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

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

The Committee notes the observations of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), received on 1 September 2021. It also notes the detailed discussion held at the 110th Session of the Conference Committee on the Application of Standards (Conference Committee) in June 2022 on the application of the Convention by the Central African Republic, and the Government’s report.

Articles 3(a) and 7(1) of the Convention. Worst forms of child labour and penalties. All forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery. Sale and trafficking of children. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its report according to which it has established, through Decree No. 20.077 of 13 March 2022, a National Committee to Combat Trafficking in Persons in the Central African Republic, under the authority of the President of the Republic. The Government adds that a new Act to combat trafficking in persons was adopted in August 2022, which will enable the authorities to prosecute and convict any act related to the exploitation of persons in the country. Furthermore, an Operational Plan of Action 2022–23 has been adopted and will enable the Government and all the actors concerned to continue the implementation of the strategic vision designed around the four Ps: (i) prevention; (ii) protection; (iii) prosecution; and (iv) partnership. The Committee therefore observes that the Government appears to have adopted all the elements necessary to be able to take effective action to combat impunity in cases of trafficking in persons, including children under 18 years of age, for sexual and commercial exploitation. The Committee therefore urges the Government to pursue its efforts to ensure that any person who engages in the trafficking of children is subject to in-depth investigations and robust prosecution, and that sufficiently effective and dissuasive penalties are imposed. In this regard, the Committee urges the Government to provide information on the number of investigations, prosecutions, convictions and criminal penalties imposed for the crime of trafficking in persons under 18 years of age in accordance with section 151 of the Penal Code and/or the new Act of 2022 to combat trafficking in persons. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on the impact of the Operational Plan of Action 2022-23 and the National Committee to Combat Trafficking in Persons in improving the prosecution of persons engaged in the trafficking of children.

Article 6. Programmes of action and application of the Convention in practice. The Committee notes that the Conference Committee recommended the Government to develop a multidisciplinary time-bound action plan, with ILO technical assistance and in close cooperation with the social partners and other relevant civil society organizations, with relevant competences and expertise, including UNICEF. The Conference Committee also requested the Government to seek further ILO technical assistance to make progress towards the full eradication of the worst forms of child labour in accordance with the Convention and to build the capacity of the tripartite constituents to help achieve that goal.

In this regard, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that it signed an annual work plan with UNICEF in July 2022 on priority action for the protection of children and to combat the worst forms of child labour, and for the adoption of a social protection policy. The Government adds that it also received an ILO proposal in July 2022 for a work plan for priority action to contribute to the significant reduction of the worst forms of child labour by 2025. The ILO also provided support to the Government in May 2022 for a study on the extension of the Decent Work Country Programme, in partnership with employers’ and workers’ organizations. The Committee encourages the Government to continue its efforts and expresses the hope that, in the context of its collaboration with UNICEF and the ILO, a multidisciplinary time-bound action plan for the protection of children under 18 years of age from the worst forms of child labour will be formulated and adopted in the near future. It requests the Government to provide information on the progress achieved in this regard, and on any measures adopted or envisaged to produce an overview of the worst forms of child labour in the country, including their nature, extent and trends.

Article 7(2). Effective and time-bound measures. Clause (d). Children at special risk. 1. Street children. The Committee notes with regret the absence of information in the Government’s report on the measures adopted to ensure the protection of street children against being engaged in the worst forms of child labour, including in relation to the recommendation made by the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for children in armed conflict that an inter-ministerial committee on child protection should be established. Recalling that children living or working in the streets are at special risk of the worst forms of child labour, the Committee once again urges the Government to provide information on the measures or structures that exist or are envisaged to protect these children from the worst forms of child labour and to ensure their rehabilitation and social integration. It once again requests the Government to provide information on the number of children living or working in the streets who have been identified and have received assistance for their rehabilitation and social integration.

2. Child HIV/AIDS orphans and other vulnerable children (OVC). Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes the absence of information in the Government’s report on the measures adopted for the protection of OVC against the worst forms of child labour. However, the Committee is encouraged by the fact that the number of OVC due to HIV/AIDS appears to be continuing to fall: according to UNAIDS estimates for 2021, the number of child HIV/AIDS orphans is now 81,000 (compared with 87,000 in 2020). The Committee reiterates its previous recommendations and once again encourages the Government to continue its efforts to ensure that HIV/AIDS orphans and other vulnerable children are protected from the worst forms of child labour. It requests the Government to provide information on the specific measures taken in this regard, including within the framework of the National HIV Strategic Plan for 2021-25, which the Committee noted previously, and any other relevant measures.

Article 8. International cooperation and assistance. Poverty reduction. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes the information provided by the Government on the projects adopted to provide support to the population of the Central African Republic in several areas, including: (i) the technical support provided for informal economy actors by the Assistance Centre for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and Artisans (CAPMEA), which provides financial support and advice to small and medium-sized enterprises and artisans with a view to their registration with social welfare institutions; (ii) the project to support the development of agricultural value chains in the savanna (PADECAS) 2019–23, which contributes to improving the food and nutritional security of 31,120 households, including vulnerable households; and (iii) the support project for the recovery of agricultural and the development of commercial agriculture (PRADAC), which is intended to increase the agricultural productivity of small farmers, strengthen the capacities of micro, small and medium-sized agro-food enterprises and offer an immediate and effective response in the event of crises or critical situations. The interventions envisaged by these projects will contribute to the emergence of the agro-food sector and will lead to the reduction of poverty in rural areas, thereby contributing to breaking the vicious circle of recurrent violence in the country. The Committee strongly encourages the Government to continue its poverty reduction efforts, which are essential for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour, and to provide information on the impact of the CAPMEA, PADECAS and PRADAC on the elimination of the worst forms of child labour, and on any other international collaboration project for the reduction of poverty and the worst forms of child labour.