Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2011, published 101st ILC session (2012)

Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) - Trinidad and Tobago (Ratification: 1963)

Articles 1(1) and 2(1) of the Convention. Freedom of minors engaged in a military career to terminate their engagement. For many years (since 1985), the Committee has been referring to section 19(2) of the Defence Act, Chapter 14.01, under which persons below the age of 18 years may be enlisted with the consent of their parents or of the person in whose care they may be. The Committee requested the Government to give consideration to amending the abovementioned provision of the Defence Act, either by fixing the legal minimum age of enlistment at 18, or allowing persons enlisted below the age of 18 to leave the service by their own decision upon attaining the age of 18. The Committee previously noted the Government's repeated statement that, in practice, no recruitment under the age of 18 had taken place.

The Government indicates in its latest report that the Defence Act is currently being reviewed, and one of the proposed amendments is the removal of section 19(2). It also states that, if this amendment is adopted, only voluntary recruitment with the minimum age of 18 will be provided for by the Act. While noting this information, the Committee trusts that the Defence Act will soon be revised, so as to ensure conformity with the Convention, and that the Government will supply a copy of the revised Act, as soon as it is adopted.