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

Convention (n° 182) sur les pires formes de travail des enfants, 1999 - Angola (Ratification: 2001)

Article 3 of the Convention. Worst forms of child labour. Clause (a). Children in armed conflict. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s indication, in its report, that:1) by virtue of section 385 of the new Criminal Code, the recruitment of children under the age of 16 years by armed forces is considered to be a war crime; (2) the General Law on Military Service of 1993 provides that the minimum age for inclusion in military census shall be 18 years and the minimum age for incorporation into the Angolan Armed Forces shall be 20 years; and (3) the General Law on Military Service governs the rights and obligations of citizens with regard to military service and includes the prohibition and criminalization of the recruitment. While the Committee notes that the General Law on Military Service sets the minimum age of 18 years for military census, it notes that the Law does not appear to provide for an explicit prohibition of the forced or compulsory recruitment of children for use in armed conflict. In this regard, the Committee recalls that, by virtue of Article 3(a) of the Convention, the forced or compulsory recruitment of children for use in armed conflict constitutes one of the worst forms of child labour and is therefore prohibited for children below 18 years of age. 

The Committee further notes the Government’s information that, during the period of armed conflict between 1975 and 1994, many adolescents were recruited or abducted by force, to be used in the conflict by both the armed forces and armed groups. However, since 2002 and the signature of the peace agreement (the Luena Memorandum), there has been no confirmation of acts involving the use of children aged under 18 years for the purpose of armed conflict. The Committee requests the Government to: (i) indicate the specific provisions of the General Law on Military Service which prohibit and penalize the forced or compulsory recruitment of all children under the age of 18 years for use in armed conflict; and (ii) indicate the penalties incurred in such cases.

Clause (b). Use, procuring or offering of a child for the production of pornography or for pornographic performances. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that there are no records of crimes having been committed regarding the use, procuring or offering of a child for the production of pornography, and therefore, no legal proceedings have been initiated, and no convictions or punishments have been handed down.

Article 7(2). Effective and time-bound measures. Clause (d). Children at special risk. Children in street situations. The Committee takes note of the Government’s indication that there are many children in street situations, but relatively fewer that live on the streets. Children in street situations are found mostly in large cities like Luanda, Huambo, Benguela, Lubango, Sumbe, Uíge and Malanje. Among the measures taken to protect these children, the Government refers to: (1) efforts to prevent their revictimization and to reintegrate them into their original families or into new families, as well as referring them to temporary accommodation facilities if they so wish; and (2) a visit, in March 2022, by the National Children’s Institute which reported the existence of around 800 children in street situations. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken, and the results achieved, to ensure that children in street situation are protected against the worst forms of child labour and to ensure their rehabilitation and social integration. In this regard, it also requests the Government to provide detailed information on the number of street children who have benefited from educational and vocational training.