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

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

Articles 3(a) and 6 of the Convention. Worst forms of child labour and programmes of action. Sale and trafficking of children. In response to its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s information, in its report, on the measures taken to combat child trafficking within the framework of the Anti-Human Trafficking National Action Plan (NAP-HT) 2018-2022. Accordingly: (1) the Anti-Human Trafficking Act of 2014 was amended in 2024 to ensure comprehensive protection for children against trafficking, by establishing severe penalties for offenders of child trafficking; (2) trainings for law enforcement agencies, including police, immigration officers and social welfare officers to identify and respond to cases of child trafficking were conducted; (3) nationwide awareness-raising campaigns targeting communities, schools and families on the dangers of child trafficking and its prevention were launched; and (4) media outlets, civil society organizations and community leaders were engaged on spreading information on how to identify and report cases of child trafficking. The Government indicates that 19 schools were visited and a total of 13,226 students and 95 teachers were sensitized on issues related to child trafficking; a community engagement workshop was conducted which was attended by more than 20 members of the public; and a presentation on trafficking in persons was organized for media practitioners.

The Committee notes, from the Government’s report of 2023 to the United Nations Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the United Nations Human Rights Council that: (1) the Ministry of Justice facilitated targeted trainings to immigration officers and traditional leaders so as to better detect and refer the crime of trafficking of persons to law enforcement; and (2) a National Drafting Committee (NDC) was established to develop the Anti-Human Trafficking National Action Plan (2023-2028) which includes members from civil society (A/HRC/WG.6/43/BWA/1, paras 78, 79 and 154). The Committee requests the Government to pursue its efforts to ensure the effective investigation and prosecution of perpetrators of child trafficking for sexual and labour exploitation. It requests the Government to continue providing information in this regard, in particular on the number of cases of child trafficking identified, the investigations carried out, prosecutions and convictions made, and penalties imposed. It also requests the Government to provide information on the adoption and implementation of a new Anti-Human Trafficking National Action Plan, including the specific measures taken to combat child trafficking and the results achieved.

Article 4(1). Determination of hazardous work. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s information that the Employment and Labour Relations Bill, which includes a list of types of hazardous work prohibited to children under 18 years under Schedule I, will be presented before Parliament during the 2024–25 financial year. The Committee notes that Schedule I of the Bill contains a list of 21 types of work that are prohibited to children, including garbage collection; unsupervised herding and other works related to livestock; handling and spraying of pesticides and herbicides; brick moulding and blacksmithing; lifting heavy loads; excessive work for long hours; brewing alcoholic beverages; unsupervised fishing; underground work, mining or excavation; construction work; operation of dangerous machinery; and handling of hazardous chemicals or radioactive substances. The Committee expresses the firm hope that the Government will take the necessary measures to ensure that the Employment and Labour Relations Bill, which contains a list of types of hazardous work prohibited to children under 18 years, will be adopted without delay. It requests the Government to provide information on any progress made in this regard.

Article 7(2). Effective and time-bound measures. Clauses (a) and (b). Preventing the engagement of children in the worst forms of child labour, removing them from the worst forms of child labour and ensuring their rehabilitation and social integration. Child victims of commercial sexual exploitation. In response to its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s information that children found in circumstances of sexual exploitation are immediately removed to a place of safety and that such victims and their families are provided with the necessary support and services. In this regard, the Government in collaboration with different stakeholders, including UNICEF and civil society organizations, provide capacity-building trainings to police and judicial officers, social workers, and teachers on detecting and preventing the sexual exploitation of children, as well as on standard operating procedures on handling such cases. In addition, the national campaign against sexual exploitation and abuse of children “Eseng mo Ngwaneng” by UNICEF, campaigns on the protection of child rights, and Pinagare Parenting programmes to strengthen parental support are also being implemented. The Committee encourages the Government to continue taking the necessary measures to prevent the engagement of children in commercial sexual exploitation, and to remove them from this worst form of child labour and rehabilitate and socially integrate them. It requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken in this regard, as well as on the number of children under 18 years of age who have been removed from commercial sexual exploitation and provided with appropriate care and assistance.

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