Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2007, published 97th ILC session (2008)

Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) - United Arab Emirates (Ratification: 1998)

The Committee notes the Government’s report.

Article 9, paragraph 1. Penalties. In its previous comments, the Committee had noted with satisfaction that Federal Act No. 15 prohibiting the employment of children under 18 years in camel jockeying, specifies that persons who violate these provisions are liable to a maximum of three years’ imprisonment and/or a minimum fine of 50,000 dirhams. It had further noted the Government’s information that five cases were referred to the courts of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) concerning persons using children for camel jockeying, for which investigations were pending. The Committee takes note of the information provided by the Government with regard to some examples of cases decided by the courts of the UAE. In two cases, penalties were imposed on persons who – due to negligence in adopting the necessary safety measures – were responsible for causing injuries to child camel jockeys. In particular, in one case (No. 9112/2002 Abu Dhabi), the accused was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment and to a fine for financial compensation, for having caused – due to negligence in adopting the necessary safety measures – the death of a child camel jockey. In another case (No. 701/2003), the accused was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment and to a fine for financial compensation, for having caused – due to negligence in adopting the necessary safety measures – injury to a child camel jockey.

The Committee proposes to continue to examine more specifically the application in practice of Federal Act No. 15 of 2005 prohibiting the employment of children under 18 years in camel jockeying under the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182).

The Committee is also addressing a direct request to the Government concerning other points.