Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2014, published 104th ILC session (2015)

Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) - Suriname (Ratification: 2006)

Articles 3(d) and 6 of the Convention. Hazardous work and programmes of action to eliminate the worst forms of child labour. Work in the informal economy. The Committee recalls the Government’s indication, which it has been reiterating since the Government’s first report on the application of the Convention in 2008, that the National Commission on the Elimination of Child Labour (NCECL) will form a national plan of action to eliminate the worst forms of child labour. The Committee notes the Government’s latest statement that this national plan, once finalized, will include child labour in the informal sector. The Committee also notes the Government’s indication, provided in its 2013 report under the Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81), that a revision of the Decree on Labour Inspection has been approved by the tripartite Labour Advisory Board.

While noting the Government’s ongoing efforts, the Committee notes the increasing prevalence of child labour in the informal sector, in particular the small-scale gold mining sector. The Committee draws the Government’s attention in this respect to paragraphs 550–552 of its 2012 General Survey on the fundamental Conventions which highlight various measures that can be taken to ensure the protection of children working in the informal economy from hazardous work including, for example, the possibility of assigning special powers to the labour inspectors with regard to children engaged in such economic activity. The Committee accordingly urges the Government to take concrete action to implement the NCECL’s national plan of action to eliminate the worst forms of child labour – which the Committee hopes will include child labour in the informal sector – and requests it to provide details in its next report on any progress achieved. The Committee also invites the Government, in the process of revising the Decree on Labour Inspection, to take into consideration the possibility of authorizing labour inspectors to inspect and supervise the working conditions of children working in the informal sector. Furthermore, noting the Government’s indication that a proposal to ratify the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138), will be addressed by the NCECL in its second term, the Committee requests the Government to provide updated information on any decisions taken in this respect.

Article 4(1). Determination of hazardous work. In its previous comments, the Committee noted the Government’s information concerning the formulation by the Preparatory Working Group of the National Commission on Child Labour of a list of types of hazardous work prohibited to children under 18 years of age.

The Committee notes with satisfaction the adoption of the State Decree on Hazardous Labour for Young Persons (S.B. No. 175 of 2010). The Committee observes that the categories of hazardous work set out in the Decree include, among others, activities which involve a high probability of injury (for example, working with structures which may collapse, working near certain electrical installations, the operation of cranes or other motor-powered hoists); biological hazards (activities involving risk of exposure to sick animals, insects, poisonous plants, bacteria viruses, parasites and fungi); chemical hazards (working with chemically hazardous substances which may involve safety and health hazards such as, for example, toxic or carcinogenic substances); ergonomic hazards (activities in which the workplace, environment or other conditions are not compatible with the condition of young persons such as, for example, working for long periods of time in unfavourable working positions or the frequent lifting of carrying of heavy loads); physical hazards (activities which risk exposure to extreme temperatures, noise, vibration and radiation); psychosocial hazards (for example, animal slaughter, certain machine-related work, working in nightclubs). The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the application in practice of the State Decree on Hazardous Labour for Young Persons (S.B. No. 175 of 2010) including disaggregated statistics on the number and nature of violations reported, investigations and penalties imposed by virtue of the relevant provisions of the Labour Code.

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