Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2004, published 93rd ILC session (2005)

Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) - Lesotho (Ratification: 1966)
Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 - Lesotho (Ratification: 2019)

Article 25 of the Convention. In its earlier comments, the Committee noted the penal sanctions provided in section 7(1) of the Labour Code Order, 1992, for any person who exacts or imposes forced labour for the benefit of any private individual, association or body, and in section 7(2) for any chief or public officer who puts constraint upon the population or any member thereof to work for any private individual, company, association or other such body. The Committee requested the Government to take measures in order to provide similar sanctions for any imposition of forced labour as defined in section 3 of the Order, also if imposed for the benefit of a public entity. It noted the Government’s repeated indication that the issue was to be examined by the tripartite National Advisory Committee on Labour.

The Government reiterates in its report that the issue of sanctions for imposition of forced labour has not yet been examined by the National Advisory Committee on Labour. The Government once again promises to table the issue at the Committee’s future meetings and renews assurances of its commitment to bring the legislation into conformity with the Convention.

While noting these indications, the Committee reiterates firm hope that the necessary measures will at last be taken by the Government in order to bring the national legislation into compliance with the Convention on this point and that the Government will soon be able to report the progress achieved in this regard.