In 2020, Côte d’Ivoire made moderate advancement in efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. The government rescued 138 children from suspected traffickers, the Ministry of Women, Family, and Children created a team of social workers to identify victims of child labor, and the Ministry of Security and Interior created new units to investigate cases of child labor and human trafficking. In addition, as part of its COVID-19 pandemic response, the government established a fund for low-income families known to be vulnerable to child labor. Children in Côte d’Ivoire are subjected to the worst forms of child labor, including in the harvesting of cocoa and coffee, each sometimes as a result of human trafficking. Although the government made meaningful efforts in all relevant areas during the reporting period, it did not impose penalties for violations related to the worst forms of child labor. In addition, labor inspectors are not authorized to assess penalties, and a lack of financial resources and personnel may have hindered labor law enforcement efforts.
Children in Côte d’Ivoire are subjected to the worst forms of child labor, including in the harvesting of cocoa and coffee, each 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) During the reporting period, NORC at the University of Chicago released a report detailing findings from a sectorally representative survey conducted in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana during the cocoa harvesting season of 2018–2019. This report found an increase in child labor (and hazardous child labor) in cocoa production during the 10 year timeframe since the survey in 2008–2009. (4) 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.
|
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 (%) |
78.8 |
Source for primary completion rate: Data from 2019, published by UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2021. (5)
Source for all other data: International Labor Organization's analysis of statistics from Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 5 (MICS 5), 2016. (3)
Based on a review of available information, Table 2 provides an 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 (1,2,4,6-11) |
|
Production of cereals, pineapple, bananas, and coffee, including applying chemical fertilizers,† spraying pesticides,† cutting down trees,† and burning† and clearing fields† (2,6,12) |
|
|
Production of palm oil, cashews, honey, and rubber (1,2,11) |
|
|
Fishing, including deep sea diving;† repairing and hauling nets; cleaning,† salting, drying, descaling, and selling fish (1,2,12) |
|
|
Production of charcoal† (1,6,10) |
|
|
Forestry (11,13) |
|
|
Industry |
Mining,† including crushing and transporting stones, blasting rocks, digging, working underground, sieving, and extracting gold with mercury or cyanide (1,9,11,12,14) |
|
Manufacturing, including repairing automobiles (11,12) |
|
|
Construction,† activities unknown (12) |
|
|
Services |
Domestic work (2,3,9,11,12,15) |
|
Working in transportation and carrying goods† (1,6,9,11,12) |
|
|
Street vending and commerce (2,6,9,11,12,14) |
|
|
Work in restaurants (2,14) |
|
|
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, cotton, and rubber, each sometimes as a result of human trafficking (4,6,11) |
|
Commercial sexual exploitation, sometimes as a result of human trafficking (11,14) |
|
|
Use in illicit activities, including drug trafficking (16) |
|
|
Forced begging as talibés by Koranic teachers, sometimes as a result of human trafficking (17) |
† 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 North 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. (2,6,7,15)
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. (2,11,18-21) In addition, birth registration identity documents are required for students to take entrance exams for secondary school, posing a barrier to continued education beyond primary level. (2,11,22) 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. (2,11,20,21,23) According to the Ministry of National Education, more than one in four girls in Côte d’Ivoire does not attend primary school. (24) During the reporting period, from March 16 through May 10, schools in Côte d’Ivoire were closed to in-person learning as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. (11) Results from the government's Child Labor Monitoring and Remediation System indicate that children working in hazardous working conditions increased during the reporting cycle, which is at least partially attributed to the pandemic. (25) Research showed that despite an upward spike in child labor during the partial government shutdown as a reaction to the pandemic, in cocoa producing areas the level of child labor returned to pre-pandemic levels at the end of the partial government shut down. (26) Research released during the reporting period showed that between 2008 and 2019, there were significant increases in cocoa production and during that time, child labor in high producing zones remained stable. However, in small- and medium-producing zones, child labor increased. During this time, there was an increase in children attending schools in cocoa-growing areas. (4) Results from the government's Child Labor Monitoring and Remediation System indicate that there was an increase in numbers of children working in hazardous working conditions during the reporting cycle, which is at least partially attributed to the partial lockdown that occurred during the pandemic. (4)
Côte d'Ivoire has ratified all key international conventions concerning child labor (Table 3).
|
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).
|
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)
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.
