sector, focusing on vulnerable women and children living near the workplace. The Government indicates that contracts were concluded between employers and parents – witnessed by labour inspectors and the competent authorities – on child labour prevention, debt bondage and forced labour. The Committee welcomes the measures taken by the Government. It requests the Government to provide information on the number of children under the age of 18 working in hazardous conditions in the sugarcane fields detected as a result of labour inspections. The Committee further requests the Government to provide information on the penalties applied against those who employ children under the age of 18 in hazardous work in the sugarcane sector.

Article 7(2)(a). Effective and time-bound measures. Preventing the engagement of children in the worst forms of child labour. Access to free basic education. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes that the Government continues to take measures to improve the functioning of its education system. In particular, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport has developed the Cambodia 2030 Roadmap and 2030 Secondary Education Blueprint to align with and meet the objectives of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Inclusive Education for All). The two documents map out clear strategies and implementation plans to ensure that enrolment and completion rates increase and drop-out rates decrease. These documents also pay special attention to vulnerable groups, including girls, for example by establishing as a priority the completion of upper secondary education by all girls and boys and their increased access to affordable and quality technical and vocational education. The Government indicates that a number of efforts have been made in this regard, with particular focus on the poorest and disadvantaged groups. The Committee notes in particular that key policy strategies will also include the expansion of the coverage of lower-secondary education; addressing all forms of disparities based on, among others, gender, location and ethnicity; and the improvement of education facilities to provide safe, inclusive and effective learning environments. The Government indicates that, with these interventions and more, it is expected that, by 2030, lower-secondary completion rates will increase to 61.10 per cent from the current rate of 46.50 per cent, and that upper-secondary completion rates will increase to 45 per cent from the current rate of 23.6 per cent.

While taking due note of this information and of the progress made, the Committee notes that, according to UNICEF, challenges still remain, including the fact that children in Cambodia are still failing to reach learning standards appropriate for their age and that, by the time they are 17 years old, 55 per cent of adolescents will have dropped out of school. Considering that education is key to preventing the engagement of children in the worst forms of child labour, the Committee once again strongly encourages the Government to pursue its efforts to improve the functioning of the national education system, in particular through the 2030 Roadmap and 2030 Secondary Education Blueprint, and increase the enrolment and completion rates and reduce drop-out rates at the lower secondary level. It requests the Government to continue providing information on the concrete measures taken in this regard, and on the results achieved, disaggregated, where possible, by age and gender.

Article 7(2)(a) and (b). Preventing the engagement of children in the worst forms of child labour and providing direct assistance for their removal, rehabilitation and social integration. Children engaged in hazardous work in fisheries. The Committee notes that the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, in the framework of the implementation of the 2016–20 National Action Plan for Gender Equality Promotion and Child Labour Elimination in the Fisheries Sector (Fisheries NAP), has raised the awareness of parents and members of the fisheries community regarding the concepts of gender equality and child labour in the fisheries sector through the organization of four training courses. The Ministry is also monitoring and gathering data from target communities and is developing the next Fisheries NAP for further implementation. The Committee encourages the Government to continue taking effective and time-bound measures for the prevention, removal and rehabilitation of children engaged in hazardous work in the fisheries sector, including through the implementation of the next phase of the Fisheries NAP. It requests the Government to provide information on the results achieved in terms of preventing children from engaging in hazardous work in the fisheries sector and of the number of children who were withdrawn from such work and rehabilitated and socially integrated.