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

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

Article 7(2) of the Convention. Effective and time-bound measures. Clause (d). Identifying children at special risk. Street children and begging. In its previous comments, the Committee noted with interest that thanks to multisectoral action taken in the cities of Lima and Arequipa in 2008, protective measures were taken for more than 200 children (158 in Lima and 46 in Arequipa). The Committee observed, however, that in its concluding observations of March 2006 (CRC/C/PER/CO/3, paragraph 65), the Committee on the Rights of the Child, while welcoming the “Educadores de Calle” programme (PEC), expressed concern at the large number of street children.

The Committee notes the information provided by the Government on the PEC programme. It notes that the programme targets children between the ages of 6 and 17 years whose situation puts them at risk, and seeks to boost and develop their personal and social skills. To this end, 41 reference centres have been set up in 20 cities throughout the country in order to provide care for these children. The Committee further notes that the programme has benefited a total of 3,744 children and young persons, 87 of whom are street children. It nonetheless notes that, according to a 2007–08 ILO–IPEC study on the extent and characteristics of child labour, appended to the Government’s report, some 141,000 children and young persons are still working in the streets. The Committee accordingly encourages the Government to pursue its efforts to protect street children from the worst forms of child labour and requests it to continue to provide information on the results obtained from the implementation of the PEC programme. It also requests the Government to provide information on measures taken to ensure the rehabilitation and social integration of these children.

Children of indigenous peoples. The Committee noted previously that the Committee on the Rights of the Child regretted that the State party had reacted only in part to its recommendations concerning the limited access for indigenous children to education, and noted with concern that they suffered from exclusion and discrimination. The Committee further noted that according to information from ILO–IPEC, a study on the situation of indigenous peoples and indigenous child labour was to be conducted.

The Committee notes that according to the Government, the Subcommittee on Indigenous Peoples and Rural Communities has been reactivated under the National Steering Committee for the Prevention and Elimination of Child Labour, with a view to preparing multisectoral strategies for action to prevent and eliminate the labour of children of indigenous peoples and rural communities. Noting that children of indigenous peoples often fall victim to exploitation, which can take many different forms, and that they are at risk of being engaged in the worst forms of child labour, the Committee strongly encourages the Government to strengthen its efforts to protect such children from the worst forms of child labour and requests it to take specific measures, particularly educational measures, to make them less vulnerable. It requests the Government also to provide detailed information on the measures taken and the results obtained in this area in its next report. The Committee also requests the Government to provide a copy of the study on the situation of indigenous peoples and indigenous child labour.

Article 8. International cooperation and assistance. Poverty reduction. In its previous comments, the Committee noted that the Committee on the Rights of the Child expressed concern at the high rate of poverty in Peru, which affects approximately two-thirds of children, and at the extreme poverty which affects some 30 per cent of Peruvian children.

The Committee takes due note of the various social programmes implemented by the Government to help to combat poverty, such as the JUNTOS programme, which seeks to promote schooling for children between the ages of 6 and 14 years from poor homes in rural areas, by providing cash benefits to families on condition that the children attend school, and the “Trabaja Perú” programme, under which temporary employment has been offered to 263,458 parents in a vulnerable situation. The Committee also notes that the Government is still in the process of preparing its Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP). Noting that poverty reduction programmes can contribute to breaking the cycle of poverty, which is essential to the elimination of the worst forms of child labour, the Committee strongly encourages the Government to pursue its efforts to reduce the incidence of poverty and requests it to provide information on progress made in the preparation and implementation of the DWCP, and on the results obtained.