|
Organization/Agency |
Role |
|---|---|
|
Ministry of Employment and Social Protection (MEPS) |
Develops, proposes, and enforces all labor laws, including those related to child labor. (2,11,23) The Anti-Trafficking Unit, a Sub-Directorate, and the Ministry of Women, Family, and Children provide support to victims of child trafficking and other forms of child labor. (2,15) MEPS has authority over 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. (2,9,11,12) The General Labor Directorate in Abidjan coordinates the regional offices and their efforts to combat child labor. (11,16,39) |
|
Ministry of Interior and Security* |
Through its Anti-Trafficking Unit, leads efforts to enforce criminal laws against child trafficking. Through its Brigades Mondaine (Vice Squads), 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) In June 2020, the Ministry of Interior and Security established six special police units, called Anti-Child Trafficking and Juvenile Delinquency Division units—or La Sous-direction de la Police Criminelle chargée de la Lutte Contre la Traite d’Enfants et la Délinquance Juvenile (SDLTEDJ)—to deploy across the country and investigate child labor and child trafficking cases. Each unit consists of 10–20 officers, with 2 motorcycles, a 4-wheel drive vehicle, computers, and office materials. (11) During the reporting period, these units received 2-to-3 weeks of specialized training in Abidjan before deploying to these cities where child labor is known to occur: San Pedro, Soubré, Bouaké, Bondoukou, Korhogo, and Man. (11,14) |
|
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 and Human Rights |
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) The Ministry of Justice and Human Rights is charged with rehabilitating children who have been detained or arrested. (11) |
|
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) Provides support to child labor victims in coordination with MEPS. (2,42) During the reporting period, created a "street team" of social workers to identify victims of child labor. (11) Also continued to run specialized shelters to support victims of human trafficking, as well as the hotline (116), which reportedly received 43,456 calls reporting cases of child exploitation or violence against children. (11) |
* Agency responsible for child labor enforcement was created during the reporting period.
On December 15, 2020, the Ministry of Security and Civil Protection and the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization were combined into the new Ministry of the Interior and Security. (11)
Labor Law Enforcement
In 2020, 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 (MEPS) that may hinder adequate labor law enforcement, including the authority to assess penalties for violations.
|
Overview of Labor Law Enforcement |
2019 |
2020 |
|---|---|---|
|
Labor Inspectorate Funding |
$307,400 (2) |
$300,169 (11) |
|
Number of Labor Inspectors |
258 (2) |
281 (11) |
|
Inspectorate Authorized to Assess Penalties |
No (2,43) |
No (11,43) |
|
Initial Training for New Labor Inspectors |
Yes (2) |
Yes (11) |
|
Training on New Laws Related to Child Labor |
Yes (2) |
N/A (11) |
|
Refresher Courses Provided |
Yes (2) |
Yes (11) |
|
Number of Labor Inspections Conducted |
2,674 (44) |
1,659 (11) |
|
Number Conducted at Worksite |
1,548 (15) |
1,659 (11) |
|
Number of Child Labor Violations Found |
214 (2) |
Unknown (11) |
|
Number of Child Labor Violations for Which Penalties Were Imposed |
Unknown (2) |
Unknown (11) |
|
Number of Child Labor Penalties Imposed that Were Collected |
Unknown (2) |
N/A (11) |
|
Routine Inspections Conducted |
Yes (2) |
Yes (11) |
|
Routine Inspections Targeted |
Yes (2) |
Yes (11) |
|
Unannounced Inspections Permitted |
Yes (2,43) |
Yes (11,43) |
|
Unannounced Inspections Conducted |
Yes (2) |
Yes (11) |
|
Complaint Mechanism Exists |
Yes (2) |
Yes (11) |
|
Reciprocal Referral Mechanism Exists Between Labor Authorities and Social Services |
Yes (2) |
Yes (11) |
‡ 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. (45) 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. (45,46) Labor inspectors are also tasked with dispute conciliation, which may detract from their primary duties of inspection. (28,47) The labor inspectorate suffers from a lack of resources, including insufficient staff. (23,28) While some labor inspections are done in the informal sector, the majority of the inspections are done in the formal sector where child labor is less likely to occur. (11,48,49)
Criminal Law Enforcement
In 2020, criminal law enforcement agencies in Côte d’Ivoire took actions to combat child labor (Table 7). However, gaps exist within the operations of enforcement agencies that may hinder adequate criminal law enforcement, including allocating financial resources.
|
Overview of Criminal Law Enforcement |
2019 |
2020 |
|---|---|---|
|
Initial Training for New Criminal Investigators |
Yes (2) |
Yes (11) |
|
Training on New Laws Related to the Worst Forms of Child Labor |
Yes (2) |
N/A 11) |
|
Refresher Courses Provided |
Yes (2) |
Yes (11) |
|
Number of Investigations |
131 (2) |
500 (11) |
|
Number of Violations Found |
218 (2) |
298 (11) |
|
Number of Prosecutions Initiated |
143 (2) |
298 (11) |
|
Number of Convictions |
15 (2) |
Unknown (11) |
|
Imposed Penalties for Violations Related to The Worst Forms of Child Labor |
Unknown (2) |
0 (11) |
|
Reciprocal Referral Mechanism Exists Between Criminal Authorities and Social Services |
Yes (2) |
Yes (11) |
Despite an increase in vehicles and computers, and an increase in the number of violations identified and prosecutions initiated, the Anti-Trafficking Unit continued to lack the resources and personnel to adequately enforce criminal child labor laws throughout the country. (7,49,50) The government did not provide any additional details regarding the conviction of individual defendants nor the imposition of penalties. (2)
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 of data collection among ministries and regions.
