Replies received to the issues raised in a direct request which do not give rise to further comments (CEACR) - adopted 2018, published 108th ILC session (2019)

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2013, published 103rd ILC session (2014)

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2012, published 102nd ILC session (2013)

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2007, published 97th ILC session (2008)

The Committee notes the Government’s report. It requests the Government to provide information on the following points.

Article 2, paragraph 1, of the Convention. Minimum age. The Committee notes the Government’s information that section 23 of Act No. 536 of 24 July 1996, which amends sections 21, 22 and 23 of the Labour Code, prohibits the employment of children under the age of 15 years in industrial undertakings.

Article 2, paragraph 2. Family undertakings. In its previous comments, the Committee had noted that family undertakings are subject, concerning measures of protection, to the general provisions of the Legislative Decree No. 21/1932 concerning dangerous establishments harmful to the workers’ health, and the provisions of the Law of Contracts. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that Decree No. 14900 of 2 May 1949 was annulled by Decree No. 3273 of 26 June 2000 on labour inspection, which entrusts to the Labour Inspection, Protection and Safety System at the Ministry of Labour the monitoring of safety and prevention measures in family undertakings. It notes the Government’s information that in the case of family undertakings in industrial undertakings, it is extremely rare to find children under the age of 15 years and that the high rates of education in Lebanon decrease to a large extent the possibility of children under 15 years working in such undertakings. The Committee requests the Government to provide more detailed information on the number of children under 15 years who do work in industrial family undertakings, and on the protection they are afforded by the abovementioned legislation.

Article 3. Technical training. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s information that Decree No. 11019, which allows occupational training with individual employers from the age of 12 years, has not yet been updated. It notes that section 16 of the draft Labour Code, which was prepared by the tripartite committee set up by the Ministry of Labour’s Order No. 210/1 of 2000, specifies that a training contract is a contract observed by employers in their undertakings, notably in an industrial undertaking, so as to provide full occupational vocational training to a person who is at least 14 years of age, on the condition that the safety, health and morals of the young person concerned are ensured. The Committee reminds the Government that Article 3 of the Convention provides for an exception to the application of the Convention only regarding technical schools approved and supervised by the public authority. To that effect, the Committee notes the statistics supplied by the Government concerning the number of children enrolled in vocational training undertaken by the National Centre for Vocational Training, whose board is headed by the Director General of the Ministry of Labour. According to those statistics, there were 150 trainees between the ages of 14 and 18 years in industrial specializations, such as air conditioning, refrigeration, car mechanics, electricity and electronics, from 2003 to 2007. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken or envisaged to ensure that exceptions to the application of the Convention are in conformity with the Convention and are, consequently, only allowed in the case of technical schools where the work is approved and supervised by the public authority, such as the National Centre for Vocational Training.

Article 5. Work dangerous to the life, health or morals. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s information that Decree No. 700 of 1999 prohibits the employment of young persons before they complete 17 years of age (i.e. beginning of 18 years) in dangerous activities enumerated according to their nature: work which represents a danger to the life of the children, work which represents a danger to their health, and work which represents a danger to their morals. The types of hazardous work include the manufacture or handling of explosives, demolition work, crystal and glass manufacturing, work performed in mines and quarries, and other such types of industrial undertakings. Furthermore, the Committee notes that the National Committee to Combat Child Labour is currently formulating a statute on the worst forms of child labour which prohibits the employment of children under 18 years in work which, by its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to jeopardize the health, safety or morals of children. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on any new developments towards the adoption of the statute which would prohibit the employment of children under 18 years of age in hazardous work and, more specifically, in industrial undertakings which, by their nature or the circumstances in which they are carried out, are dangerous to the life, health or morals of the persons employed therein.

Part V of the report form. Application of the Convention in practice. The Committee notes that, according to the labour inspection report No. 3001/10cl prepared on 18 August 2007, labour inspectors did not detect any children under the age of 18 years working in the regions within their competence and did not receive any complaints from persons under the age of 18 years. The Committee reminds the Government that the Convention applies to all children, whether in the formal or informal sectors. Consequently, it asks the Government to continue providing information on the practical application of the legislation giving effect to the Convention in all sectors, including, for instance, school attendance rates and information concerning the number and nature of the contraventions reported.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1998, published 87th ILC session (1999)

Further to its previous direct request, the Committee notes the information supplied in the Government's report, as well as Act No. 536 dated 24 July 1996 which amended the Labour Code.

