2019 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor: Côte d'Ivoire

 

In 2019, Côte d’Ivoire made a moderate advancement in efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. The government initiated 143 prosecutions related to the worst forms of child labor, and the Ministry of Justice issued a circular instructing law enforcement officials and the judiciary to fine, arrest, or prosecute perpetrators of child labor. In addition, the government officially adopted the National Action Plan for the Fight Against Trafficking, Exploitation, and Child Labor, which was developed in 2018. However, children in Côte d’Ivoire engage in the worst forms of child labor, including in the harvesting of cocoa and coffee, sometimes as a result of human trafficking. A lack of financial resources and personnel may have hindered labor law enforcement efforts. In addition, labor inspectors are not authorized to assess penalties.

I. Prevalence and Sectoral Distribution of Child Labor

Children in Côte d'Ivoire engage in the worst forms of child labor, including in the harvesting of cocoa and coffee, sometimes as a result of human trafficking. (1,2) According to a Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey conducted in 2016, 21.5 percent of children ages 5 to 17 are engaged in hazardous work. (3) Table 1 provides key indicators on children's work and education in Côte d'Ivoire. Data on some of these indicators are not available from the sources used in this report.

Table 1. Statistics on Children’s Work and Education

Children

Age

Percent

Working (% and population)

5 to 14

25.6 (Unavailable)

Attending School (%)

5 to 14

70.1

Combining Work and School (%)

7 to 14

21.8

Primary Completion Rate (%)

 

71.6

Source for primary completion rate: Data from 2017, published by UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2020. (4)
Source for all other data: International Labor Organization's analysis of statistics from Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 5, 2016. (5)

Based on a review of available information, Table 2 provides an overview of children's work by sector and activity.

Table 2. Overview of Children's Work by Sector and Activity

Sector/Industry

Activity

Agriculture

Production of cocoa, including burning† and clearing fields;† cutting down trees† to expand cocoa plantations; spraying pesticides;† harvesting, drying, and fermenting cocoa beans; using sharp tools to break pods;† and transporting heavy loads† of cocoa pods and water (1,2,6-12)

 

Production of cereals, pineapple, bananas, and coffee, including applying chemical fertilizers,† spraying pesticides,† cutting down trees,† and burning† and clearing fields† (2,6,13)

 

Production of palm oil, cashews, honey, and rubber (1,2)

 

Fishing, including deep sea diving;† repairing and hauling nets; cleaning,† salting, drying, descaling, and selling fish (1,2,13)

 

Production of charcoal† (1,6,12)

 

Forestry (15)

Industry

Mining,† including crushing and transporting stones, blasting rocks, digging, working underground, sieving, and extracting gold with mercury or cyanide (1,11,13,16,17)

 

Manufacturing, including repairing automobiles (13)

 

Construction,† activities unknown (13)

Services

Domestic work (2,3,11,13,18)

 

Working in transportation and carrying goods† (1,6,11,13)

 

Street vending and commerce (2,6,11,13)

 

Work in restaurants (2)

Categorical Worst Forms of Child Labor‡

Forced labor in mining, carpentry, construction, domestic work, street vending, restaurants, and agriculture, including in the production of cocoa, coffee, pineapple, cotton, and rubber, each sometimes as a result of human trafficking (6,19)

 

Commercial sexual exploitation, sometimes as a result of human trafficking (2)

 

Use in illicit activities, including drug trafficking (20)

 

Forced begging as talibés by Koranic teachers, sometimes as a result of human trafficking (21)

† Determined by national law or regulation as hazardous and, as such, relevant to Article 3(d) of ILO C. 182.
‡ Child labor understood as the worst forms of child labor per se under Article 3(a)–(c) of ILO C. 182.

Children from Côte d'Ivoire are subjected to human trafficking for forced labor in domestic work within the country and in Northern Africa. Children are also brought from neighboring West African countries to Côte d'Ivoire for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor, including in begging, cocoa production, and artisanal mining. (2,6,9,18)

School is mandatory for children ages 6 to 16 in Côte d'Ivoire. Although the Law on Education provides for free education, students are often required to pay for textbooks, school fees, or uniforms, which may be prohibitive to some families. (2,22-24) Identity documents are required for students to take entrance exams for secondary school, posing a barrier to continued education beyond primary level. (2,25) A shortage of teachers, poor school infrastructure, lack of transportation systems in rural areas, inadequate sanitation facilities, and violence have negatively impacted children's ability to attend school. (2) Research also suggests that some students are physically and sexually abused at school, which may deter some students from attending school. (2,24,26)

II. Legal Framework for Child Labor

Côte d'Ivoire has ratified all key international conventions concerning child labor (Table 3).

