Child Labour in the Americas State of progress IACML / GT2 Buenos Aires, 12 April 2005.
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Transcript of Child Labour in the Americas State of progress IACML / GT2 Buenos Aires, 12 April 2005.
What is child labour?
It is any economic activity performed by male and female children and adolescents below the minimum age specified by a given country for admission to employment, whatever their occupational classification (wage earner, self-employed, unpaid family worker).
Child labour also includes economic activities undertaken by male and female children and adolescents under 18 years of age, where they interfere with schooling, or are performed in dangerous environments or under conditions affecting their immediate or future psychological, physical, social and moral development.
General Legal Framework
Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1990. ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles
and Rights at Work, 1998.
Minimum Age Convention n.138, 1973. Minimum Age Recommendation n. 146,
1973.
Worst Forms of Child Labour Conventionn. 182, 1999. Worst Forms of Child Labour
Recommendation n. 190, 1999
What must be eliminated
Any work or labour activity performed by a male or female child or adolescent below the established minimum age.
Any work endangering their physical or moral health or interfering with his/her education.
Without delay, the universally recognized worst forms of child labour: slavery, bonded labour, human trafficking, forced recruitment and use in armed conflicts, commercial sexual exploitation, pornography, illicit activities.
The problem
Child Labour
• Poverty• Lack of access to
social programmes• Inadequate
education• Insufficient income
Need to use child labourNeed to use child labour
Family needsnot always met
The child labour cycle is not broken
The size of the problem
SUBSAHARIAN
AFRICA
19%19%
29% 29%
16%16%
15%15%
ASIA AND THE PACÍFIC
LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
MIDDLE EAST AND NORTHERN AFRICA
% of economically active children over the total population aged 5-14 :
SectorsAgriculture,fishing,hunting,forestry 70.0 %
Manufacturing 8.3 %
Commerce 8.3 %
Community services 6.5 %
Transport 3.8 %
Building 1.9 %
Mining 0.8 %
246 million male and female children aged 5-17
are working
180 million
male and female children aged 5-17 are exposed to the worst forms of
child labour
Source: Global Report. A Future without Child Labour. ILO - 2002.
How best to approach this problem?
After nearly 10 years of experience accumulated since IPEC’s launch in the Region, the ILO has learned that the best strategy for addressing the child labour issue is one comprising a number of actions centered on three approaches:
Regional Approach
Regional Approach
National Approach
National Approach
DirectAction
DirectAction
CountryProgrammes
CountryProgrammes SystematizatiónSystematizatión
SubregionalPlans
SubregionalPlans
RegionalApproach
RegionalApproach
Regional Plan
Regional Goals
TripartiteMeetings
Summit of Iberoamerican Heads of State
Regional Information System on CL (SIRTI)
Horizontal Cooperation among countries
How best to approach this problem? (cont.)
American Summit
How best to approach this problem? (cont.)
SubregionalApproach
SubregionalApproach
MERCOSURPlan
AndeanPlan
Central American Plan
Subgroup 10
Parliamentary Commission
Socio-LabourCommission
Cartagena Agreement Junta
Comisión Andina Juristas
Summit of Labour Ministers
PARLACEN
CARICOM
PlanSummit of Labour
Ministers
HorizontalCooperation
Horizontal Cooperation among countries
How best to approach this problem? (cont.)
NationalApproach
(Country Programmes)
NationalApproach
(Country Programmes)
Statistics Adaptation
Labour Inspection
Legislative Adaptation
Strengthening Social Partners
Incorporating CL into Social Policies
National Policy Monitoring systems
Direct Action Programmes
How far have we got?
Institutionalizing the fight against child labourInstitutionalizing the fight against child labour
SOUTH AMERICASOUTH AMERICA National CommissionsNational Commissions
In all countries National Commissions for the Elimination of Child Labour have been created, whether tripartite or quadripartite.
