Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1998, published 87th ILC session (1999)

White Lead (Painting) Convention, 1921 (No. 13) - Cameroon (Ratification: 1960)

1. Article 3 of the Convention. In its previous comments, the Committee noted that the Government referred to Order No. 6676 of 5 October 1956 regulating the use of white lead and lead compounds in cases in which their use remains authorized. Under the terms of section 1 of the above Order, the employment of young persons under 18 years of age and women in painting work of an industrial character involving the use of white lead and lead compounds is prohibited, which gives full effect to this Article of the Convention. The Committee also noted that, in its report for 1973, the Government stated that Order No. 6676 of 5 October 1956 was under revision and that a new text was being formulated. The Government's subsequent reports do not indicate that Order No. 6676 of 5 October 1956 has been amended. The Committee notes that the Government refers to section 86(1) of the Labour Code of 1992 with regard to the application of Article 3 of the Convention which lays down a general prohibition on the employment of children under the age of 14 years in enterprises, except where derogations are envisaged by ministerial order. The Committee therefore requests the Government to state whether Order No. 6676 of 5 October 1956 is still in force.

2. Article 7. The Committee notes that, according to the information provided by the Government on Article 7, there are currently no statistics concerning lead poisoning. The Committee once again hopes that the Government will be able to provide statistics concerning cases of morbidity and mortality due to lead poisoning, in accordance with the report form on Article 7 of the Convention. It requests the Government to provide full information on the action taken for the compilation of such statistics.