Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2013, published 103rd ILC session (2014)

Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) - Romania (Ratification: 2000)

Article 6 of the Convention. Programmes of action to eliminate the worst forms of child labour. Child trafficking. In its previous comments, the Committee noted the Government’s indication that the joint efforts of all the national and international institutions led to a decrease concerning the extent of the phenomenon of trafficking and that efforts have been made in the last few years to fight against more organized criminal networks. However, the Committee also noted the Government’s indication that the increased mobility of criminal groups and a more organized structure in their hierarchy have led to an increase in the number of identified victims of trafficking, including child victims, at the national level in 2010, as compared with that to 2009. The Committee also noted that, in its concluding observations of 30 June 2011, the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) expressed concern that the number of sexually exploited children, including foreign children trafficked within Romania was high; that the number of children trafficked from Romania to other European States had increased; and that internationally and internally trafficked girl victims of sexual exploitation were treated differently as they are sometimes seen as criminals (CRC/C/ROM/CO/4, paragraph 87). Moreover, the Committee noted that the Report of the Mission to Romania of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery of 30 June 2011 (Report of the Special Rapporteur), also indicated that children were trafficked internally and that, in most cases, their exploitation occurred in private dwellings, making such cases difficult to uncover (A/HRC/18/30/Add.1, paragraph 52).

The Committee also notes the Government’s information pertaining to several projects implemented in order to combat child trafficking. These include the project to reduce child trafficking by increasing police law enforcement efficiency in the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA) by implementing directives and norms in the field, which aims inter alia to identify the problematic issues currently facing the EU and EEA police on child victims of trafficking in terms of identification and referral to specialized services; to create a common police procedure manual for the EU and EEA; and to promote and disseminate the manual in the EU and EEA, known as destinations for Romanian child victims of trafficking. The Government also indicates that the project “REVENI – Transnational Monitoring on the repatriation procedures of Romanian and Bulgarian child citizens” was conducted in 2010–12, in the framework of which a study was conducted considering the relevant legislation, specific regulations and practices regarding the protection of child victims and children at risk of being trafficked and which recommended the creation of a standardized procedure applicable to the 27 Member States of the EU promoting domestic and transnational coordination. The Committee requests the Government to pursue its efforts to combat the trafficking of children under 18 years of age for sexual and labour exploitation and to provide information on the progress achieved. Moreover, it requests the Government to provide information on the number of child victims of trafficking who were identified within the framework of these projects.

Clause (d). Identifying and reaching out to children at special risk. Roma and street children. In its previous comments, the Committee noted that, according to the Report of the Special Rapporteur, some children, mostly Roma, were involved in street begging, washing cars at dangerous intersections, loading and unloading heavy merchandise, or collecting waste products such as scrap iron, glass or paper, as well as in agriculture, including animal farming, and the construction sector (A/HRC/18/30/Add.1, paragraph 38). The children who were occasionally found on the streets were forced to beg or perform other activities in very difficult conditions and in unsafe environments, some for over eight hours per day, the majority of them having dropped out of school at an early age (paragraph 42). As for the children who were permanently living in the streets, they lived in inhuman conditions and experienced violent environments. The Committee noted that, in its concluding observations of 30 June 2009, the CRC, while noting the reported decrease in the number of children living in the streets, was concerned that many street children had to work for their sustenance, and said that the majority do not go to school and lack birth certificates (CRC/C/ROM/CO/4, paragraph 84). In this regard, the Committee noted that the Report of the Special Rapporteur indicated that the Government had recognized the issue of undocumented children who live in the streets and gave them temporary identification documents which allows them to go to school and have access to health services (A/HRC/18/30/Add.1, paragraph 45). However, the Special Rapporteur also reported that there were still cases of children deprived of identity documents, mainly among the category of street children and the Roma ethnic group (paragraph 46).

The Committee notes the Government’s information that the project entitled “Street Children Initiative” was implemented until December 2011, the results of which include the creation of nine shelters and five emergency centres with a capacity of 15 children per centre, and the training of 132 professionals. The Government indicates that, in 2012, 226 children were found living in the streets with their families, 236 children were found living in the street without their families, and 291 street children were found working. Moreover, the Government indicates that 1,748 services were provided to street children, including shelter and day care centres. In addition, 1,723 children were withdrawn from the streets and street work. Recalling that street children are particularly exposed to the worst forms of child labour, the Committee urges the Government to pursue its efforts to protect children living and working in the streets, in particular Roma children, from the worst forms of child labour and to provide for their rehabilitation and social integration. It asks the Government to continue providing information on the measures taken and the results achieved in this regard.