Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2019, published 109th ILC session (2021)

Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) - Uruguay (Ratification: 1977)

Article 1 of the Convention. National policy to ensure the effective abolition of child labour. In its previous comments, the Committee requested the Government to provide information on the final evaluation of the survey on child labour in waste sorting and collection in the territories covered by the implementation of phase 1 of the plan of action. The Committee also requested the Government to provide information on the new national policies implemented to ensure the effective abolition of child labour.

The Committee notes the information in the Government’s report regarding the implementation of a project providing support for public policies for the elimination of child labour and the worst forms of labour of young persons, in collaboration with the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, the Uruguayan Agency for International Cooperation and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security of Uruguay.

The Committee also notes the publication in 2017 of a handbook entitled “Work by children and young persons in Uruguay”, which formed the basis for several workshops and training courses for staff of state bodies and organizations for the protection of children and young people. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the impact of such capacity-building with a view to ensuring the effective abolition of child labour. The Committee once again requests the Government to provide information on the final evaluation of the survey conducted in 2015 of child labour in waste collection.

Article 3(2). Determination of types of hazardous work. In relation to the adoption of a list of hazardous types of work, the Committee refers to its detailed comments on the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182).

Article 9(2). Persons responsible for enforcing the Convention and application of the Convention in practice. In its previous comments, the Committee requested the Government to continue to strengthen the capacities of the National Labour Inspection Department for Child Labour and Work by Young Persons so as to enable it to detect all cases of child labour, particularly in rural areas.

The Committee notes that, according to the Government’s report, there are six inspectors in the National Labour Inspection Department for Child Labour and Work by Young Persons. This department, under the authority of the Uruguayan Institute for Children and Adolescents, requires enterprises that employ children aged from 15 to 18 years to provide a workbook and log for work by minors. The workbook is signed by the enterprise and the parent or guardian of the young person. The minor’s work log is recorded in a document which contains information from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Social Security Institute. During inspections, the employer is required to present the minor’s workbook and work log to the inspector.

The Committee notes that, of a total of 2,645 labour inspections in 2017 and 2018, there were 24 complaints of children aged under 15 years in a child labour situation. Moreover, the Committee observes a decrease in the number of labour inspectors for children and young people among the new recruits planned within the National Labour Inspection Department for Child Labour and Work by Young Persons, according to information provided by the Government in its previous report. The Committee once again requests the Government to continue its efforts to strengthen the capacities of the National Labour Inspection Department for Child Labour and Work by Young Persons so as to enable it to detect all cases of child labour, particularly in rural areas.