2019 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor: Ethiopia

 

In 2019, Ethiopia made a moderate advancement in efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. The government issued a new Labor Proclamation, raising the minimum age for work from 14 to 15 years, and approved the Organizations of Civil Societies Proclamation, replacing a 2009 law that limited the operations of organizations working on child and forced labor issues in Ethiopia. With external support, the government also launched the Effective Approaches in Ending the Worst Forms of Child Labor program to test and measure innovative approaches to address the worst forms of child labor. However, children in Ethiopia continue to engage in the worst forms of child labor, including in forced labor in domestic work and commercial sexual exploitation. The law in Ethiopia does not include free basic education or a compulsory age for education, leaving children vulnerable to the worst forms of child labor. Social programs to combat child labor have also not sufficiently targeted sectors with high incidences of child labor.

I. Prevalence and Sectoral Distribution of Child Labor

Children in Ethiopia engage in the worst forms of child labor, including in forced labor in domestic work and commercial sexual exploitation. (1-4) According to the results of a 2015 national child labor survey published in 2018, almost 16 million children from the ages of 5 to 17 engaged in child labor. The majority of these children were found in Oromia, Amhara, and the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' regions. (5) Table 1 provides key indicators on children's work and education in Ethiopia.

Table 1. Statistics on Children's Work and Education

Children

Age

Percent

Working (% and population)

7 to 14

41.5 (10,202,669)

Attending School (%)

7 to 14

73.1

Combining Work and School (%)

7 to 14

30.8

Primary Completion Rate (%)

 

54.1

Source for primary completion rate: Data from 2015, published by UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2020. (6)
Source for all other data: International Labor Organization's analysis of statistics from Socio Economic Survey (ESS 3), 2015–2016. (7)

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

Planting and harvesting apples, bananas, coffee, cotton, and khat (5,8-12)

 

Herding livestock, including cattle (13)

 

Fishing (2,5)

Industry

Mining† gold and quarrying† (5,8,14)

 

Construction,† including carrying heavy loads and digging (2,5,8,10,13)

 

Repairing motor vehicles and motorcycles (5)

 

Producing handicrafts, including pottery and traditional handwoven textiles (2,5,8,15)

Services

Domestic work (5,9,10,16)

 

Unpaid household services, including carrying heavy loads of water and firewood (5,8,16)

 

Street work, including shoe shining, assisting taxi drivers, vending, portering, and begging (5,8,13,17)

Categorical Worst Forms of Child Labor‡

Commercial sexual exploitation, sometimes as a result of human trafficking (3,10,13,18,19)

 

Forced labor in domestic work, herding, street vending, and traditional weaving of handwoven textiles, each sometimes as a result of human trafficking (8,18,20)

 

Recruitment of children by non-state armed groups for use in armed conflict (10)

† 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.

There are reports that Ethiopian children voluntarily travel to Amhara, a region bordering a key irregular migration route to Europe, to harvest the sesame. This sector is allegedly linked to overland smuggling networks, with children earning enough to fund passage to Europe via North Africa. (12) Many others journey through Djibouti en route to the Gulf, where they are often intercepted, repatriated, and later routed to a transition center in Addis Ababa. (12,21) Somaliland intercepts between 50 and 100 children a week, many under the age of 13, from Amhara and Oromia on their way to the Middle East. (12,21) Children who begin as voluntary migrants may be forced into prostitution or become victims of forced labor. (19,22) Families continue to play a role in financing and coercing their children to go abroad or to urban areas to look for work. (19,20,22,23) Trusted community members, known as manamasas, recruit and groom vulnerable youth on behalf of local and international human trafficking syndicates. (24) Children are also trafficked from rural areas to Addis Ababa and other regions of the country for forced labor in the weaving industry, street vending, construction, and domestic work. (8,20,22) Girls trafficked to neighboring countries are exploited in commercial sex and domestic servitude. (22) In addition, children in Oromia and Amhara reportedly harvest and sell khat, a stimulant to which they may become addicted due to bodily contact with the plants' excretions during harvest. (10-12)

