Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2022, published 111st ILC session (2023)

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

Article 3 of the Convention. Worst forms of child labour. Clauses (b) and (c). Use, procuring or offering of a child for prostitution, for the production of pornography or for pornographic performances and for illicit purposes.Further to its previous comments the Committee again urges the Government to communicate information on the application in practice of sections 47, 48, 57, 58 and 59 of Ordinance No. 2005–015 for the protection of children under criminal law, with regard to the use, procuring or offering a child under 18 years of age for the purpose of prostitution or pornography. It also requests the Government to provide information on the application in practice of sections 3, 4 and 5, read in conjunction with section 13 of Act No. 93-37 concerning the suppression of the production, trafficking and illicit use of drugs and psychotropic substances, including the number of investigations, prosecutions and convictions handed down in cases of use, procuring or offering a child under 18 years of age for illicit activities.

Article 7(2). Effective and time-bound measures. Clause (b). assistance for the removal of children from the worst forms of child labour and for their rehabilitation and social integration. Child victims of sale or trafficking. The Committee notes, from the information provided by the Government in respect of the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29), that Act No. 2020-017 provides for the establishment of a national board to combat trafficking in persons and migrant smuggling. This board will coordinate with other relevant structures and services to provide the social assistance required by victims of trafficking, including for slavery and slavery-like practices, in order to facilitate their social reintegration and shelter, within the limit of available resources. These measures will be implemented while taking account of victims’ age, sex and specific needs. The board will ensure provision of the medical care required for the physical, and psychological recovery of those victims in need. The conditions and modalities for covering the cost of victim care will be established by decree. The Government indicates that the decree concerning the organization and operation of the board has been adopted by the Council of Ministers and will be implemented shortly. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on progress achieved in establishing the national board to combat trafficking in persons and migrant smuggling. It also requests the Government to provide information on the number of children under 18 years of age who have been withdrawn from sale or trafficking and rehabilitated and socially integrated through this board.

Clause (d). Identify and reach out to children at special risk. 1. HIV/AIDS orphans. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes with regret that the Government’s report still contains no information regarding measures taken to protect HIV/AIDS orphans from the worst forms of child labour. It notes from the 2021 UNAIDS data that around 11,000 children under 18 years of age have been orphaned as a result of HIV/AIDS. Recalling once more that HIV/AIDS orphans are at greater risk of becoming involved in the worst forms of child labour, the Committee urges the Government to provide information on the specific, time-bound measures taken to ensure that these children are protected from these worst forms of labour.

2. Street children. The Committee previously noted the large number of street children and that there were more boys than girls living or working on the streets, but that girls are less visible and more difficult to identify. The Committee notes with regret that the Government includes no information in this respect in its report. It notes that, in its national report dated 9 November 2020 presented under the Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review, the Government indicates that the Centre for the Protection and Social Integration of Children (CPISE) and its branches provide protection for street children. They work to locate, identify, support and care for these children (A/HRC/WG.6/37/MRT/1, paragraph 118). Considering that street children are particularly exposed to the worst forms of child labour, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on the number of children, in particular girls, identified, withdrawn and socially rehabilitated through the CPISE or on all other effective, time-bound measures taken.

Article 8. International cooperation. Poverty reduction. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes from a 2022 UNICEF report on the humanitarian situation of children in Mauritania, that one child in four is living in absolute poverty, and three children in ten are exposed to drought, flooding or suffer from acute malnutrition. Indeed, in 2021, a total of 1,385,278 persons were confronted with food insecurity, with 11.3 per cent suffering from serious forms of food insecurity.

The Committee notes from Mauritania’s report of 9 November 2020 submitted under the Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review, that in addition to the Strategy for Accelerated Growth and Shared Prosperity (SCAPP) 2016–2030, the National Food Security Strategy (SNSA) is being implemented (A/HRC/WG.6/37/MRT/1, paragraphs 125–127). Within the framework of the SNSA, a Sectoral Strategy for the Rural Sector (SDSR) 2012-2025 has been developed, dealing with issues related to the development of agriculture and livestock. Furthermore, UNICEF is implementing several activities in the country in order to ensure a protective environment for children confronted with humanitarian crises in Mauritania, including: (i) by offering cash transfer programmes to support 140,000 families, of which 70,000 are vulnerable families; (ii) by continuing to promote fair access to good quality education to all children; and (iii) by implementing multisectoral community approaches to accelerate access to basic social services. Considering that poverty reduction programmes contribute to breaking the cycle of poverty, which is essential for eliminating the worst forms of child labour, the Committee strongly encourages the Government to intensify its efforts to reduce the incidence of poverty among the population, including the most vulnerable communities. It requests the Government to communicate information on the impact of the implementation of the SCAPP, the SNSA, the SDSR and the UNICEF activities on the elimination of the worst forms of child labour.