|
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. (2,49,50) Chaired by the First Lady of Côte d’Ivoire and comprises 16 international and domestic partners. (2,14,15,49,51) During the reporting period, CNS continued to implement National Action Plan activities and provided an additional $200,000 (100 million CFA) to SDLTEDJ. (11,14) |
|
Inter-Ministerial 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. (52,49,51,53) Chaired by MEPS, includes representatives from 12 other ministries. (15,49,51,53) Research was unable to determine whether the Inter-Ministerial Committee on the Fight Against Trafficking, Exploitation, and Child Labor was active during the reporting period. (11) |
|
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. (16) In February 2020, the CNLTP and the Police Unit charged with Combating Transnational Crimes (L’Unite de Lutte Contre la Criminalite Transnationale, or UCT) with technical and financial assistance from UNODC, rescued 138 child victims of trafficking and forced labor in Abengourou, a city near the Ghanaian border. (11) |
|
Office of the First Lady |
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) The Ivorian First Lady’s office remains the key driver of the government’s anti-trafficking efforts. (56) During the reporting period, the government closed schools from March to May to attempt to limit transmission of COVID-19. Due to concerns that this closure would result in an increase in child labor, the Ivorian First Lady issued a communiqué in April 2020 urging authorities to remain vigilant against child labor and warning parents not to use the school closure as a pretext to put their children to work. (14) |
Research indicates that the First Lady’s interest in combating child labor and child trafficking motivated ministries and law enforcement agencies to increase their anti-trafficking efforts. International organizations praised the First Lady for marshaling resources to fight child labor and child trafficking, and for the visibility she brought to these issues. (14) Coordination of data collection among ministries and among different regions remains a challenge. (16)
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.
|
Policy |
Description |
|---|---|
|
National Action Plan for the Fight Against Trafficking, Exploitation, and Child Labor (2019–2021) |
Coordinated by CNS and the Inter-Ministerial Committee to Combat Trafficking, Exploitation, and Child Labor, aims to significantly reduce the number of children engaged in the worst forms of child labor by drawing on best practices and building 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) During the reporting period, the government continued to implement this plan with aid from national and international NGOs, UNICEF, and ILO. The 2019–2021 NAP is still not fully funded, but the government has not disclosed the shortfall. (11) |
|
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 Chocolate and Cocoa Industry. (52,59,60) 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. (52,59-61) Governments of Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire; USDOL-funded projects; and some industry-funded projects carried out activities that support the spirit of this policy during the reporting period. The annual Child Labor in Cocoa Coordinating Group meeting was postponed from November 2020 to a later date. (11) |
|
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 to Combat Trafficking, Exploitation, and Child Labor. (2) The Decent Work Country Program (2017–2020), in collaboration with ILO, aimed to improve working conditions, strengthen SOSTECI, and combat the worst forms of child labor. (62,63) The National Development Plan (2016–2020) allocated 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) During the reporting period, the government continued to support SOSTECI to detect and provide remediation support to children engaged in child labor. (11) |
|
National Action Plan and Strategy Against Human Trafficking (2016–2020) |
With the support of UNODC and coordinated by CNLTP, $14.8 million project that aimed 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. (58,65,66) During the reporting period, research shows projects continued to take place in support of this plan. Projects included implementing the Child Labor Monitoring and Remediation System, training of government counterparts, and support to public-private coordination efforts. (11) |
|
Labor Inspection Strategy (2019–2021) |
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, the provision of counseling, and monitoring. (13,48) In 2020, undertook activities related to building the capacity of the inspectors, monitoring of inspection units, and raising public awareness. |
|
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. (18) The government focused on increasing school enrollment in parts of the country where child labor is prevalent, such as in cocoa-growing regions. School enrollment of children in cocoa-growing regions increased from 59 percent in the 2008–2009 academic year to 85 percent in the 2018–2019 academic year. (10,11) In 2020, the government reported transferring $157 million (84 billion CFA)—up from $22.3 million (12 billion CFA) in 2017—of the education budget for school construction to local governments, communities, regional councils, and districts. (11) However, there remains insufficient classroom space in rural areas for the number of students enrolled. During the reporting period, UNICEF estimated the country needs another 30,000 classrooms. (11) |
‡ The government had other policies that may have addressed child labor issues or had an impact on child labor. (19,20)
In 2020, 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.