Violent ethnic unrest continues to simmer in Oromia, Amhara, and the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region, igniting a wave of internally displaced persons (IDPs) during the reporting period. (25) Precise figures are in dispute, although the UN and other humanitarian organizations estimate that between 1.8 and 3.2 million people were displaced in 2019, 66 percent due to conflict. (10,26) More than half of Ethiopia's IDPs are children. Non-state armed groups recruited and trained children in the western part of Oromia around Wellega, where schools were reportedly damaged or destroyed during the conflict. (10,21) Ethiopia's out-of-school population is between 1.5 and 3 million, many of whom live in conflict-affected areas. (12,21) Children in rural areas face additional barriers to education, including the distance they must travel to reach school; a lack of sanitation, which especially affects adolescent girls; sexual harassment; the requirement to pay for uniforms and supplies; and a lack of teachers. Somali and Afar regions had the lowest rates of school attendance, with only 38.6 percent of school-age children enrolled in the Somali region and 50.2 percent enrolled in the Afar region. (5) These factors increase children's risk of entering the workforce at a young age. (9,10,27,28)

II. Legal Framework for Child Labor

Ethiopia 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 has established laws and regulations related to child labor (Table 4). However, gaps exist in Ethiopia's legal framework to adequately protect children from the worst forms of child labor, including the minimum age for work and the age for compulsory education.

Table 4. Laws and Regulations on Child Labor

Standard

Meets International Standards

Age

Legislation

Minimum Age for Work

Yes

15

Articles 4.1, 89.1, 89.2, and 89.3 of the Labour Proclamation 1156/2019 (29)

Minimum Age for Hazardous Work

No

18

Article 36.1(d) of the Constitution; Articles 89.3 and 89.4 of the Labour Proclamation 1156/2019 (29,30)

Identification of Hazardous Occupations or Activities Prohibited for Children

Yes

 

Articles 89.3, 89.4 and 186.1 of the Labour Proclamation 1156/2019; Directive on Prohibited Occupations for Young Workers (29,31)

Prohibition of Forced Labor

Yes

 

Article 18.3 of the Constitution; Article 596 of the Criminal Code; Articles 2.4 and 3–4 of the Proclamation to Provide for the Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (30,32,33)

Prohibition of Child Trafficking

Yes

 

Article 18.2 of the Constitution; Articles 597, 635, and 637 of the Criminal Code; Article 3.2 of the Proclamation to Provide for the Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (30,32,33)

Prohibition of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children

Yes

 

Articles 634–636 of the Criminal Code; Articles 2.4 and 3–4 of the Proclamation to Provide for the Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (32,33)

Prohibition of Using Children in Illicit Activities

Yes

 

Article 525 of the Criminal Code (32)

Minimum Age for Voluntary State Military Recruitment

Yes

18‡

Article 270 of the Criminal Code (32)

Prohibition of Compulsory Recruitment of Children by (State) Military

N/A*

   

Prohibition of Military Recruitment by Non-state Armed Groups

Yes

 

Article 2.3 of the Proclamation to Provide for the Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (33)

Compulsory Education Age

No

   

Free Public Education

No

   

* No conscription (32)

In 2019, the Government of Ethiopia issued a revised Labor Proclamation raising the minimum age for work from 14 to 15, significantly increasing penalties for child labor violations and extending protections to non-contractual workers. (10,29) Nevertheless, not all Ethiopian laws related to child labor are in compliance with international standards. The types of hazardous work prohibited for children do not cover traditional weaving, an area of work in which there is evidence that children use dangerous machinery, equipment, and tools, and lift or transport heavy loads. (29,31) Moreover, Article 89.5 of the Labor Proclamation allows children ages 15 to 16 to engage in certain forms of hazardous work following the completion of a government-approved and inspected vocational training course. This contradicts ILO C. 138, which prohibits hazardous work for all children under age 16. (29,34) The Government of Ethiopia notes that, in practice, children begin apprenticeships after the completion of 10th grade, typically at age 16 or 17. (35) The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MOLSA) is currently revising the accompanying Directive on Prohibited Occupations for Young Workers; research has not determined if this will extend further protections to young workers. (10) In February 2020, the government-enacted Proclamation 1178/2020 – A Proclamation to Provide for the Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Persons, and the law was published in April. (24,36)

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 in MOLSA's authority that may hinder adequate enforcement of their child labor laws.