Article 2, paragraph 1, of the Convention. The Committee notes with interest that section 23 of the new Labour Code prohibits the employment of children under the age of 15 years in industrial undertakings in conformity with this provision of the Convention.

Article 2, paragraph 2. The Committee notes the Government's indication that although family undertakings are not subject to the provisions of the Labour Code, they are subject, concerning measures of protection, to the general provisions of Legislative Decree No. 21/1932 concerning Dangerous Establishments, Harmful to the Workers' Health, and the provisions of the Law of Contracts. It also notes that the supervision of the application of all these provisions remain within the competence of the Labour Inspection, Protection and Safety System at the Ministry of Labour under section 3 of Decree No. 14900, dated 2 May 1949. The Committee asks the Government to supply information on the practical application of these provisions to family undertakings.

Article 3. In its previous comments, the Committee noted that Decree No. 11019 of 7 October 1968, which allows occupational training with individual employers from the age of 12 years, was not in conformity with this provision of the Convention which provides for the exception only regarding technical schools approved and supervised by public authority. The Committee notes the Government's statement that Decree No. 11019 was not applied in practice and that no training course was organized by the Ministry of Labour according to the provisions of this Decree. It also notes the Government's indication that the Government is in the course of revising its national laws, including Decree No. 11019, to bring them into conformity with the provisions of the Convention. The Committee asks the Government to supply information on any progress in this respect as well as to supply a copy of Decree No. 11019, which the Government's report states was attached to the report, but has not been received by the Office.

Article 5. The Committee notes that section 23 of the new Labour Code prohibits the employment of young persons under the age of 16 years in jobs which are, by their nature and conditions in which they are carried out, dangerous to the life, health or morals of the persons concerned. It also notes that, according to the Government's report, a draft decree to define the employment which is prohibited under this provision was prepared and submitted to the competent authority for examination and decision. The Committee asks the Government to continue to supply information on progress made in this regard.

Point V of the report form. The Committee notes the Government's statement that the provisions of section 3, paragraph 1, of Decree No. 14900 was amended to entrust labour inspectors with the application of all laws, decrees, regulations related to labour including the provisions of international labour Conventions ratified by the Government. It asks the Government to provide information on the practical application of the legislation giving effect to the Convention, including, for instance, extracts from the reports of the inspection services, school attendance rate, and information concerning the number and nature of the contraventions reported.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1995, published 82nd ILC session (1995)

1. The Committee takes note of the information in the Government's report regarding the application of Article 4 of the Convention, namely the text of Order No. 65/1, dated 17 February 1995, which requires the employer to keep a register of all employees under the age of 18 years and of the dates of their births. It asks the Government to supply a model of the register used under this Order.

2. The Committee, however, notes that no information has been provided regarding the revision of the Labour Code to be undertaken in the light of the provisions of the international Conventions ratified by Lebanon. It hopes that the special committee to study the internal legal measures aimed at giving effect to the provisions of ratified Conventions will soon recommend the pertinent measures and that they will be transformed into appropriate enactment in the near future. The Committee requests the Government to supply information in particular on the following points it raised in its previous comments.

Article 2, paragraph 1. The Committee noted that the minimum age for employment or work in industry, set at 13 years under section 23 of the Labour Code, was still in force. It requests the Government to indicate all measures envisaged or taken to fix the minimum age at 15 years, as required by the Convention.

Article 2, paragraph 2. The Committee noted that section 7, subsection 3, of the Labour Code excludes from the application of its provisions undertakings in which only members of the family are employed, and that no provisions therefore exist to ensure that the work of children in family undertakings may only be authorized in employment which, by its nature and the conditions in which it is carried on, is not dangerous to the life, health or morals of the persons concerned. It hopes that in the near future the necessary measures will be taken to extend relevant legislation to this category of undertakings, to bring it into conformity with this provision of the Convention.

Article 3. The Committee notes that, according to Decree No. 11019 of 7 October 1968, children may undergo occupational training with individual employers from the age of 12 years onwards, which is not in accordance with this provision of the Convention. The Committee asks the Government to provide a copy of the said Decree.

Furthermore, no information regarding technical schools has been provided, which have been exempted from the application of the Convention under section 25 of the Labour Code. The Committee hopes that the Government will provide the required information with its next report.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1994, published 81st ILC session (1994)

The Committee takes note of the information in the Government report. It also notes that a revision of the Labour Code is to be undertaken in the light of the provisions of the international Conventions, ratified by Lebanon. The Committee recalls the points it has raised in its previous comments.

