Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1998, published 87th ILC session (1999)

Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) - Ecuador (Ratification: 1954)

Article 1, paragraph 1, and Article 2, paragraphs 1 and 2(a), of the Convention. The Committee previously noted that section 4 of the Compulsory Military Service Act of 1994 provides that one of the objectives of compulsory military service is "cooperation in the social and economic development of the country through the implementation of civil and military programmes as laid down by the Ministry of National Defence". The Committee expressed the hope that measures might be taken to ensure that conscripts would be required to do work only of a purely military character, in accordance with Article 2, paragraph 2(a), of the Convention, except in cases of force majeure (paragraph 2(d)).

Noting the explanation provided by the Government and, in particular, the examples of action taken during the last five years, in order to obtain a full assessment of the situation, the Committee requests the Government to provide additional information, with examples, on the period of such work in relation to the total duration of compulsory military service, and on the decision regarding the nature of the work to be done, including, where appropriate, the text of a programme.