Table 5. Agencies Responsible for Child Labor Law Enforcement

Organization/Agency

Role

Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MOLSA)

Conducts labor inspections of formal worksites through its regional Bureaus of Labor and Social Affairs. (10) Through its National Referral Mechanism, coordinates victim referral to social services providers. (23)

Ethiopian Federal Police Commission

Enforces criminal laws against the worst forms of child labor, including child trafficking and the commercial sexual exploitation of children. (10) Combats child trafficking and assists vulnerable children through its Special Child Protection Units in Addis Ababa and other major cities. (10,18,37)

Office of the Attorney General

Prosecutes criminal violations of child labor laws, including through its Special Investigative Unit for Women and Children. (10)

Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs

Develops and implements programs to protect vulnerable children and monitor alleged violations of child protection laws, including the worst forms of child labor. (1,38) Maintains rehabilitation centers and coordinates foster families for children rescued from the worst forms of child labor. (10)

Labor Law Enforcement

In 2019, labor law enforcement agencies in Ethiopia took actions to combat child labor (Table 6). However, gaps exist within the authority of MOLSA that may hinder adequate labor law enforcement, including the authority to assess penalties.

>Table 6. Labor Law Enforcement Efforts Related to Child Labor

Overview of Labor Law Enforcement

2018

2019

Labor Inspectorate Funding

$205,743 (4)

$220,673 (10)

Number of Labor Inspectors

541 (4)

685 (10)

Inspectorate Authorized to Assess Penalties

No (37)

No (10,29)

Initial Training for New Labor Inspectors

No (4)

No (10)

Training on New Laws Related to Child Labor

N/A

Yes (10)

Refresher Courses Provided

Yes (4)

Yes (10)

Number of Labor Inspections Conducted

38,000 (4)

41,738 (10)

Number Conducted at Worksite

38,000 (4)

41,738 (10)

Number of Child Labor Violations Found

Unknown (4)

Unknown (10)

Number of Child Labor Violations for Which Penalties Were Imposed

Unknown (4)

Unknown (10)

Number of Child Labor Penalties Imposed that Were Collected

Unknown (4)

Unknown (10)

Routine Inspections Conducted

Yes (4)

Yes (10)

Routine Inspections Targeted

Yes (4)

Yes (10)

Unannounced Inspections Permitted

Yes (37)

Yes (10)

Unannounced Inspections Conducted

Yes (4)

Yes (10)

Complaint Mechanism Exists

Yes (4)

Yes (10)

Reciprocal Referral Mechanism Exists Between Labor Authorities and Social Services

Yes (4)

Yes (10)

In 2019, labor inspections focused on the floricultural industry where child labor is known to occur; however, data on violations is not aggregated at the national level. (10) The Government of Ethiopia did not publish the number of child labor violations identified as a result of these inspections. (4,10) Although labor inspectors are not authorized to assess penalties for violations related to child labor, Ethiopia's new Labor Proclamation significantly increased penalties. First-time violators are fined between $154 to $617 (5,000 and 20,000 birr), with penalties rising to $2,161 (70,000 birr) for third infractions. (29) The government did not provide information on prosecutions or convictions related to child labor. (10)

The labor inspectorate hired 144 labor inspectors in 2019. (10) However, the number of labor inspectors remains insufficient for the size of Ethiopia's workforce, which includes 52.8 million workers. According to the ILO's technical advice of a ratio approaching 1 inspector for every 40,000 workers in less developed economies, Ethiopia should employ about 1,321 inspectors. (39,40) In addition, MOLSA and other stakeholders report that a lack of resources and poor coordination among agencies hampered their ability to enforce child labor laws. (4,10) In 2019, 120 inspectors attended national-level trainings, including one session devoted to evaluating progress on combating child labor. (10) MOLSA is also training about 13 labor officers to defend the labor rights of Ethiopians working in the Middle East, including in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates. (24)

Criminal Law Enforcement

In 2019, criminal law enforcement agencies in Ethiopia took actions to combat child labor (Table 7). However, gaps exist within the operations of the criminal enforcement agencies that may hinder adequate criminal law enforcement, including collecting and publishing enforcement statistics.

