Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2023, published 112nd ILC session (2024)

Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) - Sudan (Ratification: 2003)

The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It is therefore bound to repeat its previous comments.

Repetition

Article 2(1) of the Convention. Scope of application, labour inspectorate and application of the Convention in practice. In its previous comments, the Committee noted the Government’s indication that efforts by the State bodies in collaboration with civil society organizations were ongoing to tackle the phenomenon of child labour. It also noted the establishment of Family and Child Police Protection Units to monitor child labour as well as the development of special labour inspection programmes in the informal and the agricultural economy. The Committee requested the Government to provide information on the measures taken in collaboration with the civil society organizations to ensure the elimination of child labour; the actions taken by the labour inspection to investigate and monitor child labour, particularly in the informal economy; and on the measures taken by the Family and Child Police Protection Units to monitor child labour.

The Committee notes the Government’s information in its report that the civil society organizations are actively involved in celebrating the International day for Protection of Children, annually. The Government also indicates that the Family and Child Police Protection Units are entrusted to adopt programmes and activities for the protection of family and children from all forms of violations which are in accordance with the existing legislation and obligations under the international and regional conventions. The Government further indicates that an action plan for the management of inspections relating to the monitoring of child labour has been formulated and is awaiting implementation.

The Committee notes the statistical information provided by the Government concerning the percentage of children between the ages of 5-17 years involved in child labour in each of the states. Accordingly, the state of East Darfur indicates the highest percentage with 49.4 per cent, followed by South Darfur, Central Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile with 48.2 per cent, 45.1 per cent, 41.4 per cent and 38.1 per cent, respectively as compared to the state of Khartum with 7.5 per cent. In this regard, the Committee notes from the ILO publication of 2019 entitled, Child Labour in the Arab Region: A Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis that Sudan is one of the countries across the Arab region showing the highest rates of child labour with 12.6 per cent among children aged 5–14 years. Among children aged 5–14 years, 18.1 per cent are involved in paid non-family work, 19.9 per cent in self-employment and 62 per cent in unpaid family work with agriculture being the predominant sector of activity (67.5 per cent), followed by the service sector (23.4 per cent) and the industrial sector (9.1 per cent). While noting the measures taken by the Government, the Committee must express its concern at the significant number of children below the minimum age who are involved in child labour in Sudan. The Committee urges the Government to intensify its efforts to ensure the progressive elimination of child labour, with particular focus on the States of South Darfur, Central Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile. It requests the Government to provide information on the specific measures taken in this regard, including the measures taken in collaboration with the civil society organizations, and the programmes adopted by the Family and Child Police and Protection units. It also requests the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure the implementation of the action plan for the management of inspections monitoring child labour, including measures to strengthen the capacities and expand the reach of the labour inspectorate to the agricultural and informal economy where child labour is more prevalent. It requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken in this regard and the results achieved.

Article 2(3) of the Convention. Compulsory schooling. In its previous comments, the Committee requested the Government to pursue and strengthen its efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children under 14 years of age and to provide statistical information on the results achieved.

The Committee notes the Government’s information that the European Union (EU) has been funding several programmes to improve the quality of education in eastern Sudan and the southern states and for the displaced populations, including funding for the education and vocational training projects in the states of Khartoum, Gedaref and Kassala. The Committee notes from a UNICEF report “New Horizons for Education in Sudan” of 2020 that Sudan has one of the largest numbers of out-of-school children in the Middle East and North Africa Region. An estimated over three million children, aged 5–13 years are not in school. Noting with concern that a high number of children under 14 years are out-of-school in Sudan, the Committee urges the Government to strengthen its efforts to improve the functioning of the education system thereby reducing the number of out-of-school children. It also requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken in this regard, including information on the EU funded programmes, and the statistical information on the results achieved, particularly with respect to increasing the school enrolment rates and reducing the drop-out rates.

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

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