Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2012, published 102nd ILC session (2013)

Right of Association (Agriculture) Convention, 1921 (No. 11) - Rwanda (Ratification: 1962)

Article 1 of the Convention. The same rights of association and combination for all those engaged in agriculture as for industrial workers. The Committee recalls that its previous comments concerned the exclusion of agricultural workers from the scope of the Labour Code of 1967 (section 186). The Committee noted previously the Government’s indication that, under Act No. 51/2001 of 30 December 2001 amending the Labour Code, the exclusion of agricultural workers from the scope of the Labour Code was dropped and that Act No. 51/2001 amending the Labour Code grants more explicit protection to agricultural workers.

The Committee notes the Government’s statement that section 3 of Act No. 13/2009 of 27 May 2009 regulating labour in Rwanda guarantees the right of association in all sectors of activity in both the formal and informal economy. The Committee nevertheless notes that Act No. 13/2009, as published in the Official Gazette, provides in section 3 that “The person dealing with family agricultural, breeding, commercial or industrial activities shall not be subjected to the provisions of this law, except for provisions relating to health and safety at the workplace as well as to prohibitions for child labour and for pregnant or breastfeeding women”.

Recalling that, under Article 1 of the Convention, the Government undertakes to secure to all those engaged in agriculture the same rights of association and combination as to industrial workers, the Committee requests the Government to indicate the legal provisions which ensure the application of this provision of the Convention.