Table 7. Criminal Law Enforcement Efforts Related to Child Labor

Overview of Criminal Law Enforcement

2018

2019

Initial Training for New Criminal Investigators

N/A

Yes (10)

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

N/A

Unknown (10)

Refresher Courses Provided

Yes (23)

Yes (10)

Number of Investigations

Unknown (4)

Unknown (10)

Number of Violations Found

Unknown (4)

Unknown (10)

Number of Prosecutions Initiated

Unknown (4)

Unknown (10)

Number of Convictions

Unknown (4)

Unknown (10)

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

Unknown (4)

Unknown (10)

Reciprocal Referral Mechanism Exists Between Criminal Authorities and Social Services

Yes (4)

Yes (10)

Although the Federal Police Commission and the Office of the Attorney General track all investigations, they lack a mechanism to disaggregate data by age and type of crime. (4) The government also continues to focus on transnational human trafficking for the purpose of forced labor, to the detriment of internal human trafficking, including child trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation, which is a known problem in Ethiopia. (10,22)

Ethiopian immigration and border patrol authorities refer human trafficking victims to NGO-run shelters, in which victims are given first aid and assistance to return home. Although the centers do not disaggregate data for children, NGOs reported that many of those receiving services were younger than age 18, some of whom may have been returning from the Gulf States. (23)

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 inactivity during the reporting period.

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

Coordinating Body

Role & Description

National Steering Committees

The National Steering Committee on the Worst Forms of Child Labor coordinates activities on the worst forms of child labor. Members include MOLSA, the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs, and the Ministry of Education. (4,19) The National Steering Committee Against Sexual Exploitation of Women and Children develops action plans and coordinates activities to combat the commercial sexual exploitation of children. (19,38) Research was unable to determine whether either committee was active during the reporting period.

MOLSA National Forum to Eliminate the Worst Forms of Child Labor

Combats the worst forms of child labor at the national level. Biannual meetings convene participants from the Ethiopian Employers' Federation and the Confederation of Ethiopian Trade Unions. (4) Research was unable to determine whether the forum was active during the reporting period.

National Anti-Human Trafficking and Smuggling Mechanisms

The National Anti-Human Trafficking and Smuggling Council addresses international exploitation, including the worst forms of child labor. Chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister, with representatives from five government ministries and regional presidents who meet twice a year. (23,33,41,42) Through its National Anti-Human Trafficking and Smuggling of Migrants Task Force, meets quarterly and coordinates activities against trafficking in persons and migrant smuggling. (23) Led by the Office of the Attorney General and includes representatives from 31 government stakeholders and international organizations such as IOM, ILO, and UNODC. (10,33) During the reporting period, carried out community awareness raising in rural areas that are vulnerable to human trafficking. The government's efforts are supplemented by the community awareness centers funded by IOM, and by the German Society for International Cooperation's (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) Better Migration Management Project, which has built the capacity of Ethiopian NGOs that are combating human trafficking. (24)

National and Regional Task Forces on Orphans and Vulnerable Children

Promotes children's rights; chaired by members of the federal government and state ministers and led by the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs in all nine regional capitals and two city administrations. (38,43) Research was unable to determine if the task force was active during the reporting period.

Limited committee budgets, overlapping mandates, and poor coordination between the committees and agencies hindered coordination efforts to address child labor at a national and regional level. (19,23) In 2019, Ethiopia became a Pathfinder country under Alliance 8.7. This involves accelerating commitments toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal Target 8.7, which calls for the eradication of child labor by 2025, and forced labor, modern slavery, and human trafficking by 2030. (44) As part of those efforts, MOLSA convened a stakeholders' meeting on December 20, 2019, with Ethiopian government representatives and international NGOs who work on labor issues and the ILO. The purpose of the effort was to coordinate and develop a strategic plan for future activities. (10)

V. Government Policies on Child Labor

The government has established policies related to child labor (Table 9). However, lack of implementation continues to hinder efforts to address child labor.

