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

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

The Committee notes the observations of the Authentic Workers’ Confederation of the Republic of Mexico (CAT), the National Labour Council (CONLABOR) and the Regional Confederation of Mexican Workers (CROM), communicated with the Government’s report. It also notes the observations of the National Union of Workers (UNT), received on 5 September 2025. The Committee requests the Government to provide its comments in this regard.

Articles 3(a) and 7(1) of the Convention. Worst forms of child labour and penalties. Sale and trafficking of children. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its report, according to which 62 persons were sentenced to imprisonment, including a conviction to 180 years of detention for the crime of the trafficking and exploitation of children.

The Committee also notes that, between January and April 2024, there were 1,808 recorded cases of trafficking of young persons and that in 2023 three people were convicted of the labour exploitation and begging on behalf of others of 13 young indigenous persons, with the imposition of sentences of imprisonment of 52 years for each victim and fines.

The Committee notes the indication by the CONLABOR in its observations that, according to information from trade unions and civil society, organized begging and child labour in the streets have increased in the contexts of trafficking and constraint, affecting in particular migrant and indigenous children and those subject to forced mobility. It adds that the offices of Ombudsmen do not have sufficient resources to undertake rapid and effective interventions, resulting in a failure to prosecute cases and high levels of impunity for traffickers, employers and networks exploiting children. The Committee also notes the report by the CROM in its observations that there has been an increase in the recruitment of children through social networks, particularly by groups related to the activities of trafficking in persons and drug trafficking.

The Committee notes that, in its concluding observations of 10 July 2025, the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women expressed concern at the deficiencies in the enforcement, coordination and monitoring of anti-trafficking measures, which are compounded by impunity, corruption and the infiltration of trafficking networks into local structures (CEDAW/C/MEX/CO/10, para. 31). The Committee therefore urges the Government to intensify its efforts to combat the trafficking of children, including through the strengthening of law enforcement bodies, with a view to ensuring that all persons who engage in acts of trafficking of children, including complicit or corrupt public officials, are subject to investigation and prosecution, and that sufficiently effective and dissuasive penalties are applied. It requests the Government to provide information specifically on the number of investigations and prosecutions of cases of the trafficking of children, and the number and nature of the convictions handed down and penalties imposed.

Article 3(b). Use, procuring or offering of a child for prostitution, for the production of pornography or for pornographic performances. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government that the National Guard held the 5th Annual Coordination Meeting of Operation Salvation on 14 August 2024, during which 5,080 public officials were provided with training on investigating the crime of child pornography, alongside 249 members of police forces in Central America, the Caribbean and Colombia. The Government adds that: (1) in 2025, three convictions were obtained for the crime of the trafficking of children and child pornography, with sentences of imprisonment of five, eight and 12 years, in addition to fines; and (2) between June 2022 and December 2024, the Office of the Special Prosecutor for the crimes of violence against women and trafficking in persons (FEVIMTRA) recorded nine federal crimes of child pornography.

The Committee notes the serious concern expressed by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC), in its concluding observations of 8 October 2024, with regard to the lack of adequate investigative and accountability measures in cases of sexual abuse, exploitation and violence, and the insufficient access to justice and compensation and rehabilitation measures for victims (CRC/C/MEX/CO/6-7, para. 26(c) and (d)). The Committee also notes the concluding observations of the CEDAW, in which it expresses concern at reports of corruption, collusion and complicity of law enforcement officers with organized crime networks engaging in trafficking and exploitation of the prostitution of women and girls (CEDAW/C/MEX/CO/10, para. 31(c)). The Committee requests the Government to continue taking measures to combat child prostitution and child pornography. It requests the Government to provide information on the impact of effective detection, investigation, prosecution and imposition of penalties in cases related to child prostitution and pornography. It also requests the Government to continue providing detailed information on the number of violations reported, investigations conducted, convictions handed down and penalties imposed for crimes relating to child prostitution and pornography.

Articles 3(d) and 4(1). Hazardous work and determination of hazardous types of work. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government that, according to the 2022 National Child Labour Survey (ENTI), 1.2 million children are engaged in hazardous occupations. The Committee expresses concern at the high number of children engaged in hazardous types of work in Mexico.

The Committee also notes that the reasons why children between the ages of five and 17 years were engaged in unauthorized or hazardous work included: helping family members, paying for school or their own expenses, learning a trade and making an economic contribution to the household. The Committee urges the Government to intensify its efforts for the adoption of measures to ensure in practice that no persons under 18 years of age are engaged in hazardous types of work in the formal and informal sector. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing detailed information, disaggregated by sex, age and sector, on the number of violations detected and penalties imposed.

Article 7(2). Effective and time-bound measures. Clauses (a) and (b). Preventing the engagement of children in and removing them from the worst forms of child labour and ensuring their rehabilitation and social integration. Trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. The Committee notes the Government’s indications that the Secretariat for Tourism and World Vision Mexico have signed an agreement to prevent the sexual and labour exploitation of young persons in tourist destinations in Mexico through the initiative “#TurismoXLaNiñez”.

The Committee notes the data from the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System (SESNSP), according to which, between 2022 and the first quarter of 2025, it recorded: (1) 27 minors who were victims of the crime of the trafficking of children; and (2) 8,672 child victims of the crimes of the corruption of minors and trafficking in persons (5,995 women and 2,677 children). The SESNSP indicates that girls and young persons are disproportionately affected and that the total number of victims who were minors was 365 in 2023 and 359 in 2024. The Government adds that over 50 per cent of cases of trafficking of girls, boys and young persons are concentrated in the State of Mexico, Quintana Roo and Mexico City.

The Committee also notes, from the Government’s report on the application of the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29), the measures adopted within the context of the Inter-Secretarial Commission to strengthen the support, protection and rehabilitation provided for victims of trafficking in persons. The Committee requests the Government to continue taking measures to free children from trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation, and to ensure their rehabilitation and social integration. It also requests the Government to provide information on the types of services provided for their reintegration. It further requests the Government to provide information on the impact of the #TurismoXLaNiñez initiative, and particularly the number of child beneficiaries. Finally, the Committee requests the Government to investigate the root causes of the higher incidence of trafficking in boys, girls and young persons in federated entities such as the State of Mexico, Quintana Roo and Mexico City.

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