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

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

Article 3(a) of the Convention. All forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery. Forced recruitment of children for use in armed conflict. In its previous comments, the Committee asked the Government to continue its efforts to put an end in practice to the forced recruitment of children under 18 years of age by the armed forces and armed groups in the country. It asked the Government to provide information on the number of investigations undertaken, prosecutions filed and convictions handed down against all persons, including members of the regular armed forces, who recruit children under 18 years of age for use in armed conflict. It also asked the Government to provide a copy of the Child Protection Code.

The Committee notes the Government’s indications in its report that a pool of national experts has been created with a view to putting into operation United Nations (UN) Security Council Resolution 1612 on the mechanism for monitoring and reporting on the impact of armed conflict on children.

The Government also indicates that various measures have been taken, including the implementation of Circular No. 108 of the Ministry of National Defence strictly prohibiting children from being in the vicinity of military infrastructures, and the revision of the general military regulations, specifying a minimum age of 16 years for children with military connections and 18 years for recruits from civilian life.

Furthermore, the Committee notes the indications of the press conference of 25 September 2024 of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) that a memoranda of understanding (MoU) has been signed by the Government and the UN for the protection of children associated with the armed forces and armed groups. This MoU provides that children associated with the armed forces and armed groups shall be recognized as victims and describes the steps to be followed regarding the transfer of children associated with the armed forces and armed groups to the civil authorities.

Moreover, the Committee notes the indications of the 2023 Annual Report of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) that UNICEF and MINUSCA have confirmed the status of 548 children (27 per cent of them girls) who have left the armed groups, including 50 children (42 per cent girls) who had been abducted and/or recruited by the Lord’s Resistance Army of Uganda, who will be covered by an official process on their return to Uganda.

The Committee further notes the indications in the conclusions of 30 August 2024 of the UN Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict that measures have been taken by the Government to protect children, including: (1) preparation of a draft strategy for a national prevention plan; (2) the appointment of a focal point at the headquarters of the armed forces of the Central African Republic; (3) increased prosecutions of perpetrators of violations; (4) continued operations to release and reintegrate children previously associated with the armed forces and armed groups; and (5) the continued implementation of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic, which has enabled progress to be achieved in areas such as disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation (S/AC.51/2024/5, para. 2).

However, the Working Group expressed grave concern at the fact that, despite encouraging measures, some armed groups who are signatories to the Peace Agreement continue to be among the main perpetrators of the six grave violations against children. The Working Group also highlighted the fact that children have rejoined armed groups to protect their communities or themselves, driven by poverty or fear of reprisals (S/AC.51/2024/5, para. 4(b) and (g)) (S/AC.51/2024/5, para. 4). While noting a number of measures taken by the Government, the Committee urges the Government to pursue its time-bound efforts to put an end in practice to the forced recruitment of children under 18 years of age by the armed forces and armed groups in the country. The Committee also requests the Government to continue to take immediate and effective measures to ensure that all persons, including members of the regular armed forces, who recruit children under 18 years of age for use in armed conflict are thoroughly investigated and robustly prosecuted and that penalties constituting an effective deterrent are imposed in practice. The Committee once again requests the Government to provide information on the number of investigations undertaken, prosecutions filed, and convictions handed down against such persons.

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. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s indications that measures have been taken to improve the school system, including: (1) the construction of school buildings in conflict-affected areas; (2) an increase in teaching staff through the incorporation of 1,500 teachers from compulsory primary and secondary school into the civil service in 2024 and organizing training for 10,000 teachers up to the end of 2029, spread among the 20 regional teaching centres; (3) the adoption of a national school meals strategy; (4) a project to allocate scholarships for girls at the primary and secondary levels; (5) the creation of a number of vocational training centres under the Quality Apprenticeships Recommendation, 2023 (No. 208), for out-of-school children and children associated with armed groups; and (6) the accelerated education programme for school-age children who have been unable to attend school on account of the situation of insecurity.

The Committee also notes, in the context of the September 2024 results of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) 2025, that the Ministry of National Education, with the support of the World Food Programme, the World Bank and UNICEF, has established several programmes to keep children in school, particularly children with disabilities, including: (1) a school meals programme which has benefited a total of 355 schools (some 144,000 children); and (2) a pilot fast-track education programme aimed at the recovery and education of children who have dropped out of school and targeting 350 schools in six prefectures.

Moreover, the Committee notes the information from the national report of 17 November 2023 submitted pursuant to UN Human Rights Council resolutions 5/1 and 16/21, according to which an early warning system has been established in the community for young children, both boys and girls, who are at risk of being recruited into armed groups (A/HRC/WG.6/45/CAF/1, para. 67).

However, the Committee also notes the GPE 2025 indications that the primary school completion rate is 27 per cent (24 per cent for girls); the lower-secondary school completion rate is 12 per cent (10 per cent for girls); and the upper secondary school completion rate is 6 per cent (5 per cent for girls). Moreover, the rate of out-of-school children of primary school age is 26 per cent (30 per cent for girls); and the rate of out-of-school children of lower-secondary school age is 24 per cent (30 per cent for girls).

While taking into account the ongoing crisis situation in the country and noting the efforts made by the Government, the Committee notes with deep concern the large number of children deprived of education because of the prevailing climate of insecurity in the country. The Committee therefore once again urges the Government to intensify its efforts to improve the functioning of the education system in the country and to facilitate access to free basic education for all children, including for girls and in conflict-affected areas. In this regard, the Committee once again requests the Government to provide information on the impact of specific measures taken in this respect, in the context of the “Education sector plan” for 2020–29 or any other project, on enrolment, completion and drop-out rates at the primary and secondary levels.

Clause (b). Direct assistance for the removal of children from the worst forms of child labour and for their rehabilitation and social integration. Forced recruitment of children for use in armed conflict. The Committee notes the Government’s indications that the programmes for the disarmament of armed groups and for the reintegration and schooling of children from these groups are continuing, implemented by the Office of the High Commissioner for the National Young Pioneers, the Don Bosco Centre, the Ministry of National Education and the Ministry of Gender Promotion.

In this regard, the Committee notes the indications in the UNICEF 2022 Country Office Report that standard operating procedures for case management, as provided for in the 2020 Child Protection Code and adopted in 2022, have enabled the training of stakeholders and improved care for children. Nearly 100,000 child victims and children at risk affected by the conflict have received collective or individual psychosocial assistance. Among them, a total of 1,378 children, including 926 victims of sexual violence and 452 children separated from their families, have benefited from specialist care, including medical care, temporary foster care and family tracing, among other services.

The Committee also notes the information from the UN Security Council report of 24 January 2024 of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in the Central African Republic, according to which a total of 949 children released from armed groups, including children released in previous reporting periods, have been handed over to child protection partners and have received psychosocial and medical support, as well as benefiting from family reunification and community reintegration services. However, the same report indicates that access to sustainable socio-economic reintegration programmes was impaired by ongoing fighting and a decrease in funding for long-term reintegration programmes (S/2024/93, para. 19). The Committee requests the Government to continue its efforts to ensure the removal of all children recruited for use in armed conflict. It also requests the Government to take all necessary steps to ensure that all children removed from armed groups and from the armed forces benefit without delay from rehabilitation and reintegration programmes, including in the context of cooperation with its partners. The Committee once again requests the Government to continue providing information in this regard, including on the number of children who have benefited from rehabilitation and social integration.

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