Table 9. Key Policies Related to Child Labor

Policy

Description

National Action Plan to Eliminate the Worst Forms of Child Labor (2016–2020)

Includes guidelines on child labor identification, withdrawal, reintegration, and educational policies. Overseen by the National Steering Committee on the Worst Forms of Child Labor. (4) Research was unable to determine whether activities were undertaken to implement this policy during the reporting period.

National Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons (2015–2020)

Examines legal and institutional frameworks and responses related to the human trafficking situation in Ethiopia. Aims to provide guiding principles based on international best practices for anti-human trafficking action and the institutional structures and inputs needed to combat human trafficking. (45) In 2019, supported the overhaul of Ethiopia's human trafficking code, culminating in the 2020 passage of Proclamation 909/2019 – A Proclamation to Provide for the Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Persons. (10,24)

National Education and Children's Policies

The National Children's Policy promotes children's rights and combats child trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation, and child labor. It also facilitates access to quality primary and secondary education for out-of-school youth, including in rural areas. (46) National policies related to education aim to improve access to quality education and include the Education Sector Development Program V (2015–2020); the Ethiopian Education Development Roadmap (2018–2030), which aims to implement compulsory education; Education and Training Policy, which prioritizes government support for education through grade 10; the Pastoralist Area Education Strategy, which provides for alternative education in pastoralist communities; and National Technical & Vocational Education & Training Strategy, which aims to improve access to vocational education for girls and out-of-school children. (28,47-50) The government has not included child labor elimination and prevention strategies in the Education Sector Development Program, the National Technical & Vocational Education & Training Strategy, or the National Youth Policy. (48-50)

The United Nations Development Assistance Framework (2016–2020)

Promotes improved access to education and livelihood services for vulnerable children. Seeks to protect children from abuse, violence, and exploitation, and to rehabilitate them. (51) Research was unable to determine whether activities were undertaken to implement this policy during the reporting period.

National Human Rights Action Plan II (2016–2020)

Aims to promote human rights in line with Ethiopia's second Growth and Transformation Plan. Objectives include creation of detailed manuals on crime investigation, improving the ability of civil society organizations to secure local funding, and combating both domestic and international trafficking in persons. (52,53) The plan also covers human rights violations in the private sector and encourages private sector companies to undertake human rights due diligence to prevent child labor, forced labor, and other human rights violations. (52,53) Research was unable to determine whether activities were undertaken to implement this policy during the reporting period.

‡ The government had other policies that may have addressed child labor issues or had an impact on child labor. (38,54-59)

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 lack of resources to address the problem in all sectors.

Table 10. Key Social Programs to Address Child Labor

Program

Description

World Bank-Funded Projects†

Includes ET Productive Safety Nets Project 4 (PSNP 4) (2014–2020)†, a $2.77 billion project that aims to improve access to social safety nets, including cash and in-kind transfers to orphans and vulnerable children. As of June 2019, 7,997,218 individuals had benefited from the program. The Ethiopia General Education Quality Improvement Project II (GEQIP-2) (2014–2019) is a $500 million project to improve learning conditions in Ethiopia through curriculum development, textbook assessment, teacher training, and school construction. As of June 2019, 25,934,981 students had benefited from direct interventions to enhance learning. By August, more than 177 million textbooks had been distributed or were under procurement, including 125 million mother-tongue textbooks. A total of 83,309 primary teacher trainees and 24,856 secondary teacher trainees received tertiary and post-graduate training under the program. (62-69) The Ethiopia General Education Quality Improvement Program for Equity (GEQIP-E) (2017-2022)† is a $300 million program that works with the Ministry of Education to improve education quality and access. (62-65) GEQIP-E worked with the Ministry of Education to create budget lines for school grants and textbooks. (66,67)

UNICEF-Funded Programs

UNICEF-funded programs to improve social safety nets and improve access to education include Child-to-Child and Accelerated School Readiness programs, which extend educational opportunities to internally displaced children, and the Integrated Safety Nets Program (2017–2023). (10,70) UNICEF, the Swedish International Development Agency, and MOLSA are also jointly funding the Urban Productive Safety Net Programme, which aims to improve nutritional and educational outcomes in Amhara and Addis Ababa through cash transfers and linking participants to basic social services. (10,71) In 2019, UNICEF education services reached 1 in 5 vulnerable children in Ethiopia, providing them with early learning, informal and non-formal education services. (72)

