Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2018, published 108th ILC session (2019)

Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) - Lao People's Democratic Republic (Ratification: 2005)

Article 6 of the Convention. Programmes of action. National Plan of Action on Human Trafficking. The Committee notes from the report of the National Commission for the Advancement of Women and Mothers and Children (NCAW-MC) on the Implementation of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography (OPSC) of 5 June 2018 (NCAW-MC report on the OPSC) that the National Plan of Action on Trafficking in Persons, 2016–2020 (NPA–TIP) seeks to protect victims of trafficking and to prevent people from becoming victims of trafficking. The NPA–TIP calls for: (i) continued awareness-raising campaigns on the negative impact of trafficking in persons; (ii) providing opportunities for safe internal and cross-border migration; (iii) providing vocational training, job opportunities and income generation for marginalized and vulnerable groups; (iv) supporting education for all and developing training manuals on human trafficking for students; (v) developing a national database on human trafficking; (vi) setting up a human trafficking hotline; (vii) strengthening the capacity of law enforcement officials in order to be able to identify victims of trafficking and prosecute cases; and (viii) awareness raising of law enforcement officials and relevant partners on child-sex tourism through training and development of a handbook on prevention of child-sex tourism. The NCAW-MC report on the OPSC further indicates that within the framework of this NPA–TIP, various awareness-raising measures on anti-trafficking in persons have been initiated through television, newspaper, radio and other media. Moreover, the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare (MLSW), with the support of the International Organization for Migration, conducted training of trainers for staff from the labour and social welfare, public security and education sectors in seven districts in the Khammouane, Vientiane and Oudomxay provinces. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the specific measures taken within the NPA–TIP to prevent and combat trafficking of children under 18 years of age and the results achieved.

Article 7(2). Effective and time-bound measures. Clause (a). Preventing the engagement of children in the worst forms of child labour. Access to free basic education. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s statement that it recognizes the importance of access to education for all children in order to contribute to socio-economic development and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The Committee notes from the document on the Education and Sports Sector Development Plan (2016–2020), (ESDP 2016–2020) that a number of strategies and policies have guided the education sector, including the Education Sector Development Framework (2009–15), the Education Sector Development Plan 2011–15, and the National Education for All 2015. Moreover, a number of sectoral policies and action plans such as the Inclusive Education Policy, the Teacher Education Strategy and the Action Plan, Policy on School Meals, and the Vocational Training Master Plan have all led to significant progress in the education sector. The Committee notes with interest that at the national level, the enrolment rate at the primary level reached 98.5 percent in 2015; the number of students graduating from primary education has increased from 130,871 in 2011 to 141,322 in 2015; the gender parity index has improved with a 0.97 ratio between boys and girls at the primary level; lower secondary gross enrolment rate has reached 78.1 per cent; the number of students graduating from the lower secondary education has increased to 77,471; and the number of students graduating from upper secondary education has increased to 47,967 in 2015. The Committee also notes from the combined periodic reports under the CRC, that the school drop-out rate in primary school has decreased from 7.8 per cent in 2011 to 5.2 per cent in 2015; in lower secondary school, from 11 per cent to 7.7 per cent; and in upper secondary school, from 10 per cent to 4.9 per cent.

The Committee notes that the ESDP 2016–2020 seeks to overcome the major challenges that the education system is facing, such as reducing drop-out and repetition rates at Grade 1, enhancing equity and improving learning outcomes. Accordingly, the ESDP 2016–2020 has set its focus, among others, on achieving compulsory primary education and expanding it to include lower secondary education; eradicating illiteracy across all ethnic groups; and expanding, strengthening and promoting secondary education and technical and vocational education. Considering that education is key in preventing the engagement of children in the worst forms of child labour, the Committee strongly encourages the Government to pursue its efforts, within the framework of the ESDP 2016–2020, to improve the functioning of the national education system by increasing the enrolment and completion rates and reducing drop-out rates at the primary and secondary level. It requests the Government to provide information on the concrete measures taken in this regard and on the results achieved, disaggregated, where possible, by age and gender.

Clause (b). Direct assistance for the removal of children from the worst forms of child labour and providing for their rehabilitation and social integration. Trafficking. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s information that it has taken measures to provide for the assistance and rehabilitation of victims of trafficking. The Committee notes from the combined periodic reports under the CRC that the MLSW and the Lao Women’s Union, as well as centres run by INGOS and civil society organizations (CSOs), provide shelter and services for victims of trafficking. Accordingly, from 2011 to 2015, the MLSW provided assistance to 555 child victims of trafficking who were repatriated from Thailand, China, Malaysia and Indonesia. Of these, 18 children were provided temporary shelter, food, education and counselling on life skills; 242 children were provided vocational training; and 134 children were provided medical assistance, vocational training and were reintegrated into families and schools.

The Committee also notes from the NCAW–MC report on the OPSC that in accordance with a Memorandum of Understanding with Thailand, the MLSW dealt with 82 child victims of trafficking in 2016 and 21 child victims in 2017. It also notes from this report that the Government has adopted the Coordinated Mekong Ministerial Initiative against Trafficking Guidelines on victim identification and referral mechanisms with special attention to child victims of trafficking. Accordingly, in 2016, the Ministry of Public Security provided training on victim identification and assistance to 95 anti-trafficking law enforcement personnel in all 18 provinces. The Committee requests the Government to pursue its efforts to ensure that child victims of trafficking are provided with appropriate support services for their repatriation, rehabilitation and social integration. It requests the Government to continue to provide information on the implementation of the measures taken in this regard, including on the number of child victims of trafficking who have been reached by these services.

Clause (d). Children at special risk. Street children. The Committee notes from the NCAW-MC report on the OPSC that the MLSW, in partnership with Friends-International (Peuan Mit), is operating a Child-Safe Movement which provides a safety network for children living and working on the streets. According to this report, in 2016–17, Peuan Mit launched an awareness-raising campaign on the risks that children are facing and also to train vulnerable communities on how to protect children from specific risks. Accordingly, 423 community members and 41 local authorities received training on protection of children from these risks. Recalling that children who live and work on the streets are particularly at risk for engagement in the worst forms of child labour, the Committee requests the Government to pursue its efforts to protect this vulnerable group, and to continue to provide information on the steps taken in this regard and the results achieved.