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

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

Articles 3, 5 and 7(1) of the Convention. Worst forms of child labour, monitoring mechanisms and penalties. Clause (a). All forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery. Sale and trafficking of children. The Committee notes the Government’s information that: (1) due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been limited activities in relation to the fight against trafficking in persons; (2) nevertheless, the six Provincial Anti-Trafficking Teams of the Anti-Trafficking Inter-Ministerial Committee continue to raise public awareness on trafficking; (3) cross-border forums have been established at Chirundu, Forbes, Plumtree and Beitbridge borders to combat trafficking in persons, particularly of children; (4) Child Friendly Frameworks have also been developed with neighbouring countries to ensure the repatriation of any trafficked children; and (5) two Migrant Resource Centres were set up in Harare and Bulawayo, aimed at raising awareness and providing information to the public on labour migration issues including their negative related issues such as trafficking in persons and children.

The Committee also notes, from the Government’s report under the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29), that awareness-raising campaigns and the use of various media platforms to increase public awareness on human trafficking has led to an increase in the prosecution of offenders. As such, 15 offenders were prosecuted and four were convicted and sentenced to prison sentences ranging from 36 months to 70 years. However, the Committee notes the absence of information provided on the number of cases relating specifically to child trafficking. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing detailed information on the activities carried out by the Provincial Anti-Trafficking Task Force Teams, as well as the Child Friendly Frameworks, in identifying and preventing trafficking of children and ensuring the repatriation of child victims. It also once again requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken to: (i) ensure the effective application of section 3(2)(3) of the Trafficking in Persons Act, 2014, prohibiting and penalizing child trafficking; and (ii) ensure that statistical data be collected on the number of offences detected, the prosecutions, convictions and penalties applied in relation to the trafficking of children under the age of 18 years and to provide such information.

Article 4(3). Periodic examination of the list of hazardous work. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that, in February 2022, it issued a directive to all National Employment Councils (NECs) to develop lists of hazardous types of work to be prohibited for any person below the age of 18 within the respective NECs. It notes with interest that so far, four Statutory Instruments (SIs) have been adopted (SIs Nos 147, 148, 200 and 202 for the Tobacco Sector (Manufacturing), Tobacco Sector (Miscellaneous), Engineering, Iron and Steel Industry and Air Transport Sector respectively). The Committee notes that these SIs: (1) prohibit the employment (and apprenticeships) of children under 16 years in any undertakings in the industries concerned; and (2) prohibits the employment (and apprenticeships) of children under 18 years in a detailed list of hazardous activities in these industries. The Government adds that ten further SIs are awaiting adoption and internal consultations are ongoing with other NECs on the development of their respective hazardous work lists. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the progress achieved on the adoption of the lists of hazardous work prohibited to children under the age of 18 years by all National Employment Councils. It also requests the Government to provide information on the implementation of SIs Nos 147, 148, 200 and 202, including the number and nature of violations regarding the employment of young persons in hazardous work in the relevant industries and types of sanctions imposed. The Committee further requests the Government to provide information on the adoption of the 10 pending SIs.

Articles 6 and 7(2)(b). Programmes of action and direct assistance for the removal of children from the worst forms of child labour and providing for their rehabilitation and social integration. Trafficking of children. The Committee takes note of the launch, in July 2023, of new Trafficking in Persons National Plan of Action for 2023–2028. However, it notes with regret the absence of information provided on the implementation, and impact, of the previous Trafficking in Persons National Plan of Action 2019–21. Therefore, the Committee must reiterate its request to the Government that it provide detailed information on: (i) the concrete measures taken to combat the sale and trafficking of children under the age of 18 years within the framework of the Trafficking in Persons National Plan of Action for 2019–21 and 2023–28; and (ii) the results achieved in terms of the number of children removed from trafficking and provided with assistance.

Article 7(2). Effective and time-bound measures. Clause (d). Identify and reach out to children at special risk. Children in street situations. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that: (1) it is continuing its efforts to remove and reintegrate children living and working on the streets in the provinces of Harare, Manicaland, Midlands and Masvingo; (2) in the first half of 2023, 194 children were identified and removed from the streets; (3) all identified children undergo assessment processes which enable tracing, reunification with their families, and reintegration processes, including admission and reintegration into the education system; (4) families and children identified begging on the street are integrated into the Public Assistance programme which seeks to provide a household economy safety net; (5) the Government is developing a project which will engage graduate interns who will be responsible for the identification, documentation and referral of children living and working on the streets; and (6) a residential child-care facility dedicated to the rehabilitation of children removed from the streets has been established in Masvingo Province. Children within the facility receive a comprehensive package of services which includes psychosocial support, educational support and vocational training. The Committee welcomes the measures taken by the Government, and it requests the Government to continue providing information on: (i) the measures taken to prevent and protect children in street situations from the worst forms of child labour; and (ii) the results achieved, including by indicating the number of children who were removed from the street and the types of assistance provided.

Application of the Convention in practice. With reference to its previous request for statistical data on the worst forms of child labour, the Committee notes the Government’s reply that, once the electronic case management system is up and running, statistics will be readily available and share with this Committee. In this regard, the Committee refers to paragraph 647 of its General Survey of 2012 on the fundamental Conventions, on the importance of up-to-date statistical data. It therefore once again requests the Government to provide information on the application of the Convention in practice, including 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, and the number and nature of offences reported, investigations, prosecutions, convictions and penalties imposed. As far as possible, the information supplied should be disaggregated by age and gender.