Observation (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. Forced recruitment of children for use in armed conflict. The Committee notes the indication in the Government’s report that the Child Protection Code has not been adopted. It recalls that the preliminary draft text of the Child Protection Code, which prohibits the recruitment and use of young persons under 18 years of age in the national security forces and lays down penalties to that effect, also envisages the establishment of transparent, effective and accessible complaint procedures for cases of the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict. The Government nevertheless indicates that Act No. 001/PR/2017 of 8 May 2017 issuing the Penal Code has been adopted and that, under the terms of section 370 of the Penal Code, any person who has facilitated the enrolment or use of children in armed forces or groups and their use in wars and armed conflict shall be liable to a sentence of imprisonment of from five to ten years and a fine of 1 million to 10 million CFA francs BEAC.

The Committee notes that, according to the report of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to the Security Council of 3 June 2024 on children and armed conflict: (1) cross-border conflicts and intercommunal violence have persistently affected children, especially those in the central Sahel and Lake Chad basin regions; (2) the United Nations verified 2,258 grave violations against 1,193 children (505 boys, 677 girls, 11 sex unknown) in the Lake Chad basin region, including 741 children who were victims of multiple violations, such as the recruitment and use of children (720 cases by rebel and foreign forces); (3) in Province du Lac, the United Nations verified 60 grave violations against 59 children by unidentified perpetrators, including 10 cases of the recruitment and use of children; and (4) the Secretary-General welcomed the efforts made by the Government of Chad to comply with its action plan on child recruitment and use, which was completed in 2014, and the 2014 handover protocol. He nevertheless reiterated his call to pursue accountability for violations against children and to ensure that all disarmament, demobilization and reintegration and social rehabilitation programmes consider the specific rights and needs of children who have been associated with armed groups (A/78/842-S/2024/384, 3 June 2024, paragraphs 8, 270, 271 and 272).

While noting that the Government armed forces no longer appear to be recruiting children, the Committee however notes with deep concern the continued use and recruitment of children by armed groups. The Committee therefore urges the Government to take all the necessary measures to ensure: (i) the elimination in practice of the forced recruitment of children under 18 years of age by armed groups and to undertake immediately the full demobilization of all children; (ii) in-depth investigations and the prosecution of any persons who engage in the forced recruitment of children under 18 years of age for their use in armed conflict so that sufficiently effective and dissuasive penalties are widely imposed in practice; and (iii) the adoption of the Child Protection Code as soon as possible. It requests the Government to provide information on the specific measures taken for this purpose.

Debt bondage, serfdom and forced or compulsory labour. In its previous comments, the Committee noted that, although forced labour, including debt bondage and slavery, is prohibited by the national legislation, and particularly by section 5 of the Labour Code, the practice of exploiting boys between the ages of 6 and 15 years to look after cattle (child herders) exists in Chad. This practice involves a contract for the hiring of services concluded between the child’s parents or guardians and a stockbreeder who owns the cattle. The boy is paid in kind – one animal after one year’s work – but is subject to semi-slavery in which it is difficult to maintain his identity and personality. The Committee notes the Government’s general indication that it has established child protection committees in all the regions of the country to combat this practice. However, the Government has not provided information on the specific measures taken, including by child protection committees, to bring an end to the practice of child herders. Moreover, it notes that, according to the Government’s report to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) that: (1) the eradication of the exploitation of child herders is one of the Government’s concerns; (2) the preliminary draft of the Child Protection Code will explicitly prohibit this practice; and (3) measures have been taken to strengthen the capacities of the actors involved in combating this practice, particularly through the management and sharing of information and the organization of awareness-raising campaigns (CRC/C/TCD/3-5, 16 July 2024, paragraph 131).

The Committee notes with concern that the practice of child herders persists. It recalls once again that, in accordance with Article 1 of the Convention, immediate and effective measures shall be taken to secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour as a matter of urgency. It therefore urges the Government to: (i) take the necessary measures to ensure the protection of children under 18 years of age against the practice of child herders as a matter of urgency; and (ii) ensure that investigations are carried out and prosecutions initiated against the perpetrators and that effective and dissuasive penalties are imposed on persons found guilty of this practice, in accordance with the prohibition of forced labour set out in section 5 of the Labour Code. The Committee also requests the Government to: (i) provide information on this subject; and (ii) furnish a copy of the Child Protection Code once it has been adopted.

Clause (b). Use, procuring or offering of a child for prostitution. The Committee notes that the new Penal Code continues to criminalize pimping (with heavier penalties where the crime is committed against a minor – sections 335 and 336). However, the Committee notes with regret that the Penal Code still does not contain a provision criminalizing the client and therefore the use of young persons under 18 years of age for prostitution. The Committee therefore once again urges the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that the legislation contains provisions specifically criminalizing a client who uses a child under 18 years of age for prostitution. It requests the Government to provide information on any progress achieved in this regard.