Table 3. Ratification of International Conventions on Child Labor

Convention

Ratification

ILO C. 138, Minimum Age

ILO C. 182, Worst Forms of Child Labor

UN CRC

UN CRC Optional Protocol on Armed Conflict

UN CRC Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography

Palermo Protocol on Trafficking in Persons

The government's laws and regulations are in line with relevant international standards (Table 4).

Table 4. Laws and Regulations on Child Labor

Standard

Meets International Standards

Age

Legislation

Minimum Age for Work

Yes

16

Article 23.2 of the Labor Code; Article 16 of the Constitution (27,28)

Minimum Age for Hazardous Work

Yes

18

Article 4 of the Prohibitions of Hazardous Work List (29)

Identification of Hazardous Occupations or Activities Prohibited for Children

Yes

 

Articles 5–11 of the Prohibitions of Hazardous Work List; Articles 6 and 19 of the Prohibition of Trafficking and the Worst Forms of Child Labor Law (29,30)

Prohibition of Forced Labor

Yes

 

Article 5 of the Constitution; Articles 7, 11–14, 20–23, and 26 of the Prohibition of Trafficking and the Worst Forms of Child Labor Law; Article 3 of the Labor Code (27,28,30)

Prohibition of Child Trafficking

Yes

 

Article 5 of the Constitution; Articles 11–12, 20–22, and 26 of the Prohibition of Trafficking and the Worst Forms of Child Labor Law; Article 370 of the Penal Code; Articles 4.4 and 6 of the Anti-Trafficking Law (27,30-32)

Prohibition of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children

Yes

 

Articles 8–9, 15, and 24–29 of the Prohibition of Trafficking and the Worst Forms of Child Labor Law; Articles 4.4 and 6 of the Anti-Trafficking Law (29,30,32)

Prohibition of Using Children in Illicit Activities

Yes

 

Articles 4 and 30 of the Prohibition of Trafficking and the Worst Forms of Child Labor Law (30)

Minimum Age for Voluntary State Military Recruitment

Yes

18

Article 56.4 of the Armed Forces Code; Articles 7–8 and 18 of the Law Determining the Conditions for Entering the Military (33,34)

Prohibition of Compulsory Recruitment of Children by (State) Military

Yes*

 

Article 56.4 of the Armed Forces Code (33)

Prohibition of Military Recruitment by Non-state Armed Groups

Yes

 

Articles 4 and 31 of the Prohibition of Trafficking and the Worst Forms of Child Labor Law (30)

Compulsory Education Age

Yes

16

Article 10 of the Constitution; Article 2.1 of the Law on Education (27,35,36)

Free Public Education

Yes

 

Article 2 of the Law on Education (36)

* No conscription (34,37,38)

The civil code is being revised to include more specific designations of the minimum age at which certain types of work can be performed. (2)

III. Enforcement of Laws on Child Labor

The government has established institutional mechanisms for the enforcement of laws and regulations on child labor (Table 5). However, gaps exist within the authority of the Ministry of Employment and Social Protection that may hinder adequate enforcement of their child labor laws.

Table 5. Agencies Responsible for Child Labor Law Enforcement

Organization/Agency

Role

Ministry of Employment and Social Protection (MEPS)

MEPS develops, proposes, and enforces all labor laws, including those related to child labor. (2,26) The Anti-Trafficking Unit, a Sub-Directorate, and the Ministry of Women, Family, and Children to provide support to victims of child trafficking and other forms of child labor. (2,18) MEPS implements the child labor monitoring system, Système d'Observation et de Suivi du Travail des Enfants en Côte d'Ivoire (SOSTECI), which enables communities to collect and analyze statistical data on the worst forms of child labor. (2,11,13) The General Labor Directorate in Abidjan coordinates the regional offices and their efforts to combat child labor. (20,39) On September 11, 2019, the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights issued Circular Note No. 006/MJDH instructing law enforcement and judges to fine, arrest, or prosecute all persons who do not respect national legislation regarding prohibitions against child labor, as well as parents who do not send their children to school as required by law. (2)

