Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2025, published 114th ILC session (2026)

Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) - Solomon Islands (Ratification: 2012)

Articles 3(a) and (b), 5 and 7(1) of the Convention. Worst forms of child labour, monitoring mechanisms and penalties. Sale and trafficking of children and commercial sexual exploitation. The Committee recalls that the Committee on the Application of Standards (the Conference Committee) at the 110th Session of the International Labour Conference (in June 2022) expressed deep concern about the persistence of the sale and trafficking of children, particularly girls, for sexual exploitation purposes and urged the Government to ensure that cases concerning the sale and trafficking of children are duly investigated, prosecuted, and sanctioned, and to strengthen the capacities of law enforcement bodies for this purpose.

The Committee notes with regret that the Government’s report does not provide any information in reply to its previous comments. Therefore, the Committee once again urges the Government to take all the necessary measures to reinforce the capacities of the law enforcement bodies (including the police force, prosecutors, and judges) to ensure that: (i) thorough investigations and prosecutions are carried out against persons who engage in the sale or trafficking of children and/or the use, procuring and offering of a child for prostitution; and (ii) sufficiently dissuasive penalties are imposed on the offenders. In this regard, the Committee once again requests the Government to provide information on the number of prosecutions, legal proceedings and convictions, and the types of penalties imposed for trafficking of children for sexual exploitation (section 145 of the Penal Code (Amendment) (Sexual Offences) Act, 2016, and section 77 of the Immigration Act 2012), and for the use, procuring or offering a child for prostitution (sections 141(2) and 143 of the Penal Code (Amendment) (Sexual Offences) Act, 2016).

Article 3(c). Use, procuring or offering of a child for illicit activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs.Noting the absence of information provided on this point, the Committee once again requests the Government to take all the necessary measures to ensure that the national legislation prohibits the use, procuring or offering of a child under 18 years for illicit activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs.

Articles 3(d) and 4(1). List of types of hazardous work. With reference to the adoption of a list of types of hazardous work, the Committee refers to its comments under the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138). 

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 Committee previously noted that, in its observations, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) referred to the disparities in access to and quality of education between urban and remote areas.

The Committee notes from the Government’s report to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), that: (1) the budget allocation for education makes up approximately between 30 to 35 per cent of the overall annual national budget in the last five years, showing that a good education system remains a high priority; (2) significant projects have been implemented by the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MEHRD) to improve school sanitation facilities, dormitories for girls and to provide affordable school transportation; and (3) the MEHRD has implemented the payment of school grants to all schools in the country to subsidize fees for students attending compulsory years of education (CEDAW/C/SLB/4-5, 20 November 2024, paras 176, 177 and 184). The Committee further notes the adoption of the National Educational Action Plan 2022–2026 in which it is highlighted that statistical data on enrolment and attendance rates have not been updated since 2019. The Committee requests the Government to continue taking effective and time-bound measures to ensure access to free basic education (both in primary and lower-secondary education) to all children, particularly children living in remote areas. It requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken to this end and the results achieved, including by providing updated statistical information on school enrolment, completion and drop-out rates for primary and lower-secondary education.

Application of the Convention in practice. The Committee previously noted the Government’s indication that it would intensify its efforts to implement a database containing statistical information on the nature, extent, and trends of the worst forms of child labour; the number of children protected by measures giving effect to the Convention; as well as the number and nature of offences reported, investigations, prosecutions, convictions, and penalties imposed. It notes however that the Government does not provide information on any progress achieved on this point. The Committee therefore once again expresses the hope that the Government will be able to provide this information in its next report.

The Committee encourages the Government to avail itself of ILO technical assistance in relation to the issues raised in this observation.

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