Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2019, published 109th ILC session (2021)

Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) - Sudan (Ratification: 2003)

The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that the next report will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous comments.

Repetition

Article 4(1) of the Convention. Determination of hazardous work. With regard to the adoption of the list of hazardous types of work, the Committee refers to its detailed comments under the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138).

Article 5. Monitoring mechanisms. In its previous comments, the Committee noted that a department of inspection and labour legislation has been established within the Ministry of Labour, tasked with investigating and monitoring child labour and the application of relevant legislation.

The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the role of the labour inspection department was strengthened, and that in May 2013, 50 inspectors in different regions of the country were trained in child labour inspection, through the ILO–TACKLE Project. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken to strengthen the capacity of the labour inspectorate in order to combat the worst forms of child labour in the country. The Committee also requests the Government to supply information on the results achieved.

Article 7(2). Effective and time-bound measures. Clause (a). Measures to prevent the engagement of children in the worst forms of child labour. Access to free basic education. In its previous comments, the Committee noted that the Ministry of Education was developing a five-year education plan. It also noted that according to the Country Analysis of 2012 of the United Nations Country Team, while there had been an increase in the primary enrolment rate, 3.3 million children remain out of school and persistent gender inequalities and wide geographical disparities exist: 62 per cent of the out of school children are girls, and 84 per cent are from rural areas.

The Committee notes the Government’s indication that free and compulsory education is embedded in the legislation (Constitution and Child Act). However, there is still a gap between the legislation and its implementation. To this end, the Ministry of Education has adopted a series of measures to facilitate access to education, including: (i) the private education strategy for 2009–16; (ii) the educational strategy in Darfur for 2009–16; (iii) a strategy on children who are not enrolled in school for 2009–16; and (iv) a strategy on children who are out of school. Moreover, the Committee notes the statistical information provided by the Ministry of Public Education, according to which school enrolment rates increased from 57.5 per cent to 73 per cent during the period from 2000–15. Pre school education enrolment rates also increased from 18.3 per cent to 39.9 per cent during the period from 2001–13, while enrolment rates in secondary schools increased from 24.1 per cent to 37.1 per cent during the same period. In addition, the Government indicates that a programme for girls’ education was developed on the basis of UNICEF reports. The expedited education programme was provided to more than 10,800 school children, including 52 per cent of girls. Eighty trainers received training in the Blue Nile province to increase their capacities in providing effective services in pre-school education. Considering that education is key to preventing the engagement of children in the worst forms of child labour, the Committee encourages the Government to intensify its efforts to improve the functioning of the education system in the country. In this regard, it requests the Government to provide information on the specific measures taken in the context of the various education strategies mentioned above which aim at increasing school attendance rates and reducing school drop-out rates, and the results achieved.

Clause (d). Identifying and reaching out to children at special risk. Street children. In its previous comments, the Committee noted that according to the Country Analysis of 2012 of the United Nations Country Team, the thousands of children living on the streets in Sudan still constituted the largest group of separated and unaccompanied children in the country.

The Committee notes the Government’s indication that, since 2009, a national policy had been developed to address the phenomenon of street children. The Government also indicates that the provinces of Khartoum and of South Kodofan have focused on street children, by establishing a strong social welfare system aimed at protecting vulnerable children. A modern and precise data base was also established on the number of children who were separated from their families, and who were reunited with their families. The Government further states that street children were registered in the expedited education programme and in the vocational training programmes. Children above 12 years of age as well as street children also benefited from the abovementioned programmes. Training services have been provided to street children, and income-generating projects for poor families were also funded. The Committee requests the Government to continue to take effective and time-bound measures to protect children living and working on the street from the worst forms of child labour, and to provide information on the measures taken to ensure the rehabilitation and the integration of these children, as well as the progress achieved in this regard.