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

Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) - Mongolia (Ratification: 2002)

The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It is therefore bound to repeat its previous comments.

Repetition

Article 1 of the Convention. National policy and application of the Convention in practice. The Committee previously noted the outcomes of the National Programme for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour 2011–16 (the NAP–WFCL) indicated by the Government, including 694 cases of child labour identified, and the organization of training and awareness-raising events. It further noted that child labour rose from 7 per cent in 2002–03 to 16 per cent in 2011, according to the Understanding Children’s Work (UCW) project. The Committee requested the Government to continue its efforts to ensure the progressive abolition of child labour.

The Government indicates in its report that the National Programme for the Development and Protection of Children was adopted by resolution No. 270 of 20 September 2017. This programme, which will be implemented for the 2017–21 period, includes measures to eliminate child labour. The Government states that the Implementation Schedule for the National Programme for the Development and Protection of Children for 2018–19 was approved in 2018 by the Minister of Labour and Social Protection, the Minister of Education, Culture, Science and Sport, and the Minister of Health.

The Committee notes that, according to the 17th Status Report on Human Rights and Freedoms in Mongolia, issued in 2018 by the National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia, the Government expanded the child helpline service by resolution No. 55 of 2016, as an official service centre under the Authority for Family, Child and Youth Development. The Committee notes that the Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Protection indicated in its opening statement for the 75th Session of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on 25 May 2017 that the child helpline is a 24-hour call centre free of charge, with four channels. The centre receives 15,000 calls per month and provides necessary information and advice related to child protection and contributes to monitoring the receipt and processing of complaints by children.The Committee encourages the Government to pursue its efforts towards the progressive elimination of child labour and to provide information on the measures taken in this regard, including on the implementation of the National Programme for the Development and Protection of Children and on the impact of the child helpline service.

Article 2(1). Scope of application. Informal economy. In its previous comments, the Committee noted that the Labour Law excluded work performed outside the framework of a labour contract and self-employment from its scope of application. It noted that the definition provided in the new draft Labour Law did not cover work performed outside the framework of an employer/employee relationship or in the informal economy and requested the Government to modify its draft Labour Law to ensure that the protections provided are extended to children working outside of an employment relationship.

The Committee notes the Government’s indication that a parliamentary working group on the Labour Law revision has been appointed by the Parliament, in order to suggest proposals and conclusions prior to the discussion in the Parliament. The Government states that the working group is preparing proposals in order to provide legal protection to all workers, including children, in the Labour Law. The Committee notes that, according to the ILO’s information collected in the framework of the project on “Sustaining Generalised Scheme of Preferences-Plus (GSP+) Status by strengthened national capacities to improve International Labour Standards compliance and Reporting-Mongolia Phase 2 (GSP+3)”, the draft Labour Law extends labour protection to all cases where employment relations exist, regardless of the existence of an employment contract. It also notes that, according to the ILO’s information, the draft revised Labour Law will be discussed during the spring session of parliament, as of 5 April 2019.The Committee expresses the firm hope that the Government will take the necessary measures to ensure that the draft Labour Law does not fail to take into account the Committee’s comments, thus ensuring that all children working outside of an employment relationship, such as children working on their own account or in the informal economy, benefit from the protection laid down by the Convention. It requests the Government to provide a copy of the new law, once adopted.

Article 2(3). Age of completion of compulsory schooling. In its previous comments, the Committee had noted the contradictory provisions in various national laws which regulate the minimum age for admission to employment and the age of completion of education. It noted the Government’s indication that its legislation provides for nine years of compulsory schooling starting from the age of 6. The Government indicated that the draft Labour Law provides for the prohibition of employment to “(1) children less than 15 years of age and (2) those who have reached that age but who have not finished compulsory education”. The Committee accordingly requested the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that a provision linking the minimum age for admission to employment to the age of completion of compulsory schooling is included in the draft Labour Law.

The Committee notes the Government’s statement that the draft Labour Law is under review and that a parliamentary working group on the Labour Law revision has been appointed.The Committee expresses the firm hope that the revision of the Labour Law will include a provision linking the minimum age for admission to employment to the age of completion of compulsory schooling.

