Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2010, published 100th ILC session (2011)

Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) - Trinidad and Tobago (Ratification: 1963)

Articles 1(1) and 2(1) of the Convention. Freedom of minors engaged in a military career to terminate their engagement. For a number of years, the Committee has been referring to section 19(2) of the Defence Act, Chapter 14.01, under which persons below the age of 18 years may be enlisted with the consent of their parents or of the person in whose care they may be. The Committee requested the Government to give consideration to amending the abovementioned provision of the Defence Act, either by fixing the legal minimum age of enlistment at 18, or allowing persons enlisted below the age of 18 to leave the service by their own decision upon attaining the age of 18.

The Committee has noted the Government's repeated statement that, in practice, no recruitment under the age of 18 has taken place. The Government indicates in its latest report that the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF) has adopted the policy of recruiting persons who have attained the age of 18 years. It also states that the Defence Act is currently being revised, but is not yet a public document to be commented on.

While noting this information, the Committee expresses the firm hope that the Defence Act will soon be revised, so as to ensure conformity with the Convention and the indicated practice, for example, by fixing the legal minimum age of enlistment at 18 years, or allowing persons enlisted below the age of 18 to leave the service by their own decision upon attaining the age of 18. It requests the Government to provide, in its next report, information on the progress achieved in this regard.