COUNTRYCOUNTRY NAMENAME YEAR YEAR
CREATEDCREATED
ARGENTINA National Commission for the Elimination of Child Labour – CONAETI 2000
BRAZIL National Forum for the Elimination of Child LabourNational Commission for the Elimination of Child Labour
19942004
BOLIVIA Interinstitutional Commission for the Progressive Elimination of Child Labour 2002
COLOMBIA National Interinstitutional Commission and Technical Secretariat for the Elimination of Child Labour and the Protection of Young Workers
1995
CHILE National Advisory Committee for the Prevention and Progressive Elimination of Child Labour 1996
ECUADOR National Committee for the Progressive Elimination of Child Labour – CONEPTI 1999
PARAGUAY National Interinstitutional Commission for the Prevention and Elimination of Child Labour and the Protection of Adolescent Workers - CONAETI-Py
2002
PERU National Steering Committee for the Prevention and Elimination of Child Labour – CETI 2003
URUGUAY National Committee for the Elimination of Child Labour, CETI 2000
VENEZUELA National Commission for the Elimination of Child Labour and the Protection of Child WorkersInactive.
1997
How far have we got? (cont.)
National PlansNational Plans The National Plans embody effective compliance with ILO Convention n. 138 on the minimum age for
admission to employment, and provide the guidelines and strategies to be followed by individual countries in order to achieve the goal of preventing and eliminating child labour.
COUNTRYCOUNTRY NAMENAME YEAR PREPAREDYEAR PREPARED
ARGENTINA Guidelines of the National Plan for the Prevention and Elimination of Child Labour (Annex IV to Ley 25.212 – Pacto Federal del Trabajo).
2002
BRAZIL National Plan for the Elimination of Child LabourNational Plan of Action against the commercial sexual exploitation of children
20042003
BOLIVIA Plan for the Progressive Elimination of Child Labour National Plan of Action for Children and Adolescents at Risk in Bolivia National Poverty Reduction Strategy
2001-2005
COLOMBIA Third National Plan for the Elimination of Child Labour and the Protection of Young Workers 2003-2006- Ley 812National Development Plan
2003
CHILE National Plan for the Prevention and Elimination of Child Labour in ChileNational Policy for Children and Adolescents 2001-2010
20002000
ECUADOR National Human Rights PlanPlan for the Progressive Elimination of Child Labour in Ecuador (being debated) 2004
PARAGUAY National Plan for the Prevention and Elimination of Child Labour and the Protection of Adolescent Workers, 2003-2008
2003
PERU Being preparedNational Plan of Action for Children 2001
URUGUAY Plan of Action for the Prevention and Elimination of Child Labour 2003- 2005 2002
VENEZUELA There is no National Plan
CENTRAL AMERICA, PANAMA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC , HAITI AND MEXICOCENTRAL AMERICA, PANAMA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC , HAITI AND MEXICO National CommissionsNational Commissions
In all countries National Commissions for the Elimination of Child Labour have been created, whether tripartite or quadripartite.
COUNTRYCOUNTRY NAMENAME YEAR CREATEDYEAR CREATED
COSTA RICA National Steering Committee for the Prevention and Elimination of Child Labour and the Protection of Adolescent Workers
National Commission against Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CONACOES)
1997
1996
HAITI There is no Commission
HONDURAS National Committee for the Progressive Elimination of Child Labour 1998
NICARAGUA National Commission for the Progressive Elimination of Child Labour and the Protection of Adolescent Workers (CNEPTI)
Adaptation of the decree that established the Commission.
1998
2002
GUATEMALA National Committee for the Progressive Elimination of Child Labour 2002
EL SALVADOR National Committee for the Progressive Elimination of Child Labour 2001
PANAMA National Committee for the Progressive Elimination of Child Labour 1997
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
National Steering Committee to Combat Child Labour 2001
MEXICO National Committee for the Progressive Elimination of Child Labour
National Coordinating Bureau to Prevent, Address and Eliminate CSEC
2001
How far have we got? (cont.)
National PlansNational Plans The National Plans embody effective compliance with ILO Convention n. 138 on the minimum age for admission to
employment, and provide the guidelines and strategies to be followed by individual countries in order to achieve the goal of preventing and eliminating child labour.
