Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2006, published 96th ILC session (2007)

Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) - Cameroon (Ratification: 2002)

The Committee notes the Government’s report.

Article 3 of the Convention. Worst forms of child labour. Clause (a). 1. Sale and trafficking of children for economic and sexual exploitation. In its previous comments, the Committee noted that Cameroon is one of the nine West African countries, in addition to Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria and Togo, which are participating in the ILO/IPEC subregional project to combat the trafficking of children in West and Central Africa (LUTRENA). The Committee also noted, according to the synthesis report on the ILO/IPEC subregional project entitled “Combating the Trafficking in Children for Labour Exploitation in West and Central Africa”, that Cameroon is a destination country for children for both economic and sexual exploitation. The children mainly come from Benin and Nigeria. It requested the Government to take the necessary measures to strengthen the national legislation on the sale and trafficking of children for both economic and sexual purposes. The Committee notes with satisfaction the adoption of Act No. 2005/015 of 20 December 2005 to combat the trafficking of children [hereinafter, the Act to combat the trafficking of children]. It requests the Government to provide information on the application of the new Act in practice, with an indication of the number and nature of the violations reported, the investigations undertaken, legal proceedings, convictions and penal sanctions applied.

2. Forced recruitment of children for use in armed conflict. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that the national legislation on the armed forces provides that recruitment into the armed forces in Cameroon takes place as from 18 years. It requests the Government to provide a copy of the legislation governing the age of recruitment into the armed forces.

Clause (b). Use, procuring or offering of a child for the production of pornography or for pornographic performances. The Committee noted previously that, in its concluding observations on Cameroon’s initial report (CRC/C/15/Add.164, paragraphs 64 and 65), the Committee on the Rights of the Child expressed concern about the increasing number of child victims of commercial sexual exploitation, including pornography. The Committee of Experts noted that the national legislation does not seem to include provisions prohibiting the use, procuring or offering of a young person under 18 years of age for the production of pornography or for pornographic performances. It notes that, according to the information available on the Interpol web site, a Child Protection Code will soon be enacted and will take into account child pornography. The Committee hopes that the Code will soon be enacted and will prohibit the use, procuring or offering of a young person under 18 years of age for the production of pornography or for pornographic performances and it requests the Government to provide information in this respect.

Clause (c). Use, procuring or offering of a child for illicit activities. The Committee requested the Government previously to indicate the measures adopted to prohibit the use, procuring or offering of a young person under 18 years of age for illicit activities. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the Act to combat the trafficking of children applies to this worst form of child labour. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the manner in which the Act establishes the prohibition of the use, procuring or offering of a young person under 18 years of age for illicit activities, and particularly for begging and the production and trafficking of drugs.

Article 3(d). Hazardous work. Self-employed workers. In its previous comments, the Committee noted that the Labour Code does not apply to young persons under 18 years of age who are engaged in hazardous work without an employment contract. It requested the Government to indicate the manner in which the national legislation provides that young persons under 18 years of age who are engaged in work outside a contractual employment relationship benefit from the protection afforded by Article 3(d) of the Convention, namely that they do not become engaged in hazardous work. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its report that the Ministry of Social Affairs has established provincial monitoring brigades to combat the performance of hazardous work by children. It requests the Government to provide fuller information on the operation of these provincial brigades.

Article 5. Monitoring mechanisms. 1. Sale and trafficking of children. The Committee notes that the synthesis reports on the ILO/IPEC/LUTRENA project of March and September 2006 show that a system of surveillance concerning the trafficking of children has been established in the country. It also notes that a vice squad has been set up in the BCN-Interpol in Yaoundé to combat the trafficking, exploitation and abuse of children. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the operation of the system for monitoring the trafficking of children, with an indication of the measures adopted to prevent and penalize the trafficking of children, and to secure the rehabilitation and social integration of child victims of this worst form of child labour. It also requests the Government to provide information on the operation of the vice squad, particularly by supplying extracts of reports or other documents.

2. System for monitoring child labour in plantations. The Committee notes that, in the context of the ILO/IPEC regional programme to combat hazardous work and the exploitation of child labour in cocoa plantations and commercial agriculture in West and Central Africa (WACAP), a system has been established to monitor child labour. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the operation of the monitoring system, including through the provision of extracts of reports or documents.

