Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2009, published 99th ILC session (2010)

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. Penal sanctions for the illegal exaction of forced or compulsory labour. 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 indication that the National Advisory Committee on Labour had decided to review the Labour Code, and that the Committee’s concerns would be taken into account in the course of the revision.

The Committee notes the Government’s indication in its report received in November 2008 that the matter was considered during the labour law review exercise, but the draft bill containing the proposed amendment has not yet been discussed by Parliament.

While noting these indications, the Committee expresses the firm hope that the bill will soon be adopted and the legislation will be brought into compliance with the Convention on this point. It requests the Government to provide a copy of the new law, as soon as it is adopted.