COUNTRYCOUNTRY NAMENAME YEAR PREPAREDYEAR PREPARED
COSTA RICA National Plan for the Prevention and Elimination of Child Labour and the Protection of Adolescent Workers, 1998-2002.2nd National Plan for the Prevention and Elimination of Child Labour and for the special protection of adolescent workers (being prepared)
1997
2005
HAITI It has no national plan
HONDURAS National Plan of Action for the Gradual and Progressive Elimination of Child Labour and the Protection of Adolescents Workers
2003
NICARAGUA National Strategic Plan for the Progressive Elimination of Child Labour and the Protection of Adolescent Workers 2001-2005
2000
GUATEMALA National Plan for the Progressive Elimination of Child Labour 2001
EL SALVADOR Guidelines of the National Plan for the Progressive Elimination of Child Labour 2000
PANAMA It has no national plan
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
National Plan for the Progressive Elimination of Child Labour
MEXICO First National Plan for the Elimination of the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenSecond National Plan for the Elimination of the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children
19992001, 2002
How far have we got? (cont.)
How far have we got? (cont.)
THE CARIBBEANTHE CARIBBEAN
2001: Specific child labour elimination actions begin. COUNTRIES: Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, Surinam, Trinidad
and Tobago. NATIONAL
COMMISSIONS: Commissions have been set up in each of these seven countries. NATIONAL PLANS: Being prepared in: Belize, Surinam, Trinidad and Tobago.
ILO Child Labour Conventions
In the region, overall there are 3535 countries members of the ILO.
27 27 countries have ratified Convention n. 138 on the minimum age for admission to employment. (The following countries have not ratified the Convention: Canada, Haiti, Mexico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent & Granadines, Soriname, USA.)
3131 countries have ratified Convention n. 182 on the worst forms of child labour. (The following countries have not ratified the Convention: Cuba, Haiti, Surinam, Venezuela)
Only 2 2 countries (Surinam and Haiti) have ratified neither Convention.
Legislative Harmonization – State of Progress
COUNTRY MINIMUM AGE FOR ADMISSION TO EMPLOYMENT
COMPULSORY EDUCATION
ARGENTINA 14 years 6 to 14 years
BOLIVIA 14 years 6 to 13 years
BRAZIL 16 years 7 to 14 years
CHILE 15 years 6 to 18 years
COLOMBIA 14 years 6 to 12 years
COSTA RICA 15 years 6 to 15 years
ECUADOR 14 years 6 to 14 years
EL SALVADOR 14 years 7 to 15 years
HONDURAS 14 years 7 to 13 years
GUATEMALA 14 years 7 to 14 years
NICARAGUA 14 years 7 to 12 years
PANAMA 14 years 6 to 15 years
PARAGUAY 14 years 7 to 12 years
PERU 14 years 6 to 16 years
DOMINICANREPUBLIC
14 years 7 to 14 years
URUGUAY 15 years 6 to 14 years
VENEZUELA 14 years 5 to 15 years
Legislative Harmonization – State of Progress (cont.)
In the Region’s countries the minimum age for admission to employment has been raised to 14 or 15 years, and to 16 years in some (Brazil and Honduras) .
All countries have begun legislative harmonization processes on labour, criminal education and children’s protection laws, in line with ILO Conventions n. 138 and n. 182.
Labour and Criminal Codes have been reformed in several countries in the Region.
ILO supports and provides technical assistance to the process of reform of children’s and adolescents’ codes in: Argentina, Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru and Dominican Republic.
Legislative Harmonization – State of Progress (cont.)
Work to identify dangerous types of work is making steady progress in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Paraguay, Dominican Republic, in accordance with Convention n. 182, art. 3 d..
National studies on legislative harmonization have been carried out in the Mercosur countries and Chile.
Comparative legislation studies have been carried out on child domestic labour and the commercial sexual exploitation of children.
In the Caribbean, a comparative national legislation study is under way, along with legislative adaptation to ensure compliance with the commitment to eliminate child labour. Work will be completed in April 2005.
Statistics Adaptation – State of Progress
1313 countries—namely Belize, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, Dominican Republic -- have carried out national surveys on child labour and are about to carry out national surveys including a child labour module as a part of their Household Surveys.
44 countries—namely Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru-- are preparing child labour surveys (SIMPOC).