World Vision Programs*

Effective Approaches in Ending the Worst Forms of Child Labor (EAPEC) (2019–2022)*, an international program designed to test and measure innovative approaches to reduce the worst forms of child labor, will target approximately 500,000 at-risk youth in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, and Ethiopia, including victims of child commercial sexual exploitation and child soldiering, and children engaged in hazardous work. The program's efforts are coordinated by World Vision, with funding by a consortium of NGOs and multilaterals, including UN Global Compact, the Global Compact UK, War Child UK, Thompson Reuters, and the private sector. (12,21,73,74) Additionally, in 2019 the UK's Department for International Development partnered with World Vision to develop a curriculum on forced and child labor detection for mid- to high-level law enforcement officers. (21) World Vision also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with MOLSA to create a National Action Plan to respond to child labor and clarify labor inspection guidelines. (12,21) In addition, World Vision is working directly with Ethiopia's nine regional governments to incorporate child labor issues into their action plans. Finally, World Vision expanded training programs designed to build detection capacity; efforts are concentrated in the south. (12,21)

† Program is co-funded by the Government of Ethiopia. (70)
‡ The government had other social programs that may have included the goal of eliminating or preventing child labor. (75,76)
* Program was launched during the reporting period.

In 2019, parliament approved the Organizations of Civil Societies Proclamation, replacing a 2009 law that limited the operations of organizations working on child and forced labor issues in Ethiopia. (77) The 2019 proclamation, which formally repealed the Charities and Societies Proclamation of 2009, dramatically opened up Ethiopia's civic space. (12,21) Although the government participates in and implements several programs to combat child labor, these programs do not sufficiently target sectors with high incidences of child labor, such as agriculture and domestic work. (4) There is also a paucity of rehabilitation and reintegration centers throughout the country for victims of child trafficking or commercial sexual exploitation. (3,19)

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 Ethiopia (Table 11).

Table 11. Suggested Government Actions to Eliminate Child Labor

Area

Suggested Action

Year(s) Suggested

Legal Framework

Raise the minimum age at which children may enter hazardous work following vocational training from age 15 to age 16, in line with ILO C. 138.

2009 – 2019

 

Ensure that the types of hazardous work prohibited for children are comprehensive, including hazardous tasks in traditional weaving.

2016 – 2019

 

Establish by law free basic education and an age up to which education is compulsory that is consistent with the minimum age of employment.

2012 – 2019

Enforcement

Strengthen the labor inspectorate by permitting labor inspectors to assess penalties.

2013 – 2019

 

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

2015 – 2019

 

Ensure that labor inspectors receive initial training, have sufficient resources to conduct inspections in all sectors, and are able to coordinate adequately with other agencies.

2009 – 2019

 

Ensure that both domestic and transnational child trafficking cases are investigated.

2013 – 2019

 

Gather, disaggregate, and publish information on the number of child labor violations found and penalties applied and collected; and the number of investigations conducted, prosecutions initiated, and convictions obtained.

2009 – 2019

Coordination

Clarify individual mandates for coordinating mechanisms to combat child labor; provide for effective inter-committee communication, coordination, and collaboration; and ensure all committees are funded.

2015 – 2019

Government Policies

Integrate child labor elimination and prevention strategies in the Education Sector Development Program, the National Technical & Vocational Education & Training Strategy, and the National Youth Policy.

2013 – 2019

 

Ensure existing policies and action plans to address the worst forms of child labor are implemented as intended.

2018 – 2019

Social Programs

Increase access to education for all children by decreasing the distance to schools in rural areas, hiring additional teachers, constructing sanitation facilities, and eliminating school-related costs.

2010 – 2019

 

Develop or expand social protection programs to prevent or withdraw children from all relevant sectors of child labor, including agriculture and domestic work, ensuring safeguards are in place to guard against child labor violations.

2009 – 2019

 

Ensure that social services, such as rehabilitation and reintegration centers, are available throughout the country.

2009 – 2019

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