Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2004, published 93rd ILC session (2005)

Use of children as camel jockeys. In its earlier comments, the Committee raised its concern on the situation of children involved in camel races who are subjected to exploitation and are placed in conditions in which they cannot freely give their consent, nor can such consent validly be provided by their parents in their place. It requested the Government to take all the necessary measures to prevent children who are involved in camel races from being subjected to conditions of forced labour and exploitation and to adopt provisions prohibiting the employment of young persons under 18 years of age as camel jockeys and establishing severe penalties for the perpetrators.

The Committee has noted the Government’s reply to its previous observation on the subject. It recalls that the Government has ratified the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182), and has already sent its first report on the application of that Convention. In so far as Article 3(a) of Convention No. 182 provides that the worst forms of child labour include "all forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, such as the sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage and serfdom and forced or compulsory labour", the Committee is of the view that this problem can be examined more specifically under Convention No. 182. The protection of children is enhanced by the fact that Convention No. 182 requires States which ratify it to take immediate and effective measures to secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour as a matter of urgency. The Committee accordingly asks the Government to refer to its comments on the application of Convention No. 182.

The Committee is also addressing a direct request to the Government on certain other points.