Article 2, paragraph 1, of the Convention. The Committee notes that the minimum age for employment or work in industry, set at 13 years under section 23 of the Labour Code, is still in force. It requests the Government to keep it informed about all measures envisaged or taken to fix the minimum age at 15 years, as required by the Convention.

Article 2, paragraph 2. The Committee notes that section 7, subsection 3, of the Labour Code excludes from the application of its provisions undertakings in which only members of the family are employed and that therefore no provisions exist to ensure that the work of children in family undertakings may only be authorized in employment which, by its nature and the conditions in which it is carried on, is not dangerous to the life, health or morals of the persons concerned. It hopes that in the near future the necessary measures will be taken to extend relevant legislation to this category of undertakings, to bring it into conformity with this provision of the Convention.

Article 3. The Committee notes that according to Decree No. 11019 of 7 October 1968, children may undergo occupational training with individual employers from the age of 12 years onwards, which is not in accordance with this provision of the Convention. The Committee asks the Government to provide it with a copy of the said Decree.

Furthermore, no information regarding technical schools has been provided, which have been exempted from the application of the Convention under section 25 of the Labour Code. The Committee hopes that the Government will provide the required information with its next report.

Article 4. The Committee notes that the requirement for every employer in an industrial undertaking to keep a register of all persons under the age of 18 years employed by him, and of the dates of their births, has not yet been fulfilled.

The Committee hopes that the special committee to study the internal legal measures aimed at giving effect to the provisions of ratified Conventions will soon recommend the pertinent measures and that they will be transformed into legal reality in the near future. It asks the Government to keep it informed on any progress achieved.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1993, published 80th ILC session (1993)

The Committee notes with regret that the Government's report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the following matters raised in its previous direct request:

The Committee would in particular appreciate receiving information on the measures taken or envisaged to prohibit the employment of children under the age of 15 years in industrial undertakings, in conformity with Article 2, paragraph 1, of the Convention. The Committee recalls that on the last occasion it addressed a request directly to the Government, it requested the Government to indicate the measures taken or envisaged to ensure that the work of children in family undertakings may only be authorized in employment, which by its nature and conditions in which it is carried on, is not dangerous to the life, health or morals of the persons concerned, as provided for in Article 2, paragraph 2. In addition, the Committee asked the Government to inform it whether measures have been taken or are under consideration to limit the exemption from the prohibition of employment of children for training only to technical schools, as required by Article 3. Finally, the Committee asked whether the necessary measures have been taken to ensure that every employer in an industrial undertaking shall keep a register of all employed persons under the age of 18 years indicating their date of birth (Article 4).

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1992, published 79th ILC session (1992)

The Committee notes with regret that the Government's report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the following matters raised in its previous direct request, which read as follows:

The Committee would in particular appreciate receiving information on the measures taken or envisaged to prohibit the employment of children under the age of 15 years in industrial undertakings, in conformity with Article 2, paragraph 1, of the Convention. The Committee recalls that on the last occasion it addressed a request directly to the Government, it requested the Government to indicate the measures taken or envisaged to ensure that the work of children in family undertakings may only be authorised in employment, which by its nature and conditions in which it is carried on, is not dangerous to the life, health or morals of the persons concerned, as provided for in Article 2, paragraph 2. In addition, the Committee asked the Government to inform it whether measures have been taken or are under consideration to limit the exemption from the prohibition of employment of children for training only to technical schools, as required by Article 3. Finally, the Committee asked whether the necessary measures have been taken to ensure that every employer in an industrial undertaking shall keep a register of all employed persons under the age of 18 years indicating their date of birth (Article 4).

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1991, published 78th ILC session (1991)

The Committee notes that the Government's report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain the Government's reply to the Committee's previous comments on the following provisions of the Convention.

The Committee would in particular appreciate receiving information on the measures taken or envisaged to prohibit the employment of children under the age of 15 years in industrial undertakings, in conformity with Article 2, paragraph 1, of the Convention. The Committee recalls that on the last occasion it addressed a request directly to the Government, it requested the Government to indicate the measures taken or envisaged to ensure that the work of children in family undertakings may only be authorised in employment, which by its nature and conditions in which it is carried on, is not dangerous to the life, health or morals of the persons concerned, as provided for in Article 2, paragraph 2. In addition, the Committee asked the Government to inform it whether measures have been taken or are under consideration to limit the exemption from the prohibition of employment of children for training only to technical schools, as required by Article 3. Finally, the Committee asked whether the necessary measures have been taken to ensure that every employer in an industrial undertaking shall keep a register of all employed persons under the age of 18 years indicating their date of birth (Article 4).