Demande directe (CEACR) - adoptée 2025, publiée 114ème session CIT (2026)

Convention (n° 182) sur les pires formes de travail des enfants, 1999 - République centrafricaine (Ratification: 2000)

Articles 3(a) and 7(1) of the Convention. Worst forms of child labour. Penalties. All forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery. Sale and trafficking of children. In its previous comments, the Committee asked the Government to provide information on the number of investigations, prosecutions, convictions and criminal penalties imposed for the offence of trafficking of persons under 18 years of age, pursuant to section 151 of the Penal Code and/or the new Anti-Trafficking Act of 2022. The Committee also asked the Government to provide information on the impact of the “Operational plan of action 2022–23” and of the National Committee for Combating Trafficking in Persons on increasing prosecutions of individuals engaged in the trafficking of children.

The Committee notes the Government’s indications that the National Committee to Combat Trafficking in Persons, which reports directly to the President of the Republic, has conducted an awareness-raising campaign to promote public understanding of the concept of trafficking in persons.

Similarly, the Government reports the detection of a case of child trafficking involving a woman in the prefecture of Ombella-M’Poko who attempted to take underage girls abroad. The suspected perpetrator has been placed under a detention warrant pending trial. The Committee once again urges the Government to continue its efforts to ensure that all persons engaged in the trafficking of children are thoroughly investigated and prosecuted effectively, and that severe penalties constituting an adequate deterrent are imposed on them. In this regard, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on the number of investigations, prosecutions, convictions and criminal penalties imposed for the offence of trafficking in persons under 18 years of age, pursuant to section 151 of the Penal Code and/or the new Anti-Trafficking Act of 2022. The Committee also once again requests the Government to provide further information on the impact of the “Operational plan of action 2022–23” and of the National Committee to Combat Trafficking in Persons on increasing prosecutions of individuals engaged in the trafficking of children.

Article 6. Programmes of action and application of the Convention in practice. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s indications that a five-year plan of action on the elimination of the worst forms of child labour has been formulated, and also that it has become an Alliance 8.7 pioneer country with ILO technical support.

In this regard, the Committee duly notes Order No. 048/MTEPSFP/DIRCAB.23 of 4 December 2023, establishing the Alliance 8.7 Coordinating Committee in the Central African Republic, in order to ensure strategic planning, programming and supervision, as well as follow-up and evaluation of the Alliance 8.7 road map. The strategic priorities of the road map focus on: (i) ratifying international labour standards and drafting and implementing laws and regulations on child labour and its worst forms; (ii) adoption of the national social protection policy and its implementation strategy; (iii) strengthening the National Committee to Combat Trafficking in Persons, and establishing local committees to combat trafficking in persons, modern slavery, forced labour and the worst forms of child labour, as well as strengthening the capacities of 20 prefectural committees; (iv) conducting community awareness-raising campaigns on the worst forms of child labour; (v) establishing a database on the worst forms of child labour and strengthening the technical capacities of data collectors and managers, among others. The Committee requests the Government to continue its efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labour and to continue providing information on the measures taken and the results achieved through the five-year plan of action for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour, as well as through the Alliance 8.7 project.

Article 7(2). Effective and time-bound measures. Clause (d). Children at special risk. Street children. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s indications that it is working in partnership with specialist civil society organizations such as the Sara Mbi Ga Zo Centre, the NGO SOS Children’s Villages, the Vie et Espoir Foundation, the NGO Cri du Cœur d’une Mère and the NGO GOUFEPA, with a view to protecting child victims of the worst forms of child labour and ensuring their rehabilitation and social integration. It notes that the “Mother and Child Centre”, under the supervision of the Ministry of Family Affairs, also plays an essential role in this support.

However, the Committee once again notes with regret the lack of information in the Government’s report on measures taken to protect street children from engaging in the worst forms of child labour. Recalling that children living or working on the streets are particularly vulnerable to the worst forms of child labour, the Committee once again urges the Government to provide information on existing or planned measures and structures to protect these children and ensure their rehabilitation and social integration. It also requests the Government to provide information on the number of children living or working on the streets who have been identified and who have received assistance for their rehabilitation and social integration.

HIV/AIDS orphans and other orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs). In its previous comments, the Committee encouraged the Government to continue its efforts to ensure that HIV/AIDS orphans and other orphans and vulnerable children are protected from the worst forms of child labour. It asked the Government to provide information on specific measures taken in this regard, including in the context of the National HIV Strategic Plan 2021–25.

The Committee notes with regret the absence of information from the Government on this point. Recalling that children orphaned on account of HIV/AIDS and other vulnerable children are particularly at risk of being engaged in the worst forms of child labour, the Committee once again encourages the Government to continue its efforts to ensure their protection. It once again requests the Government to provide information on the specific measures taken in this regard, including in the context of the National HIV Strategic Plan 2021–25, which it noted previously, or any other relevant measures.

Article 8. International cooperation and assistance. Poverty reduction. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s indications that a number of activities have been carried out, including: (i) the formulation of a national agricultural policy document (DPAN) up to 2030, which provides a unifying framework for government intervention in the rural sector and includes several projects; (ii) the continuation of the “Project to support the development of agricultural value chains in savannah areas (PADECAS)”, which aims to create jobs and generate substantial income in order to promote the development of youth entrepreneurship; and (iii) the implementation of several activities with the support of the ILO and international technical assistants for the development of crop sectors, including rehabilitation of infrastructure and roads, training and structuring of groups of producers, and distribution of seeds.

Moreover, the Government highlights the results of the “Project to support agricultural recovery and agribusiness development in Central Africa (PRADAC)”, including: (i) a total of 16,429 beneficiaries reached, including 5,913 women and 7,887 young people; (ii) 312 groups reactivated and supported by the project; (iii) two cooperatives created; (iv) 31 community production infrastructures set up, including 10 drying areas, 18 water points, three markets and six additional water points; and (v) the distribution of 25,570 batches of peanut and maize seeds, among other activities. The Committee encourages the Government to continue its efforts to combat poverty, which are essential for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour, and to provide information on the measures taken as part of the DPAN and the PADECAS and PRADAC projects to eliminate the worst forms of child labour.