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

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

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Article 3(d) and 4 of the Convention. Determination of hazardous work. The Committee takes good note of the adoption of Order No. 1556/MFPTRAPS of 22 May 2020, replacing Order No. 1464/MTEFP/DGTLS of 12 November 2007, determining hazardous work prohibited for persons of less than 18 years of age. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the application in practice of Order No. 1556/MFPTRAPS, including the number and nature of violations detected in respect of the performance of hazardous work prohibited for children of less than 18 years of age and the penalties imposed.

Article 6. Programmes of action to eliminate the worst forms of child labour. The Committee takes good note of the Government’s report, of the implementation of political, social economic, and institutional action to eliminate all the worst forms of child labour under the National Action Plan to combat child labour 2020–24. The Government adds that between 2021 and 2023, various activities including training, awareness-raising and communication, were carried out, and more than 75,000 people were made aware of the worst forms of child labour.

The Committee also observes that, according to the consideration of the reports of States Parties of the Committee on the Rights of the Child at its ninety-fourth session, in reply to the list of issues concerning the fifth and sixth periodic report of 2 August 2023 (CRC/C/TGO/RQ/5-6), the Government provided information on the programmes to support child victims of the worst forms of child labour, including: (1) in the commune of Lomé, protection and rehabilitation was provided to a total of 613 children under 15 years of age at risk (472 girls and 141 boys; (2) in the town of Lomé, the withdrawal of a total of 479 girls from domestic work to receive protection and schooling; (3) the construction and fitting out of schools in five rural localities to benefit a total of 938 children (452 girls and 486 boys), and (4) the establishment of a system for prevention to support children at risk in the areas of Sotouboua and d’Agou. The Committee requests the Government to continue to take measures to protect children from the worst forms of child labour and ensure their rehabilitation and social integration.It requests the Government to continue to provide detailed information on the progress made in implementing the National Action Plan 2020–24.

Article 7(2). Effective and time-bound measures, Clause (a). Preventing the engagement of children in the worst forms of child labour. The Committee notes the statistical data in the Government’s report concerning the school enrolment, completion, and drop-out rates according to an urban–rural typology at primary and secondary levels, disaggregated by sex and region. The Committee observes a major disparity between regions of the country, between rural or urban areas and between girls and boys, principally in the upper secondary cycle. It also notes relatively low completion rates in the first secondary cycle (58.2 per cent for boys and 58.4 per cent for girls), and in the upper secondary cycle (32.8 per cent for boys and 23.6 per cent for girls – 28.2 per cent overall).

The Committee notes from the report of the National Action Plan 2020–24 that certain action was foreseen with a view to improving access to and maintenance in education and training for children at risk, or victims of the worst forms of child labour: (1) improving schooling of children at risk or victims; (2) integration of subjects related to the worst forms of child labour into teachers’ training; (3) creation of bridges for children in vulnerable situations; and (4) extension of school canteens to cover areas at risk. The Committee requests the Government to send information on results obtained through implementation of the National Action Plan in improving the functioning of the education system and increasing attendance and completion rates and reducing the drop-out rate for all children, especially those in rural areas. It also requests the Government to provide information on results obtained as well as to continue providing updated statistical data on school attendance and drop-out rates at primary and secondary levels, disaggregated by gender and age.

Article 8. International cooperation and assistance. Regional cooperation relating to the sale and trafficking of children. The Committee notes the signing in December 2019 of the Tripartite Cooperation Agreement on combatting the trafficking and displacement of children by Benin, Burkina Faso and Togo.

Likewise, the Committee notes the information provided by the Government in relation to the trafficking of persons, including: (1) the upcoming bilateral cooperation agreement on trafficking in persons between the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and other related questions of Nigeria (NAPTiP) and the Committee on Trafficking of Togo; and 2) the regional project to Support the Fight Against Human Trafficking in the States of the Gulf of Guinea (Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo)n preparation since 2019. The Committee requests the Government to pursue its efforts to cooperate with the countries signatory to the above multilateral agreements. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on the progress made to conclude the bilateral agreements with Nigeria to combat the trafficking of children, as well as on the results achieved from the various bilateral and multilateral agreements already in place.

Poverty reduction. The Committee notes from the annual performance report of the Ministry of Grassroots Development, Youth and Youth Employment, referenced in the Government’s report, that projects have been undertaken on essential programmes aimed at reducing extreme poverty and at eliminating the worst forms of child labour. A total of 94,712 students have received hot meals in 337 schools, representing an 8 per cent coverage of total students in public pre-school and primary education. Furthermore, provision has been made for a cash transfer for an amount of more than 1.08 billion CFA francs to 61,000 poor households.

It also notes the adoption of Decree No. 2021-061/PR of 26 May 2021 regulating the implementation of Act No. 2020-007 of 26 June 2020 on school meals, in order to contribute to the reduction of poverty and to combat the worst forms of child labour. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide detailed information on the implementation of poverty reduction programmes and to communicate information on all significant impacts of the implementation of such social policies on the elimination of the worst forms of child labour.