Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2024, published 113rd ILC session (2025)

Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) - Chad (Ratification: 2000)

Article 3 of the Convention. Worst forms of child labour. Clause (a). All forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery. Sale and trafficking of children. The Committee notes the Government’s indications in its report on the adoption of Act No. 2017-01 of 8 May 2017 issuing the Penal Code. It notes that the Government makes reference to sections 371, 372 and 373 of the Penal Code on the crime of the abduction of minors, but that the Penal Code still does not criminalize trafficking in persons. It notes with regret that once again the Government has not provided statistics on violations, investigations, prosecutions and convictions in this field.

However, the Committee notes from the report of the Government to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC): (1) the adoption of Ordinance No. 006/PR/2018 of 30 March 2018 on action to combat trafficking in persons in the Republic of Chad which criminalizes trafficking in persons and establishes a penalty for any person who commits the crime of trafficking in persons of between four and 30 years imprisonment and a fine of between 250,000 CFA francs BEAC and 5,000,000 CFA; (2) the Government established the National Commission to Combat Trafficking in Persons (CNLTP) in the Republic of Chad by Decree No. 0151/PR/MJCDH/2021, of 8 February 2021. The CNLTP meets twice a year in ordinary session and as many times as necessary in extraordinary sessions by decision of the Executive Board or upon the proposal of at least two-thirds of its members (CRC/C/TCD/3-5, 16 July 2024, paragraphs 142, 144 and 145). The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the effect given in practice to Ordinance No. 006/PR/2018 of 30 March 2018 on action to combat trafficking in persons, including the provision of statistics on the number and nature of the violations reported, the investigations carried out, prosecutions, convictions and the penal sanctions imposed.

Clause (d). Hazardous work. Children working in the informal economy. In its previous comments, the Committee noted that Decree No. 55/PR/MTJS DTOMPS does not apply to young persons under the age of 18 years who perform hazardous work in the informal economy, in which many children are engaged.

The Committee notes, from the integrated household survey published by ILO-STATISTICS in 2018, that 96.9 per cent of employment is informal. It notes the Government’s indication it is continuing its efforts for the transition from the informal to the formal economy. It accordingly welcomes the ILO cooperation and support project for the reduction of informality in the agricultural sector (coordinated by the Kinshasa Office). The Government adds that it is in the process of training future labour inspectors to reinforce the capacities of the labour administration. The Committee further notes that, according to the report submitted by the Government to the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, Chad sent three labour inspectors in 2018 to the ILO African Regional Labour Administration Centre for 45 days (A/HRC/WG.6/45/TCD/1, 10 November 2023, paragraph 101). The Committee requests the Government to continue taking measures for the adaptation and reinforcement of the labour inspection services in order to ensure that children under 18 years of age are not engaged in hazardous work in the informal economy and that they benefit from the protection set out in the Convention. It requests the Government to continue providing information on any measures taken in this regard and on the results achieved.

Article 7(2). Effective and time-bound measures. Clause (a). Preventing the engagement of children in the worst forms of child labour.Access to free basic education. The Government indicates that, according to a survey carried out by the National Institute for Statistics, Economic and Demographic Studies (INSEED) in 2018 on the profile of poverty, boys have a higher school attendance rate than girls (48.4 per cent compared with 43.7 per cent) and rural areas are at a serious disadvantage (a school attendance rate of 68.1 per cent in urban areas compared with 39.6 per cent in rural areas). The survey showed that fewer than two-thirds of children have the opportunity to attend primary school and only 40 per cent complete it. The Committee notes the Government’s indication concerning the adoption of the Interim Education Plan in Chad 2018-20, which identifies five major challenges: (1) increasing the provision of education at all levels; (2) improving the quality of learning; (3) matching the level of financing in the sector with the development ambitions identified; (4) making education at all levels more equitable by ensuring that disparities are reduced; and (5) making the management and governance of the education system more effective and efficient.