OTHER STATISTICAL STUDIESOTHER STATISTICAL STUDIES
5454 rapid evaluations on the child labour situation in various countries and sectors.
4040 baseline studies.
Sectoral Research
AGRICULTUREAGRICULTURE
On the agricultural sector and On the agricultural sector and specific crops:specific crops: Guyana, Dominican Republic, Surinam and Trinidad
Rice:Rice: Dominican Republic Banana:Banana: Ecuador Broccoli:Broccoli: Guatemala Sugar cane:Sugar cane: Bolivia and El Salvador Coffee:Coffee: Costa Rica, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama Dominican Republic
Building:Building: Ecuador Flower growing:Flower growing: Ecuador Basic grains:Basic grains: Nicaragua Ferns:Ferns: Guatemala Melon:Melon: Honduras Tobacco:Tobacco: Honduras and Nicaragua Tomato:Tomato: Dominican Republic
Sectoral Research
On small-scale mining: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru and Surinam
On child domestic labour : Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, Surinam and Trinidad & Tobago.
On solid wastes gathering: Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Peru and Trinidad & Tobago.
On fireworks: El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.
On fishing activities: El Salvador, Guyana and Honduras.
On urban child labour : Jamaica, El Salvador and Dominican Republic.
On tourism: Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica and Tinidad & Tobago.
On the involvement of male and female children and adolescents in commercial sexual exploitation: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, Surinam and Trinidad & Tobago.
Sharing information
Regional bulletin Regional bulletin Encuentros Encuentros :: Access for South America: http://www.oit.org.pe/ipec/boletinAccess for Central Americahttp://www.oit.org.pe/ipec/boletin_cr/
Web page of IPEC América LatinaWeb page of IPEC América LatinaAccess for South America:http://www.oit.org.pe/ipecAccess for Central Americahttp://www.ipec.oit.or.cr/
Information networkInformation networkOver 5000 subscribers.
Bibliographic colectionBibliographic colection1900 titles available for ON LINE consultation
CD ROMsCD ROMs
Query network: Query network: For South America: [email protected] Central America: [email protected]
Publications, pamphlets and other information Publications, pamphlets and other information dissemination material.dissemination material.
The Regional Information System on The Regional Information System on Child Labour - SIRTIChild Labour - SIRTI
The information generated in the Region on child labour, whatever the source, is collected, organized, and then distributed and made available to a variety of users through:
Direct Action: Serving Male and Female Children, Adolescents, and their Communities
Between 1996 and 2005 nearly 300300 intervention projects were carried out in a wide range of sectors in South America.
COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURE AND RURAL LABOURCOMMERCIAL AGRICULTURE AND RURAL LABOUR 4747 projects in: Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico,
Nicaragua, Dominican Republic.
RUBBISH DUMPSRUBBISH DUMPS 14 14 projects in: Argentina, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago.
FIREWORKSFIREWORKS 6 6 projects in: El Salvador and Guatemala.
COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION, TRAFFICKING IN HUMAN BEINGSCOMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION, TRAFFICKING IN HUMAN BEINGS 26 26 projects in: Argentina, Brazil (involvement of male and female children in drug trafficking), Bolivia,
Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela.
BRICKWORKSBRICKWORKS 7 7 projects in: Argentina, Ecuador, Peru.
MININGMINING 44 44 projects in: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Peru.
Direct Action: Serving Male and Female Children, Adolescents, and their Communities (cont.)
FISHERIESFISHERIES 11 11 projects in: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Jamaica.
CHILD DOMESTIC LABOUR CHILD DOMESTIC LABOUR 33 33 projects in: Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican
Republic.
URBAN CHILD LABOUR URBAN CHILD LABOUR 28 28 projects en: Brazil, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Colombia, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Paraguay, Peru,
CHILD LABOUR IN BRICKWORKSCHILD LABOUR IN BRICKWORKS 6 6 projects in: Ecuador, Peru.
AWARENESS RAISING AND SOCIAL MOBILIZATIONAWARENESS RAISING AND SOCIAL MOBILIZATION 17 17 projects in: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru Dominican Republic.
EDUCATION EDUCATION 5 5 projects in: Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Peru.
