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

Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) - Djibouti (Ratification: 2005)

The Committee notes with deep concern that the Government’s report has not been received. It is therefore bound to repeat its previous comments. The Committee informs the Government that, if it has not supplied replies to the points raised by 1 September 2020, then it may proceed with the examination of the application of the Convention on the basis of the information at its disposal at its next session.

Repetition

Articles 3(b) and 7(2) of the Convention. Use, procuring or offering of a child for prostitution or illicit activities; effective and time-bound measures. Clause (b). Assistance for removing children from the worst forms of child labour. The Committee previously noted that the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) once again expressed its concern at the high number of children, particularly girls, involved in prostitution and at the lack of facilities providing services for sexually exploited children.

The Committee notes the Government’s indication that it does not have up to-date information on this matter. The Committee urges the Government to take effective and time-bound measures to remove children from prostitution, and to ensure their rehabilitation and social integration. It also requests the Government to supply information on the progress achieved in this respect.

Articles 3(d) and 4(1). Hazardous work and determination of these types of work. As regards the prohibition on employing children under 18 years of age in work which, by its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to harm the health, safety or morals of children, as prescribed by Article 3(d) of the Convention, and also the adoption of a list of hazardous types of work, the Committee refers to its detailed comments relating to the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138).

Article 6. Programmes of action to eliminate the worst forms of child labour. The Committee previously noted that in the context of activities carried out under the Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) for Djibouti for 2008–12, which prioritized, inter alia, the improvement of conditions of work through the promotion of national and international labour standards, with a particular focus on child labour, one of the objectives was that the ILO constituents and the social partners should work together to prevent and eliminate the worst forms of child labour. In this regard, it was planned to formulate and implement a national plan of action for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour.

The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the DWCP has not been adopted owing to a lack of agreement between the Government and the trade unions but that it hopes that, with the help of the Office, social dialogue can resume and that the national plan of action for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour will be adopted and implemented. The Committee firmly hopes that social dialogue will resume as soon as possible. It again requests the Government to take immediate and effective measures to ensure that the national plan of action for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour is formulated, adopted and implemented as soon as possible and to provide information on the progress made in this respect.

Article 7(2)(d). Identifying children at special risk. 1. HIV/AIDS orphans. In its previous comments, the Committee noted that despite the measures taken by the Government in favour of orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs), the number of HIV/AIDS orphans had increased (to 8,800 in 2011).

The Committee notes that the Government does not supply any information on the measures taken to prevent the engagement of HIV/AIDS orphans in the worst forms of child labour. However, the Committee notes that according to the UNICEF publication The state of the world’s children 2016: A fair chance for every child, a total of 6,000 children were orphaned as a result of HIV/AIDS in 2014. It also notes that the Ministry of Health has drawn up a National Health Development Plan (2013–17), which indicates that in the context of the Horn of Africa Partnership (HOAP) to address HIV vulnerability and cross-border mobility, the Government renewed its commitment to intensifying and strengthening inter-ministerial collaboration at the national and subregional levels in order to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS and reverse the current trend of this scourge. Recalling that HIV/AIDS orphans are at greater risk of involvement in the worst forms of child labour, the Committee again requests the Government to supply information on the impact of measures, policies and plans aimed at preventing the engagement of HIV/AIDS orphans in the worst forms of child labour, and on the results achieved.

2. Street children. The Committee previously noted the Government’s statement that most of the children living and working on the streets were of foreign origin and often worked as beggars or shoeshine boys or girls. It also noted that the CRC continued to express concern at the very high number of children still on the streets and at the continued exposure of these children to prostitution, sexually transmissible infections, including HIV/AIDS, economic and sexual exploitation, and violence.

The Committee notes that the Government does not provide any information in this respect. However, it notes that a paper entitled Humanitarian action for children, published by UNICEF in 2016, indicates that 200 street children received social assistance through the humanitarian action of UNICEF, with the collaboration of the Government. Recalling that street children are particularly exposed to the worst forms of child labour, the Committee again urges the Government to take immediate and effective measures to protect them from the worst forms of child labour and ensure their rehabilitation and social reintegration, and also to provide information on progress made in this respect.

Application of the Convention in practice. The Committee previously noted that the CRC observed that there were gaps in the surveys that had been carried out in the areas of poverty, education and health, and that there was insufficient capacity to centralize and analyse population data. The Committee notes the Government’s wish to obtain technical assistance from the Office with regard to drawing up statistics. The Committee requests the Government once again to take steps to ensure the availability of statistics on the nature, extent and trends of the worst forms of child labour, disaggregated by age and gender, and on the number of children covered by the measures giving effect to the Convention.

Noting the interest expressed by the Government in obtaining technical assistance, the Committee invites the Government to avail itself of technical assistance from the Office in order to facilitate the implementation of the Convention.

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

The Committee expects that the Government will make every effort to take the necessary action in the near future.