Ministry of Interior and Security

Through its Anti-Trafficking Unit, leads efforts to enforce criminal laws against child trafficking. Through its Mondaine Brigades, combats commercial sexual exploitation, including the exploitation of children. (2) Through its Unit for Combating Transnational Organized Crime, supports UNODC's West Africa Coast Initiative, which aims to improve cross-border cooperation to combat crimes, including human trafficking. (37,40)

Ministry of Defense

Through its National Gendarmes Force, investigates child labor violations in rural areas where there is no police presence. (2)

Ministry of Justice

Investigates and prosecutes crimes related to child labor, including its worst forms. Through its Directorate of Judicial Protection of Childhood and Youth, assists with investigations and implements the ministry's child protection policy. (2)

Ministry of Women, Family, and Children

Leads the government's efforts to combat human trafficking and implements a National Policy on Child Protection. (2,41) Maintains the 116 Allo hotline for child labor issues, and responds to complaints. (2,42) Provides support to child labor victims in coordination with MEPS. (2,43)

National Commission of Human Rights

Maintains a hotline for reporting human rights abuses. (2)

Ministry of Security and Civil Protection's Fight against Transnational Crimes

Combats drug trafficking, trafficking in persons, and trafficking of diamonds and protected species. Maintains a sub-unit for child trafficking and juvenile delinquency focused on cocoa-producing areas. (2)

Labor Law Enforcement

In 2019, labor law enforcement agencies in Côte d'Ivoire took actions to combat child labor (Table 6). However, gaps exist within the operations of the Ministry of Employment and Social Protection that may hinder adequate labor law enforcement, including the authority to assess penalties for violations.

Table 6. Labor Law Enforcement Efforts Related to Child Labor

Overview of Labor Law Enforcement

2018

2019

Labor Inspectorate Funding

$416,171 (15)

$307,400 (2)

Number of Labor Inspectors

292 (15)

258 (2)

Inspectorate Authorized to Assess Penalties

No (15)

No (2,44)

Initial Training for New Labor Inspectors

Yes (15)

Yes (2)

Training on New Laws Related to Child Labor

Yes (15)

Yes (2)

Refresher Courses Provided

Yes (15)

Yes (2)

Number of Labor Inspections Conducted

2,352 (45)

2,674 (46)

Number Conducted at Worksite

Unknown (15)

1,548‡ (2)

Number of Child Labor Violations Found

0 (15)

214 (2)

Number of Child Labor Violations for Which Penalties Were Imposed

N/A (15)

Unknown (2)

Number of Child Labor Penalties Imposed that Were Collected

N/A (15)

Unknown (2)

Routine Inspections Conducted

Yes (15)

Yes (2)

Routine Inspections Targeted

Yes (15)

Yes (2)

Unannounced Inspections Permitted

Yes (15)

Yes (2,44)

Unannounced Inspections Conducted

Yes (15)

Yes (2)

Complaint Mechanism Exists

Yes (15)

Yes (2)

Reciprocal Referral Mechanism Exists Between Labor Authorities and Social Services

Yes (15)

Yes (2)

‡ Data are from January 1, 2019 to September 30, 2019. (2)

The number of labor inspectors is likely insufficient for the size of Côte d'Ivoire's workforce, which includes approximately 8,747,000 workers. (47) According to the ILO's technical advice of a ratio approaching 1 inspector for every 15,000 workers in developing economies, Côte d'Ivoire would employ about 584 labor inspectors. (47,48) Labor inspectors are also tasked with dispute conciliation, which may detract from their primary duties of inspection. (28,49) The labor inspectorate suffers from a lack of resources, including insufficient staff, office facilities, and transportation. (26,49) As a result, the inspectors primarily focus on the formal sector, leaving the informal sector largely unregulated. (45,49)

During the reporting period, there was a decline in allocated budget as well as labor inspectors. According to Ministry of Labor, the decrease in labor inspectors is due to natural attrition. (46)

Criminal Law Enforcement

In 2019, criminal law enforcement agencies in Côte d'Ivoire took actions to combat child labor (Table 7).