INSTITUTION STRENGTHENINGINSTITUTION STRENGTHENING 19 19 projects in: Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela.
RURAL LABOURRURAL LABOUR 4 4 projects in: Panama, Paraguay, Costa Rica, El Salvador.
Workers’ Organizations against Child Labour
They are active participants in National Commissions or Committes for the Prevention and Elimination of Child Labour.
They have contributed to the ratification of ILO Conventions n. 138 and 182 by: Colombia (CUT, CTC, CGTD); Ecuador (FUT, CEOSL, CEDOC/CLAT); Guatemala (CUSG) and Peru (CUT, CGTP).
They monitor working conditions and report abuses against male and female children and adolescents.
They inform adult workers about the importance of providing their sons and daughters with education, of protecting them against work hazards and submitting proposals for consideration at the collective negotiation table.
In MERCOSUR and Chile, 88 central trade unions grouped under the South Cone Central Trade Unions Coordinating Bureau – CCSCS are carrying out a project that envisages participation in the Subregion’s child labour elimination policies.
UATRE in Argentina, CMT and the Costa Rica Education Workers’ Union are engaged in direct action projects.
ARGENTINAARGENTINACTERA
CHILECHILEColegio deProfesores de Chile
IPEC has promoted programmes focused on mobilizing teachers’ organizations in:
COLOMBIACOLOMBIA
PERÚPERÚSUTEP
COSTA RICACOSTA RICA
MEXICOMEXICO
NICARAGUANICARAGUA
DOMINICAN DOMINICAN REPUBLICREPUBLIC
Employers’ organizations against child labour
Have subscribed declarations committing themselves not to hire male or female child workers in their businesses. This commitment has been confirmed in Codes of Conduct.
Have carried out joint projects addressing children-related issues.
Take active part in identifying industries or activities employing minor workers.
Develop basic education, vocational training and capacity strengthening programmes.
Support the creation of income generation alternatives for the families of children, and for the improvement of working conditions for adolescents.
Unión Costarricense de Unión Costarricense de Cámaras de Asociaciones Cámaras de Asociaciones
de la Empresa Privadade la Empresa Privada
Argentina, Chile, Argentina, Chile, PeruPeru
ColombiaColombia
BrazilBrazil
Consejo Nacional Consejo Nacional de la Empresa de la Empresa
PrivadaPrivada
National Network for National Network for the Elimination of the Elimination of
Child LabourChild Labour
CENTRAL AMERICACENTRAL AMERICA
Consejo Consejo Hondureño de la Hondureño de la Empresa PrivadaEmpresa Privada
Confederación de Confederación de Empresarios Empresarios Privados de Privados de
BoliviaBoliviaConfederación Confederación
Nacional de Nacional de Instituciones Instituciones
Empresariales Empresariales
PrivadasPrivadas PeruPeru
Conclusions and Recommendations
Only 10 years ago child labour was not seen as a problem, given the dearth of national and regional capacities to address it.
In spite of the progress made by individual countries in approving policies and plans to address and eliminate child labour, the high incidence of the latter in our region points to the need to redouble efforts and take stronger actions to address this scourge in each and every country.
To ensure their sustainability, efforts against the types of child labour to be abolished must become a public policy priority through their institutionalization and integration into national policies and programmes, and the social agendas of governments, on a par with poverty reduction strategies.
On one hand, it is necessary to ensure that existing social programmes are accessible to families with children engaged in work to be abolished. On the other hand, access to those programmes by the families concerned should, for instance, be subject to the condition that their working children are withdrawn from work.
The high rural incidence of work to be abolished and its concentration in agriculture point to the necessity to carry out programmes directed at and adapted for rural areas, and taking into account the social, economic and infrastructural limitations often faced by the inhabitants of those areas.
Conclusions and Recommendations (cont.)
Link CONAETIs to national children’s rights protection systems.
Adapt and effectively apply the legislation comprised within the framework of ILO Conventions n. 138 and n. 182.
Carry out surveys in countries where this information is not yet available and systematically include the Child Labour Module every 2/4 years in household surveys.
Address the issue of child labour in indigenous populations.
Strengthen and organize Horizontal Cooperation.