Article 6. Programmes of action. 1. National action programme for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour. In its previous comments, the Committee noted that a national action programme for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour was to be formulated. The Committee also noted that a National Steering Committee was to be established. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government that the national action programme for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour has not yet been formulated, but that the Steering Committee for the implementation of ILO/IPEC programmes has been established. It notes that the Steering Committee is responsible for contributing to the implementation of activities to abolish child labour in Cameroon and for proposing solutions for the integration of IPEC activities into national efforts to combat child labour. The Committee hopes that, in the context of these activities, the Steering Committee will formulate a national action programme for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour and it requests the Government to provide information in this respect. It also requests the Government to provide information on the operation of the National Steering Committee and the activities that it has undertaken for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour.

2. National policy to combat the trafficking of children for labour exploitation. The Committee notes the study carried out by ILO/IPEC/LUTRENA in 2005 entitled “Trafficking of children for the exploitation of their labour in Cameroon”. It notes in particular that one of the recommendations of the study is the formulation of a national policy to combat the trafficking of children for the exploitation of their labour. The Committee requests the Government to provide information in this respect.

Article 7, paragraph 2. Effective and time-bound measures. The Committee notes with interest the efforts made by the Government for the implementation of Phases III and IV of the ILO/IPEC/LUTRENA project and the ILO/IPEC/WACAP project and strongly encourages it to continue its efforts to combat the worst forms of child labour.

Clauses (a) and (b). Preventing the engagement of children in the worst forms of child labour and removing them from these worst forms of child labour. 1. Sale and trafficking of children. (i) Results achieved. In its previous comments, the Committee requested the Government to provide information on the implementation of the LUTRENA project in Cameroon, with an indication of the number of children prevented from becoming victims of trafficking or removed from this worst form of child labour. It also requested the Government to provide information on the measures adopted to ensure the rehabilitation and social integration of these children. The Committee notes with interest the information provided by the Government that 109 child victims of trafficking were removed from this worst form of child labour and over 80 families benefited from income-generating activities. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing information on the implementation of the LUTRENA project and the results achieved in terms of: (a) preventing children from becoming victims of trafficking; and (b) providing the necessary and appropriate direct assistance to remove child victims of this worst form of child labour and ensure their rehabilitation and social integration. In this regard, the Committee would be grateful if the Government would indicate whether reception centres for child victims of trafficking have been established in the country to receive such children and whether specific medical and social follow-up programmes have been formulated and implemented for child victims of trafficking.

(ii) Other measures. Training and awareness-raising programme. The Committee notes from the synthesis report of the ILO/IPEC/LUTRENA project of March 2006 that a training programme has been organized for personnel working on the national frontiers, particularly those on the borders between Cameroon, Gabon and Nigeria. This training has also been provided to the police, judges and social workers involved in dealing with cases of the trafficking of children. The Committee notes that the study carried out by ILO/IPEC/LUTRENA on the trafficking of children for the exploitation of their labour in Cameroon shows that, while the reality of the problem has been demonstrated, lack of knowledge and ambiguity towards the phenomenon prevail. The study therefore recommends strengthening knowledge and understanding of trafficking, changing the attitudes of the public and promoting greater mobilization by the authorities, civil society, trade unions and families. In view of the above, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on the time-bound measures adopted to establish training programmes and awareness-raising campaigns with a view to training and mobilizing the authorities, trade unions, civil society and families in relation to the trafficking of children.

2. Hazardous work and the exploitation of child labour in cocoa plantations.  The Committee noted previously that the Cameroon is a participant in the ILO/IPEC regional programme to combat hazardous work and the exploitation of child labour in cocoa plantations/commercial agriculture in West and Central Africa (WACAP), in which Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea and Nigeria are also associated. It noted that 150 children had been removed from cocoa plantations in Cameroon and that a further 100 were soon to be removed. It also noted that financial assistance was granted to families to facilitate the rehabilitation and social integration of the children removed from this work. The Committee requested the Government to provide fuller information on the implementation of this programme and the results achieved. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government that the WACAP project has resulted in the identification of around 5,000 children who were engaged in dangerous work in these plantations and the reintegration of 1,109 children into formal schools and vocational training centres. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing information on the number of children who are prevented from being engaged in cocoa plantations and are removed from these plantations in practice. It also requests the Government to provide information on the rehabilitation and social integration measures adopted for children withdrawn from this work.

Clause (c). Ensuring the access to free basic education and vocational training of all the children removed from the worst forms of child labour. Recalling that education of the most effective means of combating child labour, and particularly the worst forms of child labour, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on the measures adopted in the context of the LUTRENA and WACAP projects to ensure that child victims of trafficking and children engaged in hazardous work in cocoa plantations who are removed from these worst forms of child labour have access to free basic education or vocational training.

