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

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

The Committee notes with deep concern that the Government’s report has not been received. It is therefore bound to repeat its previous comments. The Committee informs the Government that, if it has not supplied replies to the points raised by 1 September 2024, then it may proceed with the examination of the application of the Convention on the basis of the information at its disposal at its next session.

Repetition

Article 3(a) of the Convention. Worst forms of child labour. Sale and trafficking of children. The Committee previously noted the adoption of the Transnational Organized Crime (Prevention and Control) Act in 2011, section 8 of which criminalizes the trafficking of persons for the purposes of labour and sexual exploitation.

The Committee takes due note of the Government’s information in its report that the Transnational Organized Crime (Prevention and Control) Act of 2011 was repealed and replaced by the Trafficking in Persons Prevention Act 2016-9, which contains comprehensive provisions addressing the issue of trafficking. According to section 4, the trafficking of children for labour and sexual exploitation is punishable by a fine of 2 million Barbadian dollars (BBD) (about US$990,099), life imprisonment or both. The Committee notes, however, that according to the Government’s written replies to the list of issues of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) of 2017, since 2015, no new arrests and charges have been made in relation to trafficking (CEDAW/C/BRB/Q/5-8/Add.1, paragraph 52). In its concluding observations of 2017, the CEDAW expressed its concern that Barbados remains both a source and a destination country for women and girls, including non-nationals, who are subjected to trafficking for purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labour, as a result of high unemployment, increasing levels of poverty and the weak implementation of anti-trafficking legislation. The CEDAW was also concerned about the lack of information on the number of complaints, investigations, prosecutions and convictions related to the trafficking of women and girls (CEDAW/C/BRB/CO/5-8, paragraph 25). The Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) similarly expressed its concern at the high level of internal trafficking of children, the lack of information on the situation in general and the lack of effective measures to address and prevent the sale and trafficking of children in its concluding observations of 2017 (CRC/C/BRB/CO/2, paragraph 58). The Committee therefore requests the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure the effective implementation of the Trafficking in Persons Prevention Act 2016-9, particularly in relation to the trafficking of children. It also requests the Government to provide information on the application of section 4 of the Act in practice, including the number and nature of offences reported, investigations, prosecutions, convictions and penal sanctions imposed.

Articles 3(d) and 4(1). Determination of hazardous work. The Committee previously noted that, while section 8(1) of the Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act prohibits the employment of a young person in any work that by its nature or the circumstances in which it is done is likely to cause injury to his/her health, safety or morals, the national legislation does not contain a determination of these types of work, as required under Article 4(1) of the Convention. The Government indicated that the formulation of a list of types of hazardous work prohibited to persons under 18 years of age was being considered. The Committee also noted that the Safety and Health at Work Act 2005 entered into force in January 2013 and that draft regulations under the provisions of this were forwarded for comments to the representative employers’ and workers’ organizations.

The Committee notes the Government’s repeated indication that the types of hazardous work prohibited to persons under 18 years of age are addressed in specific pieces of legislation, including the Factories Act, the Pesticide Control Regulations, the Protection of Children Act and the Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act. However, the Committee observes that these provisions together do not constitute a comprehensive determination of the types of hazardous work prohibited for persons under 18 years of age. The Committee also notes the Government’s statement that none of the draft regulations under the Safety and Health at Work Act deal with this issue. Considering that it has been referring to this issue since 2004, the Committee must express its deep concern at the absence of a comprehensive list of the types of hazardous work prohibited for children. The Committee once again draws the Government’s attention to Article 4(1) of this Convention, according to which the types of work referred to under Article 3(d) must be determined by national laws or regulations or by the competent authority, taking into consideration relevant international standards, in particular Paragraph 3 of the Worst Forms of Child Labour Recommendation, 1999 (No. 190). The Committee therefore urges the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that the determination of types of hazardous work prohibited for persons under the age of 18 is included in national legislation, after consultation with the organizations of employers and workers concerned, and to provide information on any progress made in this regard.

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

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