Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2022, published 111st ILC session (2023)

Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) - Benin (Ratification: 2001)

The Committee notes the observations of the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) received on 29 August 2022, as well as those of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) received on 1 September 2022. It also notes the detailed discussion that was held by the Committee on the Application of Standards (the Conference Committee) at the 110th Session of the International Labour Conference (June 2022), regarding the application of the Convention by Benin, as well as of the Government’s report.

Article 6 of the Convention. Programmes of action. 1. National Plan of Action for the worst forms of child labour in Benin. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes the written information provided by the Government to the Conference Committee according to which several activities have been implemented as part of the National Action Plan to combat the worst forms of child labour (PAN) 2019–23. These include the review and updating of the list of hazardous work; the establishment of services to combat child labour in the 12 departments of Benin; and the preparation of the procedure and protocol document for the monitoring of child labour. The Committee requests the Government to provide information, in its next report, on the impact of the measures taken under the PAN regarding the worst forms of child labour, as well as on the action taken for the renewal of the PAN after 2023.

2. National policy against trafficking of persons. The Committee notes that the Government representative informed the Conference Committee of the development and implementation of a national policy to combat trafficking of persons for 2022–31, with its plan of action for 2022–26. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken within the framework of the policy and plan of action, as well as on their impact on the protection of children of under 18 years of age against sale and trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation and for work.

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. The Committee notes that the Conference Committee urged the Government to ensure access to free basic education for all children, particularly from poor and disadvantaged families, particularly girls and children in rural areas.

The Committee notes the observations of the ITUC, according to which increasing the means of the education system is fundamental to protecting children from the worst forms of child labour. Indeed, according to a December 2021 UNICEF report on factors affecting the educational progression of children, by gender, despite significant progress made over recent years, Benin still has a low completion rate for primary and above all for secondary level education, especially for girls. Such factors include a lack of access to schools, direct and opportunity costs, social norms, the lack of apprenticeship, and insufficient second chance programmes.

In this regard, the Committee notes the information provided by the Government concerning the range of action taken by the Ministry of Nursery and Primary Education, which includes the construction and rehabilitation of thousands of classrooms between 2017 and 2021; maintenance of the policy of moving towards free access through transfer of school fees to the State; distribution of free school support kits to learners and vulnerable pupils; maintenance of the policy of extending school canteens from the current 75 per cent coverage to 100 per cent coverage by 2026. With regard to the Ministry of Secondary and Technical Education and Vocational Training, the Committee notes the exemption of girls from the first cycle of secondary education and the donation, with UNICEF support, of 28,344 school support kits for girls in classes 5 and 6 in the Alibori, Borgou and Zou departments. Considering that education plays a key role in preventing children from engaging in the worst forms of child labour, the Committee requests the Government to continue intensifying its efforts to improve the functioning of the educational system in the country, by measures particularly directed at increasing the school completion rate, especially for girls. It requests the Government to continue to communicate information on the measures taken in this respect and on the results obtained.

Clause (d). Identification of children at special risk. HIV/AIDS orphans. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes the written information provided by the Government to the Conference Committee according to which the protection of orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs) is ensured at institutional level by capacity building for social workers working in the Social Protection Centres (SPCs), and at the technical level by the provision of support kits for school and apprenticeship for highly vulnerable OVCs, monitoring of the schooling of OVCs by the SPCs, and advocacy with communal authorities to take account of the needs of OVCs in communal development plans and the inclusion of a budget line to that effect. Recalling that OVCs are at greater risk of becoming involved in the worst forms of child labour, the Committee requests the Government to indicate the results achieved through implementation of these institutional and technical measures in terms of the numbers of OVCs, especially where their vulnerability is related to HIV/AIDS, that have been supported and thus protected from the worst forms of child labour.

Article 8. International cooperation and assistance. Regional cooperation concerning the sale and trafficking of children. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes that, according to the written information the Government provided to the Conference Committee, it is continuing its cooperation efforts with neighbouring countries with a view to bringing an end to the trafficking of children under 18 years of age. To that effect, Benin participated in the 14th Annual Review Meeting of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Regional Network of National Focal Institutions against Trafficking in Persons Plus. Furthermore, in addition to the agreements already signed, of which the most recent are those between Benin and Gabon and Benin and Togo-Burkina Faso of 2020, a Benin – Ghana agreement is being finalized. The Committee again encourages the Government to continue its cooperation with neighbouring countries with a view to preventing the trafficking of children under 18 years of age. It requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken and results achieved in this respect, through the various international cooperation agreements signed.