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

Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) - Uzbekistan (Ratification: 2008)

Article 3 of the Convention. Clause (b). Worst forms of child labour. Use, procuring or offering of a child for prostitution. Further to its previous comment, the Committee notes the Government’s reference to section 128 of the Criminal Code, which prohibits the use of children under the age of 16 for prostitution. The Committee draws the Government’s attention, in this respect, to Article 3 of the Convention which, read in conjunction with Article 2, prohibits the use of all children under the age of 18 years for prostitution. The Committee accordingly requests the Government to indicate the relevant provisions prohibiting the use of children under 18 years of age for the purpose of prostitution, and to provide information on the application of such provisions in practice. If no provisions exist, the Committee requests the Government to indicate any measures taken or envisaged to bring its legislation in line with the requirements of the Convention as a matter of urgency.

Article 6. Programmes of action to eliminate the worst forms of child labour. Trafficking. In its previous comments, the Committee noted the Government’s adoption of a 2013–14 national plan to combat the trafficking in persons. The Committee notes that the Government has not provided any information concerning the implementation of this national plan. However, the Committee notes the Government’s statistical information concerning the number of criminal convictions brought under the Criminal Code concerning the trafficking in persons in 2014. It also notes the Decent Work Country Programme 2014–16 (DWCP), which was signed between the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, the Council of Federation of Trade Unions, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the ILO on 25 April 2014 and which provides for, among others, the effective implementation of the national action plan for the application of child labour Conventions, which will be supported with ILO assistance. The Committee further notes the Government’s reference to Ministers Resolution No. 132 on additional measures to implement the ILO Conventions (2014–16) which indicates that, by the third quarter of 2014, a joint integrated plan of action will be developed and approved concerning the participation of employers and employees in the implementation of ILO Conventions on forced and child labour. Noting the absence of concrete information on this point, the Committee requests the Government to provide updated information concerning its efforts to eliminate the sale and trafficking of children under 18 years of age, including within the framework of the DWCP and Ministers Resolution No. 132.

Article 7(2). Effective and time-bound measures. Clause (d). Children at special risk. Street children. The Committee previously noted the increasing number of street children in the country who may be subjected to the worst forms of exploitation, including begging, extreme marginalization and homelessness and who are at risk of becoming victims of trafficking and sexual exploitation. The Committee notes the Government’s recent information that, during the first half of 2014, centres for social and legal aid to minors assisted 4,224 neglected children and adolescents by providing them with food, clothing, and bedding.

While the Committee appreciates the Government’s efforts to provide certain assistance to neglected children, the Committee notes that there do not appear to be specific measures in place to prevent and remove street children from the worst forms of child labour or to reintegrate them into education. Considering the grave circumstances with which street children are faced, including the worst forms of child labour, the Committee accordingly requests the Government to provide information on the effective and time-bound measures it has taken to protect street children from the worst forms of child labour and requests it to send information on the impact of the action undertaken in terms of the number of children actually removed from the street.

[The Government is asked to reply in detail to the present comments in 2015.]