Table 7. Criminal Law Enforcement Efforts Related to Child Labor

Overview of Criminal Law Enforcement

2018

2019

Initial Training for New Criminal Investigators

Yes (15)

Yes (2)

Training on New Laws Related to the Worst Forms of Child Labor

Yes (15)

Yes (2)

Refresher Courses Provided

Yes (15)

Yes (2)

Number of Investigations

191 (15)

131 (2)

Number of Violations Found

7 (15)

218 (2)

Number of Prosecutions Initiated

87 (15)

143 (2)

Number of Convictions

79 (15)

15 (2)

Imposed Penalties for Violations Related to The Worst Forms of Child Labor

Yes (15)

Unknown (2)

Reciprocal Referral Mechanism Exists Between Criminal Authorities and Social Services

Yes (15)

Yes (2)

In August of the reporting period, the Office of the First Lady donated cars and office supplies to the police. Research indicates that despite an increase in the number of violations identified and prosecutions initiated, the Anti-Trafficking Unit lacks the resources and personnel to adequately enforce criminal child labor laws throughout the country. (9,50,51) The government did not provide any additional details regarding the conviction of individual defendants nor the imposition of penalties. (2) There were some high profile arrests in 2019. (46)

IV. Coordination of Government Efforts on Child Labor

The government has established mechanisms to coordinate its efforts to address child labor (Table 8). However, gaps exist that hinder the effective coordination of efforts to address child labor, including coordination on data collection among ministries and between different regions.

Table 8. Key Mechanisms to Coordinate Government Efforts on Child Labor

Coordinating Body

Role & Description

National Monitoring Committee on Actions to Combat Trafficking, Exploitation, and Child Labor (CNS)

Supervises, monitors, and evaluates all government activities related to child labor and child trafficking, including making policy recommendations and harmonizing laws with international conventions. (2,50,51) Chaired by the First Lady of Côte d'Ivoire and comprises 16 international and domestic partners. (2,18,50,52)

Interministerial Committee on the Fight Against Trafficking, Exploitation, and Child Labor

Designs, coordinates, and implements all government actions to combat the worst forms of child labor, and monitors relevant programs implemented by partner organizations. (42,50,52,53) Chaired by MEPS, includes representatives from 12 other ministries. (18,50,52,53) Research shows this committee was active during the reporting period.

National Committee for the Fight Against Trafficking (CNLTP)

Formed in support of the 2016 Anti-Trafficking Law and chaired by the Prime Minister, aims to fight human trafficking throughout Côte d'Ivoire. Oversees the implementation of the National Action Plan and Strategy Against Human Trafficking, coordinates government efforts, and monitors implementation of all projects related to human trafficking. (54) Includes representation at the local level through dedicated units charged with implementing the National Action Plan and Strategy Against Human Trafficking. (54,55) The Ministry of Women, Family, and Children serves as the executive secretariat and the committee comprises 13 ministries. (20) Became fully operation in February 2019. (56) Research shows this committee was active during the reporting period. (46)

Office of the First Lady

The Ivoirian First Lady's office remains the key driver of the government's anti-trafficking efforts. (56) Engages with international partners on child labor issues in the cocoa trade and puts pressure on industry sourcing cocoa from Côte d'Ivoire to increase traceability. (56,57)

Coordination on data collection among ministries and between different regions remains a challenge. (20)

V. Government Policies on Child Labor

The government has established policies related to child labor (Table 9). However, policy gaps exist that hinder efforts to address child labor, including funding and mainstreaming child labor issues into relevant policies.

