Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2016, published 106th ILC session (2017)

Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) - Sweden (Ratification: 2001)

Article 4(3) of the Convention. Periodic review of the list of types of hazardous work. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s information that the Work Environment Authority’s regulations and general guidelines on minors’ working environment of 2012 (as amended in 2014) contain a list of hazardous tasks prohibited for minors under the age of 18 years. According to section 11 of this regulation, it is prohibited for employers, principals, school boards and training providers to allow minors under the age of 18 years to perform hazardous tasks listed in Annex 1.

The Committee notes with interest that the list prohibits more than 40 types of work and processes that are harmful to minors such as: work with hazardous agents (work with infectious substances, quartz or quartz material, refractory ceramic fibres or crystalline fibres, work exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, tar, pitch, fumes, wood dust, work with sewage); work with hazardous chemical products that are toxic to skin, may cause allergy, cancer, genetic defects, causes severe skin burns or damage to organs; work with chemical substances, mixtures, explosives, flammable gas, danger of fire, work with pesticides, lead or lead-bearing materials, asbestos and 29 processes or work, including: work involving handling of equipment for the production, storage, use of compressed, liquefied or dissolved gases; manufacturing or processing of metal; cutting and welding with gas, electricity or laser; work in confined spaces; preparation and handling of devices, fireworks, or other explosive objects; work with dangerous machineries and devices; work with power driven hoists, cable cars, or other transport devices; work as a driver or operator of tractors, trucks, cargo and other dangerous mobile machineries; railway work; work with loading, unloading and berthing of ships; construction work; work at heights; work on or near electrical power plant; work on emergency rooms, infection, intensive care rooms, psychiatric care; work in home care, health care, mental illness and disability clinics; work with infectious, biological or radioactive waste and medical waste; disposal of corpses, work with fierce or poisonous animals; industrial slaughter of animals; work underwater; work with experimental cancer research; and surveillance or security work.

Article 6. Programmes of action. The Committee notes from the Government’s report that an Action Plan for 2016–18 has been developed consisting of 23 actions towards achieving the following objectives: (i) that children do not become victims of trafficking; (ii) that children are not exposed to sexual abuse and exploitation, including in connection with tourism and travel; (iii) that all child victims of trafficking and sexual exploitation receive appropriate protection and support; and (iv) to promote children’s awareness of their rights to be protected from abuse and exploitation. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the implementation of the measures taken within the framework of the Action Plan 2016–18 to combat trafficking and sexual exploitation of children, including in the tourism and travel sector as well as the results achieved.

Article 8. International cooperation and assistance. Trafficking and child sex tourism. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s information that the country is a committed member of the “We PROTECT”, a global alliance to end online child sexual exploitation comprising 63 nations worldwide. The Committee also notes from the Government’s report that in May 2016, Sweden appointed an ambassador against human trafficking with the mission to improve the effectiveness of international efforts and cooperation against trafficking and sexual exploitation of children. The Government also indicates that it intends to identify countries interested in bilateral cooperation to combat trafficking and sexual exploitation of children. Moreover, besides bilateral cooperation in specific investigations, Sweden is actively participating in the work to implement the Operative Action Plan of the Europol SOCTA/COSI/Empact Policy Cycle which is the most important platform for international police cooperation against organized crime and trafficking of persons.

The Committee notes, however, the Government’s indication that the number of migrants and asylum seekers has increased considerably, among them a large number of unaccompanied minors. There are risks that these people may be exposed to exploitation in various forms during their travel to or within Sweden. Internal European Union (EU) trafficking in persons remains the most significant among the reports to the police and among the investigations carried out. In 2015, the clearest trend was concerned with reports of trafficking of persons for the purpose of begging. The Committee encourages the Government to continue its international cooperation efforts to combat the phenomenon of trafficking and child sexual exploitation. In the context of the entry of a high number of unaccompanied minors in the country, the Committee requests the Government to strengthen its efforts to prevent them from falling victims to trafficking. It requests the Government to provide information on the specific measures taken in this regard and on the results achieved. The Committee also requests the Government to indicate the bilateral cooperation agreements against trafficking and sexual exploitation of children signed with countries and their impact.

Application of the Convention in practice. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s information that it intends to give the Swedish Police Authority the mandate to propose measures to enhance the ability of the police to combat various types of sexual offences against children, including internet-related sexual offences, child sex tourism and trafficking of children for sexual exploitation and child prostitution. The Committee also notes the Government’s information that the Cyber Crime Centre receives information concerning the sexual abuse of children outside of Sweden from Swedish and foreign police authorities. However, the Committee notes that according to the statistical information provided by the Government, the number of reported offences involving children has increased. According to this data, in 2015, more than 900 offences related to child pornography were reported, of which 500 were internet-related and around 600 prosecutions were initiated and 120 sanctions imposed. With regard to the exploitation of children for sexual posing, in 2015, about 1,000 offences were reported, prosecution was initiated in around 650 cases and sanctions were imposed in 30 cases. Moreover, 130 offences related to the purchase of sexual acts from a child under 18 years of age were reported and prosecution was initiated in 40 cases. With regard to the statistics related to the offences of trafficking of persons, the Committee notes from the Government’s report under the Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105), that of the nearly 180 reported offences in 2015, about 60 were sexually motivated, 55 were related to begging and around 20 concerned forced labour. About 20 per cent of these reported offences involved children under the age of 18 years. In two cases sanctions of imprisonment from two to four years were imposed. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing information on the number and nature of infringements reported related to the worst forms of child labour, and investigations, prosecutions, convictions and penal sanctions applied. To the extent possible, the information provided should be disaggregated by age and sex.