Article 7(1) and (3). Light work and determination of light work activities. The Committee previously noted the Government’s indication that the legislation concerning light work is included in the draft Labour Law which provides for regulations that will determine light work and hours and conditions in which minors may be employed. It urged the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that a provision regulating light work is adopted in the near future.

The Committee notes the Government’s indication that, in the framework of the revision of the Labour Law, light work which may be carried out by children will be regulated for the first time. The Committee notes that, according to the Final Narrative Report of the project GSP+3, the draft revised Labour Law allows children of 13 years of age and above to perform light work that has adequate occupational safety and health conditions with the permission of their legal representatives. The Committee recalls that, under Article 7(1)of the Convention, national laws or regulations may permit the employment or work of persons as from 13 years of age in light work which is: (a) not likely to be harmful to their health or development; and (b) not such as to prejudice their attendance at school, their participation in vocational training or training programmes approved by the competent authority or their capacity to benefit from the instruction received.The Committee expects the Government to take the necessary measures without delay to regulate light work and determine the types of light work activities that may be undertaken by children of 13 years of age and above, within the framework of the Labour Law review process. It requests the Government to provide a copy of the list of the types of light work permitted for children, once it has been adopted.

Article 8. Artistic performances. The Committee previously noted the Government’s indication that there is no law or policy limiting age and work hours for children working in artistic performances yet. It requested the Government to take the necessary measures to establish a system of individual permits to be granted for children under 15 years who work in activities such as artistic performances and to limit the hours during which, and prescribe the conditions in which, such employment or work is allowed.

The Committee notes the Government’s statement that, in the framework of the revision of the Labour Law, regulations for granting permits, limiting the number of hours during which, and prescribing the conditions in which children under the age of 15 are allowed to work in activities such as artistic performances, will be established.The Committee expresses the firm hope that the revision of the Labour Law will ensure the establishment of a system of individual permits to be granted for children under 15 years of age who work in activities such as artistic performances, in compliance with Article 8 of the Convention. It requests the Government to provide information in this respect.

Article 9(1). Penalties. The Committee previously noted that a draft of the revised version of the Criminal Code, which includes a criminal offence provision for persons employing children in the worst forms of child labour, was being reviewed by the Parliament. It requested the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that the draft Criminal Code establishes sufficiently effective and dissuasive penalties.

The Committee notes the absence of information on this point in the Government’s report. It notes the Government’s indication, in its report to the CRC, that a new Chapter “Crime against children” was added in the Criminal Code of 2015 (which entered into force on 1 July 2017), defining as a crime the intentional engagement of a child to conduct work that is physically and mentally harmful to him/her. The Committee notes that, pursuant to section 16.10 of the Criminal Code, this crime is punishable by a fine, community work, restriction of movements or imprisonment of six months to one year.The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the application of section 16.10 of the Criminal Code in practice, including information on the number of violations reported, the nature of the offences, and the penalties imposed.

Article 9(3). Keeping of registers. In its previous comments, the Committee noted that the national legislation does not contain provisions on the obligation of an employer to keep and make available the registers of persons under the age of 18 whom he/she employs. It noted that the draft regulations to the Labour Law prescribes that an employer must keep a record of “minor employees”, and requested the Government to ensure that the regulations will require employers to keep a register containing the name and age (or date of birth) of all persons under the age of 18 years whom they employ.

The Committee notes the Government’s indication that section 93.7 of the draft Labour Law requires the employer to keep a register of all children employed by him/her, including their name, date of birth, the work period and the conditions of work, and to inform, within ten days of the start of employment, the relevant state body responsible for labour and labour supervision. The Government further indicates that the draft Penalties Act has been amended in line with the draft revised Labour Law to impose penalties on employers who do not keep registers of children employed.The Committee expresses the firm hope that the draft Labour Law will be adopted without further delay, so as to be in line with Article 9(3) of the Convention, and requests the Government to send a copy of the Law once it has been adopted. It also requests the Government to indicate the penalties applicable to employers who fail to comply with the keeping of registers of children whom they employ and to provide information on the adoption of the draft Penalties Act.

The Committee expresses the firm hope that the Government will take into consideration the Committee’s comments while finalizing its draft legislation. In this regard, the Committee welcomes the ILO project financed by the European Union to support the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP+) beneficiary countries to effectively implement international labour standards targeting Mongolia.

The Committee hopes that the Government will make every effort to take the necessary action in the near future.