Table 9. Key Policies Related to Child Labor

Policy

Description

National Action Plan for the Fight Against Trafficking, Exploitation, and Child Labor (2019–2021)

Coordinated by CNS and the Interministerial Committee on the Fight Against Trafficking, Exploitation, and Child Labor, aims to significantly reduce the number of children engaged in the worst forms of child labor by building on best practices and improving on lessons learned from the implementation of previous national action plans. Priorities include increasing efforts to mobilize resources at the national level, reinforcing regional cooperation and public-private partnerships, incorporating worst forms of child labor considerations into national and sector-specific programming, and reinforcing the monitoring and evaluation of the national strategy for the fight against human trafficking and the worst forms of child labor. (58) Officially adopted in June 2019 and received approval for a budget of $132 million, although the full amount was not disbursed during the reporting period. (2)

2010 Declaration of Joint Action to Support the Implementation of the Harkin-Engel Protocol (2010 Declaration) and Its Accompanying Framework of Action

Joint declaration by the Governments of Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, and the United States, as well as the International Cocoa and Chocolate Industry. (42,59,60) Provides key stakeholders with resources and facilitates coordination of efforts to reduce the worst forms of child labor in cocoa-producing areas. Aims to ensure that all project efforts implemented under the Declaration and Framework align with Côte d'Ivoire's national action plans to promote coherence and sustainability. (42,59,60) USDOL-funded projects and some industry-funded projects carried out activities that support the spirit of this policy during the reporting period. (61)

Policies Involving SOSTECI

Aim to strengthen and expand SOSTECI. Include partnership agreement between the International Cocoa Initiative and CNS in support of the National Action Plan for the Fight Against Trafficking, Exploitation, and Child Labor. (2) The Decent Work Country Program (2017–2020), in collaboration with ILO, aims to improve working conditions, strengthen SOSTECI, and combat the worst forms of child labor. (62,63) The National Development Plan (2016–2020) allocates almost $6.1 million over 5 years to conduct diagnostic studies on child labor and child trafficking, construct three child protection centers, and develop a national action plan to combat human trafficking, particularly of girls. (64) SOSTECI was expanded during the reporting period. (2)

National Action Plan and Strategy Against Human Trafficking (2016–2020)†

With the support of UNODC and coordinated by CNLTP, $14.8 million project that aims to prevent human trafficking, expand social services for victims by improving physical infrastructure, provide training for law enforcement personnel and other stakeholders, promote coordination, and collect data on human trafficking. (65,66) This national action plan does not take fully into account all aspects of human trafficking in Côte d'lvoire, and the coordination to implement the program continued to be weak during the reporting period. (25,67) During the reporting period, the CNLTP implemented workshops supported by UNODC. (25,46)

Labor Inspection Strategy (2019–2021)†

Developed during the reporting period through the Ministry of Employment and Social Protection with assistance from ILO. Aims to enable the government to ensure the application of legal provisions for the improvement of working conditions and the removal of children from work through the inspection of worksites, counseling, and monitoring. (15,45)

Compulsory Education Policy

In support of the Law on Education, aims to achieve 100 percent enrollment in primary school by 2020 and 100 percent enrollment in junior high by 2025. (22,74) Allocates $1.34 billion to modernize the education system, including by building new classrooms, providing free textbooks to low-income families, and providing additional pedagogical training to teachers. (22) By the end of 2019, enrollment of primary school students in rural cocoa farming areas increased to 90 percent, up from 59 percent in 2008, which has been partially attributed to implementation of this law. (2)

† Policy was approved during the reporting period.
‡ The government had other policies that may have addressed child labor issues or had an impact on child labor. (23,24)

VI. Social Programs to Address Child Labor

In 2019, the government funded and participated in programs that include the goal of eliminating or preventing child labor (Table 10). However, gaps exist in these social programs, including the adequacy of programs to address the full scope of the problem in all sectors.

Table 10. Key Social Programs to Address Child Labor

Program

Description

USDOL-Funded Projects

USDOL projects in cocoa-growing areas of Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana aim to eliminate child labor through research, improved monitoring and enforcement, and implementation and expansion of SOSTECI. These projects include: Country Level Engagement and Assistance to Reduce Child Labor (CLEAR) (2013–2019), $7.95 million project implemented in at least 10 countries by ILO; Building a Generation of Safe and Healthy Workers: SafeYouth@Work (2014–2019), $11,443,156 global project implemented by ILO with Côte d'Ivoire as one of eight countries; Assessing Progress in Reducing Child Labor in Cocoa-Growing Areas of Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana (2015–2019), $3 million project implemented by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago; and Eliminating Child Labor in Cocoa (2015–2019), $4.5 million project implemented by the International Cocoa Initiative. (75,76) Additional information is available on the USDOL website.

