Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2023, published 112nd ILC session (2024)

Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) - Sierra Leone (Ratification: 2011)

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Articles 3(a) and 7(1) of the Convention. Worst forms of child labour and penalties. Trafficking in children. The Committee notes with interest, from the Government’s report, the adoption of the Anti-Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Act, 2022, which replaces and repeals the Anti-Human Trafficking Act, 2005. The new Act provides for more dissuasive penalties, including not less than 25 years’ imprisonment for persons convicted of trafficking (section 12). The Committee notes, however, that the Government does not reply to its previous requests for statistical information on the number and nature of offences reported, investigations, prosecutions, convictions and penal sanctions imposed regarding the trafficking of children under 18 years. It notes, from the Government’s report on the application of the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138), that the Government is working on collecting data on court decisions. The Committee requests the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that thorough investigations and prosecutions of offenders are carried out and sufficiently effective and dissuasive penalties are applied in practice. The Committee also requests the Government to collect and provide information on the application of the Anti-Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Act in practice, including statistics on the number and nature of offences reported, investigations, prosecutions, convictions and penal sanctions imposed regarding the trafficking of children under 18 years.

Articles 3(d) and 4(1). Hazardous work and determination of types of hazardous work. Concerning the adoption of the list of hazardous types of work and determination of the types of hazardous work, the Committee refers to its detailed comments under the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138).

Article 5. Monitoring mechanisms. National Task Force on Anti-Human Trafficking. The Committee notes that the Government merely repeats the information previously provided, namely that: (1) training has been widely conducted for border patrol agents; (2) a Family Support Unit within the Sierra Leone police force has been established across the country to deal with matters relating to offences against children and young persons; and (3) it established a Fast-Track Court for Sexual Offences (Sexual Offence Mobile Court). The Committee further notes, that the Anti-Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Act, in its sections 2 to 10, sets out the responsibilities and functions of the National Task Force on Anti-Human Trafficking, including: implementing and enforcing the Act; receiving and investigating reports of activities of human trafficking; monitoring migration patterns; initiating measures to inform and educate the public about the causes and consequences of human trafficking; collecting, storing and publishing data on human trafficking; cooperating with foreign governments; advising the Government; assisting victims; and publishing its annual report. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the activities of, and results achieved by, the National Anti-Task Force on Human Trafficking to combat trafficking in children, including on the specific measures taken to: (i) implement the Anti-Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Act; (ii) investigate reports of child trafficking; (iii) raise awareness among the public on the causes and consequences of trafficking in children; (iv) collect and publish data on trafficking in children; and (v) collaborate with other governmental agencies to this end. It also requests the Government to provide a copy of the annual report of the Task Force. The Committee once again requests the Government to: (i) provide information on the scope, functions and operationalization of the Family Support Unit of the Sierra Leone police; and (ii) indicate if the Sexual Offence Mobile Court has allowed for the prosecution of cases of trafficking in children.

National Technical Steering Committee, Child Welfare Committees and National Commission for Children. Noting the absence of information provided by the Government, the Committee once again requests it to: (i) strengthen national, state, district and community level monitoring mechanisms to combat trafficking in children; and (ii) provide information on the activities of the National Commission for Children, and the National Technical Steering Committee on preventing and combating trafficking in children, as well as the results achieved.

The Committee is raising other matters in a request addressed directly to the Government.