Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2011, published 101st ILC session (2012)

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

Article 7(2) of the Convention. Effective and time-bound measures. Clause (b). Providing the necessary and appropriate assistance for the removal of children from the worst forms of child labour, and for their rehabilitation and social integration. Child victims of trafficking. The Committee previously noted that the Action Plan to Fight Trafficking in Human Beings 2007–10 (2007–10 Action Plan) contained measures to protect child victims of trafficking, including the appointment of special representatives for these children and measures to help find their parents.

The Committee notes the Government’s indication in its report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) of 22 January 2010 that all child victims of trafficking must be appointed a professional representative (such as a social worker) to safeguard their interests (CRC/C/DNK/4 paragraph 431). The Committee also notes the Government’s indication in this report that the Centre Against Trafficking was recently established for the improved and coordinated treatment of victims of trafficking while they stay in Denmark (CRC/C/DNK/4 paragraph 674). The Government indicates that the Centre Against Trafficking meets regularly with a network of relevant authorities and NGOs (including the police, the Ministry of Integration, the Ministry of Social Welfare, the Red Cross and the NGO Save the Children) to make sure that child victims of trafficking receive the best possible support during their stay, and in connection with their possible repatriation (CRC/C/DNK/4 paragraph 676). Regarding the removal of child victims from trafficking, the Committee further notes the information in the Government’s report to the CRC that the National Police is implementing a strategy to identify and prosecute the organizers of prostitution, and that this strategy facilitates the identification of the trafficking in under age victims of prostitution (CRC/C/DNK/4 paragraph 519). The Government indicates in this report that, through this strategy, police districts carry out proactive, systematic raids of prostitution rings, and that the police are highly aware that any minors identified during these raids must receive relevant support and guidance. In addition, the Government indicates that police are sensitive to the fact that any non-Danish under age persons without a residence permit who are engaging in prostitution are likely to be child victims of trafficking (CRC/C/DNK/4 paragraphs 524 and 525).

Lastly, the Committee notes the Government’s statement in its reply to the list of issues of the CRC of 5 January 2011 that an inter-ministerial working group is currently developing a new action plan as a follow-up to the 2007–10 Action Plan, which will address, among other things, child trafficking in the field of forced labour (CRC/C/DNK/Q/4/Add.1 paragraph 140). The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the impact of the measures taken, within the framework of the follow-up to the 2007–10 Action Plan, to combat the trafficking of persons under the age of 18, and on the results achieved.

Part V of the report form. Application of the Convention in practice. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes the statistical information in the Government’s report from the Danish Working Environment Authority (DWEA). This information indicates that in 2008 and 2009, the DWEA issued three prohibitions, 193 improvement notices and 221 instructions. However, the Committee observes that this information does not indicate if any of these violations detected related to the worst forms of child labour, or if any other authorities detected any cases of these worst forms. In this regard, the Committee notes that the CRC, in its concluding observations of 4 February 2011, expressed concern that Denmark continues to be a significant transit and destination country for child victims of trafficking-related crimes, including forced child prostitution and labour. The Committee also notes the CRC’s statement that efforts to prosecute traffickers and persons subjecting children to forced labour and prostitution continue to require strengthening (CRC/C/DNK/CO/4 paragraph 61). In this regard, the Committee urges the Government to intensify its efforts to combat the worst forms of child labour in the country, including trafficking for the purposes of forced labour and prostitution. The Committee also requests the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that sufficient up-to-date data on the worst forms of child labour is made available. In this respect, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on the number of infringements reported, investigations, prosecutions, convictions and penal sanctions applied related to the worst forms of child labour, along with its next report. To the extent possible, all information provided should be disaggregated by sex and age.