Observation (CEACR) - adopted 1996, published 85th ILC session (1997)

Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) - Rwanda (Ratification: 1981)

The Committee notes that the Government's report received in 1995 gives no further reply to previous comments. It must therefore repeat its observation on the following points:

In the comments it has been making for several years, the Committee has noted the Government's intention to bring the national laws into conformity with the Convention. The Committee points out that the previous comments related to the following points: Article 1 of the Convention. The minimum age for admission to employment or work applies to employment of any kind, including work done for one's own account. The Committee has noted that the provisions of sections 24 and 125 of the Labour Code apply only to wage-earning work and that under the provisions of section 186 agricultural workers are subject to special provisions laid down in a particular Act, which has not yet been adopted. The Committee asks the Government to indicate the measures taken or contemplated to ensure that no one under the specified minimum age is admitted to employment or work in any occupation, in particular in agriculture and in occupations where one works for one's own account. Article 3. The Ministerial Order which is to specify the nature of work and the categories of undertakings barred to minors, for which provision is made in section 124 of the Labour Code, has not yet been adopted. Article 7. Under sections 24 and 125 of the Labour Code, the Minister may grant exceptions to the minimum age for admission to employment having regard to circumstances peculiar to the occupation or to the situation of the persons concerned. The Committee points out that the Convention provides for exceptions to the minimum age for admission to employment in the case of light work done by children over 13 years of age on condition that the work is not likely to be harmful to their health or development and not such as to prejudice their attendance at school. It asks the Government to indicate the measures taken or contemplated to clarify the scope of the exceptions provided for in those two sections in the light of the provisions of Article 7 of the Convention. The Committee notes that in the third quarter of 1990 the Government requested and received the advice of the Office concerning a draft revision of the sections of the Labour Code designed in particular to give effect to the provisions of the Convention. It hopes that the draft text which takes the Office's advice into account will be quickly adopted, and asks the Government to supply a copy of the text adopted. Article 2, paragraph 5. The Committee draws the Government's attention to the information which the Government is required to supply under Article 2, paragraph 5(a) or (b), of the Convention and requests it to include this in its forthcoming reports.

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