Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2012, published 102nd ILC session (2013)

Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) - Uganda (Ratification: 1963)

Articles 1(1) and 2(1) of the Convention. Legislation concerning compulsory placement of unemployed persons on agricultural enterprises in rural areas. For many years, the Committee has been referring to section 2(1) of the Community Farm Settlement Decree, 1975, under which any unemployed able-bodied person may be settled on any farm settlement and required to render service. Section 15 of the Decree makes it an offence punishable with a fine and imprisonment for any person who fails or refuses to live on any farm settlement or who deserts or leaves such settlement without authorization. The Government indicated in its earlier report that the abovementioned Decree was in the process of being repealed and the Committee had also noted the assurances provided by the Government representative before the Conference Committee on the Application of Standards in June 2006 that the 1975 Decree was no longer applied in practice. The Committee notes the Government’s indication in its report that the Community Farm Settlement Decree has been repealed and that the Community Settlement Act was adopted in 2005. Noting that the Government’s report does not contain a copy of the text repealing the Community Farm Settlement Decree 1975, the Committee requests the Government to supply a copy of this document with its next report.

The Committee is raising other points in a request addressed directly to the Government.