Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2022, published 111st ILC session (2023)

Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) - Mozambique (Ratification: 2003)

Other comments on C138

Observation

Direct Request

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Article 1 of the Convention. National policy. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s detailed information on the results achieved through the implementation of the National Action Plan for Children (PNAC II) and of the National Action Plan to Combat the Worst Forms of Child Labour (NAP 2017–22). The Government indicates good progress was achieved in terms of the creation of a more favourable environment for the realization of children’s rights in the country while the PNAC II was in force, despite some challenges. For example, progress has been made regarding health, birth registration, basic education and participation in relevant areas in accordance with the age and level of maturity of the children in question.

The Committee also takes note of the results achieved through the implementation of the NAP 2017-22, including: (i) basic social assistance for families in vulnerable circumstances (624,507 beneficiary families); (ii) awareness-raising through television and radio programmes and discussions in communities; (iii) approximately 996 presentations given in 2020 to capitalize on experiences gained on prevention and protection of children’s rights and to share these experiences with communities; and (iv) the production and distribution of brochures on various aspects of child labour and hazardous work. The Government also indicates that, in 2022, the First Lady of Mozambique launched the International Year on the Elimination of Child Labour, as well as other activities to raise awareness on child labour and its worst forms. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken or envisaged to renew the NPA 2017-22 or adopt a new policy to combat child labour, and the progress made in this regard. It requests the Government to continue providing information on all results achieved in the framework of the implementation of such a national policy or any other measures taken, including in the framework of the 2022 International Year on the Elimination of Child Labour, with regard to the effective abolition of child labour.

Article 2(3). Age of completion of compulsory schooling. The Committee takes due note of the revised National Education System Act No. 18/2018, communicated by the Government, section 7(1) of which makes it compulsory to attend school until the completion of ninth grade, whereas earlier it was until the completion of seventh grade.

Article 3(2). Determination of hazardous types of employment or work. The Committee notes the Government’s information that, in the context of the implementation of the National Action Plan to Combat the Worst Forms of Child Labour, provincial justice and labour departments have given approximately 900 presentations in 2021 and 2022 on the dissemination of Decree No. 68/2017 on the List of Work considered Hazardous for Children. While taking due note of the measures taken to raise awareness on this issue, the Committee once again requests the Government to provide information on the application in practice of the Decree No. 68 of 2017, including statistics on the number and nature of violations reported and penalties imposed.

Article 9(3). Keeping of registers by employers. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes that, under Ministerial Decree No. 104/2015 of 27 November which modifies Ministerial Decree No. 1/89 of 4 January, copy of which was communicated by the Government, the registers of employment that must be kept by all employers include information related to the age or date of birth of employees.