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

Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) - Cameroon (Ratification: 2002)

Articles 3(a), 7(1) and (2)(b) of the Convention. Worst forms of child labour. Effective and time-bound measures. Direct assistance for the removal of children from the worst forms of child labour and for their rehabilitation. Sale and trafficking of children. The Committee notes the Government’s information, in its report, concerning the measures adopted to combat trafficking in children, including: (1) the adoption of Order No. 009/CAB/PM of 10 February 2023 concerning the establishment, organization and functioning of the platform for exchange and consultation between the Cameroonian Government and civil society on combating trafficking in persons and migrant smuggling; (2) in 2024, with support from development partners, the Government organized poster campaigns at Yaoundé and Douala airports to prevent and combat human trafficking, including children; and (3) 23 social welfare services (SASO) and 8 social centres for vulnerable children have been created, and others have been refurbished and had their capacities upgraded, making it possible to provide psychosocial care for 4,805 girls and 4,040 boys who are victims of trafficking.

The Committee notes the Government’s indication that in the second quarter of 2023, 56 cases of child trafficking were detected in the East and South regions, involving 29 boys and 27 girls. It notes, however, that the Government does not indicate whether these cases resulted in investigations and criminal proceedings against the perpetrators. The Committee also notes with regret that the Government does not reply to its previous concerns relating to the low number of investigations and prosecutions in this regard. The Committee therefore once again requests the Government to redouble its efforts, including by reinforcing the capacities of law enforcement bodies, to ensure that all persons who engage in the trafficking of children are investigated and prosecuted, and that sufficiently dissuasive penalties are imposed on them. In this regard, the Committee reiterates its request to the Government to provide information on the number of investigations conducted by the competent services in relation to the trafficking of children and the number of prosecutions initiated, as well as on the penalties imposed on persons convicted of trafficking in children and the facts that led to the convictions.

Forced or compulsory recruitment of children for use in armed conflict, and penalties. The Committee notes, from the Report of the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) on children and armed conflict (A/78/842-S/2024/384, 3 June 2024, paragraphs 245, 246 and 254), that: (1) the Secretary-General welcomed the development by the Government, with UN support, of a handover protocol for children associated with armed groups to civilian child protection actors and urged its swift adoption; (2) the UN verified the recruitment and use of three boys by unidentified perpetrators; (3) a total of 29 children were detained by national authorities for their alleged association with armed groups and on national security grounds; and (4) in December 2023, 14 children remained in detention.

The Committee also notes that, according to the Government’s report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the National Committee on Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (CNDDR) was established by Decree No. 2018/719 of 30 November 2018 with a mandate that includes the demobilization and reintegration of children recruited by terrorist and irredentist groups. The CNDDR has three reception centres located at Bamenda (North-West region), Buea (South-West region) and Mora (Far North region), which housed a total of 535 children on 31 December 2021 (CRC/C/CMR/6-7, 26 September 2023, paragraph 192). The Committee notes with deep concern the information that armed groups are using and recruiting children for use in armed conflict. The Committee urges the Government to continue to take the necessary measures to ensure the full and immediate demobilization of all children and to end the forced recruitment of children, including by: (i) ensuring that robust investigations are conducted and prosecutions brought against all those who forcibly recruit children for use in armed conflict, so that sufficiently dissuasive penalties are imposed; and (ii) providing comprehensive care for all child victims of forced recruitment by armed groups, ensuring that they are treated as victims and not as criminals. In this regard, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on: (i) the investigations and prosecutions undertaken and penalties applied to those responsible for the recruitment and use of children under the age of 18 years in armed conflict; and (ii) the number of child victims who have benefited from CNDDR services for their rehabilitation.

Clause (c). Use, procuring or offering of a child for illicit activities. The Committee notes with concern that the Government still does not provide any information on the applicable legal provisions prohibiting the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities. The Committee therefore urges the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that the use, procuring or offering of a child under the age of 18 years for illicit activities are prohibited by Cameroonian law without delay and to provide information on the measures taken in this regard.

Article 4(3). Periodic review and revision of the list of hazardous types of work. In its previous comments, the Committee noted: (1) that Order No. 17 of 27 May 1969 concerning child labour (Order No. 17) does not prohibit work under water or work at dangerous heights, as in the case of children employed in fishing or banana harvesting; (2) that the Conference Committee urged the Government to urgently revise the list of hazardous work in order to prevent the engagement of children under 18 years of age in hazardous activities, including work under water and at dangerous heights; and (3) the Government’s indication that the revision of the list of hazardous work was due to take place in 2018 and would be undertaken in conjunction with the social partners.

The Committee notes the Government’s indication that new and broader consultations with the social partners were entered into with a view to refining and finalizing the draft revised list of hazardous work. The Committee recalls that it has referred to this point for many years and notes with regret the lack of progress in this regard. It therefore urges the Government to take the necessary measures without delay: (i) to ensure the adoption of the revised list of hazardous work prohibited to children under 18 years of age; and (ii) to ensure that the list includes a prohibition against the performance by children of work under water or at dangerous heights. It once again requests the Government to provide information on the progress achieved in this regard.

Article 7(2). Effective and time-bound measures. Clause (d). Children at special risk. HIV/AIDS orphans. The Committee previously noted that the number of HIV/AIDS orphans continued to rise, with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) estimating this figure at 390,000 in 2020. It notes the Government’s indications that awareness-raising activities are conducted by local authority services and Operational Technical Units (UTOs) and that, in 2023, 709 orphans and vulnerable children benefited from these sessions. While noting this information, the Committee observes that the Government does not provide information on the implementation of the National strategy for the care of orphans and vulnerable children. Recalling that children who are HIV/AIDS orphans are at particular risk of being engaged in the worst forms of child labour, the Committee once again requests the Government to redouble its efforts to protect them from these worst forms of labour, particularly as part of the National strategy for the care of orphans and vulnerable children. Once again, it requests the Government to provide information on: (i) the measures adopted in this respect; (ii) the results achieved; and (iii) the number of HIV/AIDS orphans received by the reception centres set up for their benefit.

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