Clause (c). Use procuring or offering of a child for illicit activities. The Committee notes with regret that the new Penal Code still does not contain any provision prohibiting the use, procuring or offering of children under 18 years of age for illicit activities. The Committee once again urges the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that the legislation contains provisions prohibiting and penalizing the use, procuring or offering of a child under 18 years of age for illicit activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs. It once again requests the Government to provide information in this respect.

Article 7(2). Effective and time-bound measures. Clauses (a) and (b). Preventing the engagement of children in the worst forms of child labour and removing them from these worst forms of child labour and ensuring their rehabilitation and social integration. Children who have been enlisted and used in armed conflict. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes the absence of information in the Government’s report. However, it notes from the report of the Government to the CRC that: (1) in accordance with the Protocol agreement between the Government of the Republic of Chad and the United Nations System in Chad on the transfer of children associated with armed forces or groups of 10 September 2014, activities are carried out regularly for the identification, transfer and support of minors; (2) in April 2019, 25 children associated with armed forces and groups, of whom one was 15 years of age, thirteen were aged 16 years and eleven aged 17 years, were removed from the Koro Toro high security prison and placed in transit and guidance centres in N’Djaména for their care; (3) in April 2021, 96 minors were identified by the security forces and referred to the Ministry of Women, the Family and Child Protection for transitional care prior to family reunification; (4) the Boko Haram group makes frequent use of children for criminal activities, and as soon as the regular forces recuperate these children, they are transferred to the Ministry of Social Action, in partnership with UNICEF, for care and family reunification, with the Government accordingly reunifying 94 children associated with the Boko Haram group in 2016, including 13 girls, and 9 children in 2017, including 2 girls; and (5) within the context of this partnership, a Transit and Guidance Centre has been established in Bol, Province du Lac, which receives children associated with the Boko Haram group (CRC/TCD/3-5, 16 July 2024, paragraphs 168, 172, 173, 184 and 185). The Committee requests the Government to continue reinforcing its efforts and to pursue its collaboration with the United Nations and UNICEF with a view to preventing the enlistment of children in armed groups. It also requests the Government to continue taking measures to ensure that child soldiers are removed from armed groups and receive the necessary direct assistance for their rehabilitation and social integration, including reintegration into the school system or vocational training, as appropriate. It requests the Government to continue providing information on the results achieved in this respect, including the number of children who have benefited from rehabilitation and social integration measures.

Clause (d). Children at special risk. Mouhadjirin (talibés) children. The Committee notes from the report of the Government to the CRC that: (1) the eradication of the exploitation of mouhadjirin children is one of the concerns of the Government; and (2) the preliminary draft text of the Child Protection Code envisages the prohibition of this practice for economic exploitation (CRC/C/TCD/3-5, 16 July 2024, paragraph 131). The Committee recalls that, although seeking alms as an educational tool falls outside the scope of the Committee’s mandate, it is clear that the use of children for begging for purely economic ends cannot be accepted under the Convention (2012 General Survey on the fundamental Conventions, paragraph 483). The Committee therefore notes with regret that the Government has not provided any information since 2009 on the specific measures taken to protect mouhadjirin children from the worst forms of child labour. The Committee therefore requests the Government to take time-bound measures to prevent the engagement of mouhadjirin children under 18 years of age from being victims of forced or compulsory labour, such as begging, and to withdraw them and provide the necessary and appropriate direct assistance for their rehabilitation and social integration. It requests the Government to provide specific information on the measures taken for this purpose, and the results achieved.

Child domestic workers. The Committee notes with regret that once again the Government has not provided any information on this subject. It recalls that: (1) the abusive employment of children in domestic work has been observed in practice; and (2) the Government indicated previously that the sector was in the process of being regulated. The Committee requests the Government to take the necessary time-bound measures to protect children engaged in domestic work from the worst forms of child labour, to remove them from such work and provide the necessary and appropriate direct assistance for their rehabilitation and social integration, particularly through the establishment of shelters equipped with the necessary resources. It requests the Government to: (i) provide information on the measures taken in this regard; and (ii) indicate whether regulations have been adopted on domestic work.

In light of the situation described above, the Committee notes with deep concern the continued recruitment and use of children in armed conflict by armed groups. The Committee also expresses its concern at the persistence of the practice of child herders, in which children are subject to semi-slavery, and the absence of information provided by the Government on the measures taken to end this practice. The Committee further notes with regret that, since 2009, the Government has not provided information on the measures taken to protect mouhadjirin (talibés) children from forced or compulsory labour. The Committee also notes with regret the continued absence of legislative provisions to prohibit and penalize the use of a child for prostitution and the use, procuring or offering of a child for illicit activities. The Committee considers that this case meets the criteria set out in paragraph 90 of its General Report to be submitted to the Conference.

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

[The Government is asked to supply full particulars to the Conference at its 1 13 th Session and to reply in full to the present comments in 202 5 .]