The Committee notes that, in its concluding observations, the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights noted the Government’s efforts to guarantee free education, but expressed concern at: (1) reports that around 31 per cent of girls and 14 per cent of boys do not attend primary school, despite the legislative and policy framework that guarantees ten years of free compulsory basic education; (2) reports that most of the funds for secondary education come from school fees, with parents contributing over 90 per cent of these funds compared with less than 1 per cent by the State party, which has the effect of limiting access to education for the most disadvantaged individuals and groups; (3) the low quality of teaching, due in part to the insufficient numbers of teachers; and (4) the persistence of inequalities in access to education, including between girls and boys, particularly in remote areas (E/C.12/TCD/CO/4, of 30 October 2023, paragraph 45). The Committee also notes, from the Government’s report to the CRC, that: (1) in 2017, a national policy was developed on school meals, although the implementation of the policy does not yet cover the whole national territory; and (2) measures have been taken to increase the access of girls to education, particularly through the integration of equity in education into the National Development Plan 2017–21 and the construction of separate toilets for girls and boys in schools (CRC/C/TCD/3-5, paragraphs 26 and 103). The Committee notes the measures taken by the Government, including to facilitate the access of girls to education. It recalls that education contributions to preventing the engagement of children in the worst forms of child labour and it therefore requests the Government to continue its efforts to improve the functioning of the education system in the country and to increase attendance at primary and lower secondary school, particularly for girls. It also requests the Government to continue providing: (i) detailed information on the measures adopted in this respect, and on the results achieved; and (ii) updated statistical data on school attendance rates and the school enrolment rates of girls and boys at the primary and lower secondary levels.

Clause (d). Children at special risk. Children working and living in the street. The Committee notes, from the Government’s report submitted under the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138), the adoption of the National Child Protection Policy in Chad 2023–30. According to the Government, this strategic document takes into account the recurrent issues relating to the protection of children, including working children, children working and living in the street and child orphans. The Committee also notes that, according to the Government’s report to the CRC, the following action has been taken in relation to children living and working in the street: (1) awareness-raising activities concerning children in street situations; (2) the establishment of a list of actors engaged in combating the issue; and (3) community dialogue with emphasis on parental responsibility (CRC/C/TCD/3-5, paragraph 20). The Committee recalls the high number of children in street situations in the country and once again notes with regret the absence of information on the results achieved through the measures adopted. It requests the Government to continue providing information on the time-bound measures adopted to protect children in street situations from the worst forms of child labour and to ensure the rehabilitation and social integration of children who are removed from the streets, including within the framework of the National Child Protection Policy in Chad 2023–30. The Committee also urges the Government to provide information on the results achieved, and particularly an indication of the number of children removed from the streets and the type of assistance received to avoid them returning to the streets.

Child HIV/AIDS orphans. The Committee notes that the Government has not provided information on the measures adopted to provide assistance to child HIV/AIDS orphans and to prevent them becoming victims of the worst forms of child labour. It notes that, according to UNAIDS estimates for 2023, there are reported to be around 110,000 child HIV/AIDS orphans, which represents a decrease since 2013 (when the number was 160,000). Recalling that children who are orphaned as a result of HIV/AIDS are particularly vulnerable to the worst forms of child labour, the Committee therefore requests the Government to provide information on the specific time-bound measures taken to prevent child HIV/AIDS orphans from becoming engaged in the worst forms of child labour and to ensure their rehabilitation and social integration. It also requests the Government to provide information on the results achieved, particularly within the framework of the National Child Protection Policy in Chad 2023–30.

Article 8. International cooperation. Poverty reduction measures. The Committee notes that, according to the programme rationale of the Executive Board of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), of 1 August 2023, some 42.3 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line, 50 per cent of children are affected by multidimensional poverty and 47 per cent by monetary poverty (E/ICEF/2023/P/L.25, paragraph 3). Moreover, in its concluding observations of 30 October 2023, the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights noted with concern that poverty reduction programmes are proving insufficient, as poverty rates remain very high and disproportionately affect people living in rural and remote areas (E/C.12/TCD/CO/4, paragraph 35). In this regard, the Committee recalls that poverty reduction programmes contribute to breaking the poverty cycle, which is essential for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour. It therefore requests the Government to provide information on the measures adopted or envisaged to achieve an effective reduction in poverty for children exposed to the risk of the worst forms of child labour, and the results achieved in this respect.

[The Government is asked to reply in full to the present comments in 2025.]