Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2014, published 104th ILC session (2015)

Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) - Central African Republic (Ratification: 2000)

Article 3 of the Convention. Worst forms of child labour. Clause (a). All forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery. Sale and trafficking of children. In its previous comments, the Committee, while noting the adoption of new provisions which prohibit and establish penalties for the sale and trafficking of children, observed that this worst form of child labour is still a problem in practice, since children from the Central African Republic are the victims of trafficking for the purposes of forced labour and commercial sexual exploitation, and for work in agriculture, domestic service, diamond mines, street trading and prostitution.

The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the statistics on the number and nature of offences reported in relation to the sale and trafficking of children are not available at present, owing to the instability prevailing in the country. The Committee requests the Government once again to take the necessary measures to ensure the protection of young persons under 18 years of age against the sale and trafficking of children. It expresses the hope that the Government will take steps to ensure that information is available as soon as possible on the application in practice of the 2010 Penal Code, including statistics on the number and nature of reported violations, investigations, prosecutions, convictions and criminal penalties imposed. It requests the Government to provide information in its next report on progress made in this respect.

Article 4(1). Determination of hazardous types of work. As regards the adoption of a list of hazardous types of work, the Committee refers to its detailed comments on the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138).

Article 7(2). Effective and time-bound measures. Clause (d). Children at special risk. 1. Street children and other vulnerable children. In its previous comments the Committee noted that a number of children lived and worked in the streets in the Central African Republic. It observed that a National Council for the Protection of Children (CNPE) had been set up, with the mandate of assisting the Government with coordination, support, advice, monitoring and evaluation of policies and strategies for the protection of children.

The Committee observes that the Government has not provided any information on this matter in its report. Considering that street children and other vulnerable children are at particular risk of exposure to the worst forms of child labour, the Committee urges the Government once again to take immediate and effective measures to protect these children from the worst forms of child labour. It also requests the Government to send information on any measures adopted to this end by the CNPE.

2. Orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs), including HIV/AIDS orphans. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that a strategic national framework to combat HIV/AIDS, drawn up in collaboration with UNAIDS, is designed to support OVCs cared for by national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), which seek to reintegrate them in society. The Committee notes that, according to UNAIDS estimates for 2013, there are some 110,000 HIV/AIDS orphans in the Central African Republic.

The Committee again notes with concern the large number of HIV/AIDS orphans in the Central African Republic. Recalling that children orphaned as a result of HIV/AIDS and other vulnerable children are at particular risk of becoming involved in the worst forms of child labour, the Committee urges the Government to intensify its efforts to protect these children from the worst forms of child labour, including by ensuring that the strategic national framework to combat HIV/AIDS is adopted and implemented as soon as possible. It requests the Government once again to send information on specific measures taken in this respect and the results achieved.

Article 8. International cooperation and assistance. Poverty reduction. In its previous comments the Committee observed that, according to the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) plan for the consolidation of peace and development aid in the Central African Republic for 2012–16, adopted in May 2011, the objectives of this plan include quality education for all and improved access for the most vulnerable children and young persons to services providing protection against violence, exploitation, abuse, discrimination and negligence. Noting the lack of information in the Government’s report, the Committee requests the Government once again to provide information on any significant impact of the implementation of the UNDAF plan on the elimination of the worst forms of child labour.

Application of the Convention in practice. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that, in the present context of ongoing political and military crisis, it is not in a position to supply accurate information and statistics on trends in the worst forms of child labour in the country. The Government indicates that measures to this end will be proposed to the Committee, once the situation in the Central African Republic has returned to normal. The Committee expresses the hope once again that the Government will be in a position to provide statistics and information in its next report on the nature, extent and trends of the worst forms of child labour, the number of children covered by the measures giving effect to the Convention, the number and nature of reported violations, investigations, prosecutions, convictions and criminal penalties imposed. All information provided should, as far as possible, be disaggregated by age and sex.