|
Program |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Industry-Funded Projects |
Aim to increase sustainability in the cocoa sector, improve farmer livelihoods and access to education – including increasing access to education opportunities for children – 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. (61,67,68) In November 2017, the governments of Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire signed an agreement to fight deforestation and protect the cocoa supply chain. During the reporting period, private industry continued to implement the Cocoa and Forests Initiative to this end. (69) A study released in July 2020 by the International Cocoa Initiative, a Swiss-based non-profit foundation funded by chocolate and cocoa companies, found that child labor in the cocoa sector had increased during the pandemic. (14,25) |
|
Programs to Promote Education† |
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). Include the $42.5 million, WFP-funded Integrated Program for Sustainable School Feeding; the Ministry of National Education School Feeding Program; (70) the McGovern-Dole School Feeding Program, a $25 million joint initiative between WFP and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in coordination with the Ministry of National Education, that benefited approximately 132,362 school children in FY 2020; (71) and the Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact Skills for Employability and Productivity Project, in year 2 of 5 year compact that provides $118 million for secondary education and $37 million for Technical and Vocational Education Project (TVET). (72) Research was unable to determine whether activities took place in 2020 for TVET. |
|
World Bank-Funded Projects |
Aim to improve access to education and provide poverty relief. Include: Second Fiscal Management, Education, Energy and Cocoa Reforms Development Policy Operation (2017–2020), closed on June 30, 2020; a $125 million project that closely aligned with the 2016–2020 National Development Plan;Productive Social Safety Net (2015–2020), which disbursed cash transfers to 100,000 households in 2020 and has since been extended to 2024; and a $50 million cash transfer project to poor households in the Central, Northern, and Western regions of Côte d’Ivoire. (73-75) |
|
USDOL-Funded Projects |
USDOL projects in cocoa-growing areas of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana aimed to eliminate child labor through research, monitoring, enforcement, and implementation and expansion of SOSTECI. These projects include: FLIP: $1,490,318 added to Verite-implemented project to expand work into Côte d'Ivoire in 2020. (76) CACAO: Implemented by Save the Children, $4,000,000 awarded in December, 2020. (77) Additional information is available on the USDOL website. |
† 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. (78)
During the reporting period, the government undertook various activities, such as awareness-raising campaigns; construction of classrooms, school canteens, including providing 119,527 students with lunch, and housing for teachers; construction of health facilities and housing for nurses; and donations of school kits and personal protective equipment to prevent transmission of COVID-19. (11) In addition, the government continued to facilitate the delivery of birth certificates. (11)
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) Current programming is not expansive enough, evidenced by the fact the child labor prevalence rate has not declined. The industry funded NORC report-also released in October 2020 - found that programs like the Child labor monitoring and remediation system (CLMRS), access to quality to education, programs to increase farmer yields and household income need to be scaled and expanded to impact more families. (4)
In April 2020, as part of its pandemic response, the government established a support fund for low-income families known to be more vulnerable to the conditions that often engender child labor. As of December 30, the government reported spending $26.9 million (14.5 billion CFA) in direct cash transfers to support 194,245 households. (11)
Based on the reporting above, suggested actions are identified that would advance the elimination of child labor in Côte d'Ivoire (Table 11).
|
Area |
Suggested Action |
Year(s) Suggested |
|---|---|---|
|
Enforcement |
Strengthen the labor inspectorate to authorize and assess penalties. |
2014 – 2020 |
|
Publish information on labor law enforcement efforts, including the number of child labor violations found and whether penalties were imposed or collected. |
2016 – 2020 |
|
|
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 – 2020 |
|
|
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 – 2020 |
|
|
Increase the number of labor inspectors to meet the ILO's technical advice. |
2009 – 2020 |
|
|
Publish information on criminal law enforcement efforts, including the number of convictions and penalties imposed for violations related to the worst forms of child labor. |
2019 – 2020 |
|
|
Coordination |
Ensure that all coordinating bodies are active and are able to carry out their mandates. |
2017 – 2020 |
|
Government Policies |
Ensure that the National Action Plan to Combat Trafficking, Exploitation, and Child Labor is fully funded and all funds are disbursed. |
2019 – 2020 |
|
Integrate child labor elimination and prevention strategies into all relevant policies. |
2013 – 2020 |
|
|
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 – 2020 |
|
Ensure that social programs to address child labor are active and report activities. |
2020 |
|
|
Expand existing programs and institute new ones aimed at addressing the full scope of the child labor problem in Côte d'Ivoire. |
2009 – 2020 |
|
|
Ensure that victims of the worst forms of child labor are able to access social services throughout the country. |
2015 – 2020 |
|
|
Ensure that there are sufficient classrooms available for all students enrolled. |
2020 |
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