Industry-Funded Projects

Aim to increase sustainability in the cocoa sector, improve farmer livelihoods and access to education, and combat the worst forms of child labor in cocoa-growing areas. Some projects support the World Cocoa Foundation's CocoaAction (2014–2020) strategy and the spirit of the 2010 Declaration. (42) Projects were active during the reporting period. (2)

Programs to Promote Education†

Programs aim to raise school attendance rates in rural areas, particularly among girls, by providing school meals, facilitating birth registration, and constructing community schools (écoles de proximité). Includes: the $42.5 million Integrated Program for Sustainable School Feeding, WFP-funded program; the Ministry of National Education School Feeding Program; and the McGovern-Dole School Feeding Program, $35.6 million joint initiative between WFP and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in coordination with the Ministry of National Education that benefits 129,000 school children. (77,78) The McGovern-Dole School Feeding Program was active during the reporting period. (46)

World Bank-Funded Projects

Programs aim to improve access to education and provide poverty relief. Include: Second Fiscal Management, Education, Energy and Cocoa Reforms Development Policy Operation (2017–2020), $125 million project to increase the number of primary school teachers; and Productive Social Safety Net (2015–2020), $50 million cash transfer project to poor households in the Central, Northern, and Western regions of Côte d'Ivoire. (79,80) The Productive Social Safety Net project disbursed 73 percent of its funding as of November 2019. (81) The Second Fiscal Management, Education, Energy, and Cocoa Reforms Development Policy Operation has not reported updates since 2017.

† Program is funded by the Government of Côte d'Ivoire.
‡ The government had other social programs that may have included the goal of eliminating or preventing child labor. (84-86)

Despite an increase in activities, the scope of existing programs is insufficient to fully address the extent of the child labor problem in Côte d'lvoire. (2) The government primarily relies on NGOs to provide social services to victims of child labor and child trafficking. The Government of Côte d'lvoire lacks funding and resources for social services. (87) In June 2019, the World Bank project, Productive Social Safety Net, was approved for $100 million in additional funding. (81)

VII. Suggested Government Actions to Eliminate Child Labor

Based on the reporting above, suggested actions are identified that would advance the elimination of child labor in Côte d'Ivoire (Table 11).

Table 11. Suggested Government Actions to Eliminate Child Labor

Area

Suggested Action

Year(s) Suggested

Enforcement

Strengthen the labor inspectorate to authorize and assess penalties.

2014 – 2019

 

Publish information on enforcement efforts, including whether penalties were imposed or collected.

2016 – 2019

 

Ensure that labor inspectorates and criminal law enforcement agencies receive a sufficient amount of funding to conduct inspections and investigations throughout the country, including in the informal sector.

2014 – 2019

 

Ensure that criminal law enforcement agencies receive the resources, personnel, and training needed to adequately enforce laws related to the worst forms of child labor.

2018 – 2019

 

Increase the number of labor inspectors to meet the ILO's technical advice.

2009 – 2019

 

Ensure that information is published on convictions and imposition of penalties of individual defendants of the worst forms of child labor.

2019

Coordination

Improve coordination on data collection among ministries and between different regions.

2012 – 2019

 

Ensure that all coordinating bodies function as intended and are able to carry out their mandates.

2017 – 2019

Government Policies

Ensure all of the funds budgeted for the National Action Plan for the Fight Against Trafficking, Exploitation, and Child Labor are dispersed.

2019

 

Integrate child labor elimination and prevention strategies into all relevant policies.

2013 – 2019

Social Programs

Improve access to education by eliminating all school-related fees; improving the accessibility of schools; ensuring that schools are free of physical and sexual abuse; and increasing the number of teachers, sanitation facilities, and schools, particularly in rural areas. Ensure that all children have access to birth registration and identity documents.

2011 – 2019

 

Ensure that social programs to address child labor are fully funded by the government.

2019

 

Expand existing programs to address the scope of the child labor problem in Côte d'Ivoire and institute programs to thoroughly address child labor.

2009 – 2019

 

Ensure that victims of the worst forms of child labor are able to access social services throughout the country.

2015 – 2019

 

Ensure that programs in support of education are operational and activities are reported.

2019

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