Clause (d). Children at special risk. 1. HIV/AIDS orphans. The Committee noted previously that, according to the information contained in the Epidemiological factsheet for 2004, produced by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization (WHO), there are reported to be around 240,000 children orphaned as a result of HIV/AIDS in Cameroon. The Committee requested the Government to spare no effort to reduce the incidence of HIV/AIDS by preventing its transmission among the population and to supply information on the specific time-bound measures adopted to protect child HIV/AIDS orphans from being engaged in the worst forms of child labour. The Committee notes that, according to the new Report on the Global Aids Epidemic, published by UNAIDS in May 2006, the number of children orphaned as a result of the virus is still around 240,000. It notes, however, the information provided by the Government in its report that it has taken a number of measures to prevent the transmission of the virus, including: the establishment of free and anonymous testing and a project to combat HIV/AIDS in the workplace; awareness-raising campaigns by the Committee set up to combat the disease; and the reduction of the cost of tritherapy. The Committee also notes that the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Ministry of Health and various NGOs have implemented a project addressing over 21,000 child HIV/AIDS orphans and other children who are vulnerable to the virus. The Committee takes due note of this information and strongly encourages the Government to continue its efforts to prevent the transmission of the virus among the population and to protect child HIV/AIDS orphans from becoming engaged in the worst forms of child labour.

2. Street children. In its previous comments, the Committee noted that, in its concluding observations on the initial report of Cameroon (CRC/C/15/Add.164, paragraphs 62 to 65), the Committee on the Rights of the Child expressed its concern at the increasing number of street children and the lack of specific mechanisms to address this situation and provide those children with adequate assistance. The Committee on the Rights of the Child also expressed concern at the inadequacy of programmes for the physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration of child victims of such abuse and exploitation and it recommended the Government to implement appropriate policies and programmes for prevention and for the rehabilitation and integration of child victims. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its report that the Ministry of Social Affairs supports all NGOs working in this field and provides them with assistance to facilitate the provision of care to these children. It also notes that the Ministry of Social Affairs, in collaboration with the Belgian Red Cross, has established listening, reception and social reintegration centres for street children in Yaoundé, thereby enabling them to return to their families or to be placed in a host family. The Committee also notes that between 2003 and 2004, over 351 children were returned to their families. Recalling that children living in the streets are particularly exposed to the worst forms of child labour, the Committee encourages the Government to continue its efforts to protect street children from the worst forms of child labour and to provide for their rehabilitation and social integration.

Article 8. International cooperation. 1. Poverty reduction. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes that, according to a progress report in the context of the ILO/IPEC/WACAP project, the Government has added education for children and particularly girls, to its Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP). It also notes the Government’s indication that the projects established in the context of the PRSP are contributing to combating the poverty of parents and therefore to a decrease to the number of children who are economically exploited. Noting once again that poverty reduction programmes contribute to breaking the vicious circle of poverty, which is essential for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on any significant impact of the PRSP on the elimination of the worst forms of child labour, with particular regard to the school attendance rate of children, and especially girls.

2. Regional cooperation in relation to the sale and trafficking of children. (i) Bilateral agreement. The Committee notes from the synthesis report on the LUTRENA project for March 2006 that the Governments of Nigeria and Cameroon are discussing the possibility of concluding a bilateral cooperation agreement. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the progress of these discussions and to indicate whether the agreement has been concluded.

(ii) Collaboration with neighbouring countries. The Committee is of the view that cooperation between law enforcement agencies in the countries of origin, transit and destination of child victims of trafficking, particularly with the judicial authorities and police forces, is indispensable to prevent and combat this worst form of child labour, through the collection and exchange of information, and through assistance to detect and prosecute the individuals involved and to repatriate victims. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the measures adopted to facilitate the exchange of information between the countries of origin, transit and destination of child victims of trafficking and, where appropriate, to indicate whether exchanges of information have resulted in: (1) the apprehension and arrest of persons working in networks involved in the trafficking of children; and (2) the detection and interception of child victims of trafficking in border areas.

Parts IV and V of the report form. Application of the Convention in practice. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes the reference in the activities report of the ILO/IPEC/WACAP project that a study on occupational safety and health has been undertaken in the largest cocoa plantations in the country. The Committee requests the Government to provide a copy of the study.