Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2015, published 105th ILC session (2016)

Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) - Mozambique (Ratification: 2003)

Article 1 of the Convention. National policy and application of the Convention in practice. The Committee notes the information available from ILO–IPEC that the Government, with the support of UNICEF, has finalized and approved the National Action Plan for Children (PNAC II) for the period 2013–19. Nine areas of implementation of the PNAC II have been identified. These include increasing the number of child beneficiaries of basic social protection and reducing the number of children involved in child labour. In addition, within the framework of the Mozambique Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP), the Ministry of Labour, in collaboration with representatives of other key government departments and social partners, is in the process of formulating a National Action Plan to eliminate child labour. The Committee expresses the firm hope that the National Action Plan to eliminate child labour will be developed, adopted and implemented in the near future. It requests the Government to provide information on any progress made in this regard. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on the implementation of the PNAC II and the results achieved in terms of the number of child beneficiaries of basic social protection as well as the number of children withdrawn from child labour. Finally, the Committee requests the Government to supply statistics relating to the employment of children and young persons.

Labour inspection. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s information that in 2014, 8,736 establishments, mainly in the commerce, service, industry and construction sectors were inspected and a total of 18 underage workers were identified. It also notes the Government’s indication that a total of 10,989 violations of various legal provisions were detected and fines were imposed for 3,233 violations, while official warnings were issued in respect of the remaining violations. Furthermore, the Government indicates that, of the 138 officials of the labour inspectorate, 22 inspectors underwent training in 2014. The Committee notes, however, the Government’s statement that the number of inspectors continues to be insufficient considering the number of establishments and increasing number of labour disputes in Mozambique. The Committee requests the Government to take the necessary measures, including through the allocation of additional resources, to adapt and strengthen the general labour inspectorate, in order to ensure that the protection established by the Convention is afforded to all children in the country. The Committee also requests the Government to continue providing information on the number of inspections carried out, the number and nature of violations relating to the employment of children and young persons detected, and the penalties imposed.