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

Convention (n° 29) sur le travail forcé, 1930 - République arabe syrienne (Ratification: 1960)

Noting that the Government’s previous report was submitted in 2015, the Committee welcomes the efforts made by the Government to fulfil its reporting obligations despite the complexity of the situation on the ground and the continued hostilities in certain parts of the country.

Articles 1(1), 2(1) and 25 of the Convention. Situations of forced labour arising from the armed conflict. Trafficking and sexual slavery. The Committee recalls the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act No. 3 of 2010, which provides special protection for child victims of trafficking as well as the establishment of the Department to Combat Trafficking in Persons in 2010. It also notes the Government’s information, in its report, that, in 2020, the National Committee to Combat Trafficking in Persons was reconstituted. The Government also indicates the adoption of a new National Plan to Combat Trafficking for the period 2020–22 which is based on four pillars: (i) prevention, including the development of policies to reduce trafficking in persons, in particular women and children, raise awareness, and strengthen national capacities; (ii) protection, with a focus on the identification and safeguarding of victims; (iii) prosecution, including measures to ensure investigation, indictment, and effective coordination among relevant authorities; and (iv) partnership-building, through strengthened local, regional, and international cooperation.

The Committee further takes note of the statistical information provided by the Government. It observes that, trafficking-related violations increased from 103 cases in 2022 to 136 in 2023, and that 84 cases were recorded in the first half of 2024, accompanied by an identical number of detainees (84). Regarding cases of sexual exploitation and prostitution, the Committee notes that the number of recorded violations rose from 94 cases in 2022 to 129 cases in 2023.

The Committee notes that, in 2024, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic (covering the period 1 July to 31 December 2023) reported that parties to the conflict variously directly perpetrated, tolerated or were unable to prevent criminal activities such as trafficking, corruption and extortion backed by violence (A/HRC/55/64). The Committee further observes that in the 2024 Position Paper, the Commission of Inquiry, highlighted that, ISIL (Daesh) members subjected Yazidi women and girls to enslavement, torture, inhuman treatment, murder and rape, including through sexual slavery.

The Committee expresses its deep concern that trafficking in persons and sexual slavery are practices that are still occurring on a large scale in the country. The Committee urges the Government to take the necessary measures to put an immediate stop to these practices which constitute a serious violation of the Convention and to guarantee that the victims are fully protected from such abusive practices. The Committee recalls that it is crucial that appropriate criminal penalties are imposed on perpetrators so that recourse to trafficking or sexual slavery does not go unpunished. It requests the Government to provide information on the number of investigations and prosecutions carried out, and the specific penalties applied by virtue of sections 10–11 of the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act No.3, 2010. It also requests the Government to indicate the results achieved following the implementation of the National Plan to Combat Trafficking (2020–22).

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