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

Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) - Oman (Ratification: 2001)

Article 4(1) of the Convention. Determination of hazardous types of work. The Committee previously took note of Ministerial Order No. 217/2016, which provides that young persons between 15 and 18 years of age are not allowed to work outside the list of tasks or occupations specified therein. It noted that the violations of the provisions of the Ministerial Order were punishable pursuant to section 118 of the Labour Code of 2003.

The Committee takes note of the adoption of Royal Decree 53/2023 promulgating the Labour Law. The Committee observes that, like its predecessor, the new Labour Law of 2023 provides that juveniles may only be employed from the age of 15 (section 98) and the system of employment of juveniles and the conditions in which they may work, as well as the professions and industries in which they may work, shall be determined by a decision of the Minister of Labour (section 102).

The Committee notes the Government’s indication, in its report, that no violation of any labour-related legislation has been detected or recorded about the employment of children or young persons. However, the Committee takes note of the concern expressed by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, in its concluding observations of 6 March 2023, regarding reports of engagement of children in hazardous work, including fishing and selling, and the lack of information on the extent of such engagement, as well as allegations of the recruitment and abuse of migrant girls as domestic workers (CRC/C/OMN/CO/5-6, paragraph 38). The Committee requests the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure the effective monitoring of the engagement of all children under the age of 18 in hazardous work, in particular in fishing, selling and domestic work, and to provide information in this regard and on the number of cases detected. The Committee also requests the Government to indicate whether a new Ministerial order or decision will be adopted to regulate the system of employment of young persons under the age of 18 and enumerate the tasks and occupations which they may engage in, or whether Ministerial Order No. 217/2016 remains in force. Finally, the Committee requests the Government to continue providing information on the application in practice of the legislation regulating the employment of young persons over the minimum age and under the age of 18, whether Ministerial Order No. 217/2016 or another Ministerial Order adopted pursuant to the new Labour Law, indicating the number of cases and specific penalties that were applied for the violations relating to the employment of young persons in hazardous jobs or occupations.