2005 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor - Falkland Islands (territory of the United Kingdom)

There is limited information regarding the extent and nature of child labor and the quality and provision of education in non-independent countries and territories eligible for GSP, AGOA, and CBTPA benefits. These countries and territories generally are not eligible to become members of the ILO, so ILO Conventions 138 and 182 do not apply to any of them.5132 Territories are subject to laws of the sovereign country.

Statistics on the number of children working under age 15 in the Falkland Islands are unavailable.5155 According to the Government of the Falkland Islands, in 2002 there were no children below compulsory school age working full time and there have been no recent cases involving the commercial sexual exploitation of children.5156 In addition, the Foreign Office of the United Kingdom received no reports or complaints of child labor violations in 2004, the most recent date such information was available.5157 Education is free and compulsory from 5 years of age until the end of the academic year during which a child reaches 16 years of age. Primary school enrollment and attendance statistics are not available for the Falkland Islands.

The Employment of Children Ordinance prohibits the employment of children under the age of 14. Children 16 and under cannot work during school hours, before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. on any day, for more than 2 hours on a school day or on Sundays.5158 The Employment of Women, Young Persons and Children Ordinance of 1967 prohibits children under the age of 18 from working in industrial establishments.5159

Sexual activity with a child under 13 years can result in up to 14 years of imprisonment under the United Kingdom's Sexual Offenses Act of 2003. The act also specifically prohibits the purchase of a child for sexual services and causing, controlling, arranging or facilitating child prostitution or pornography.5160 The government is not currently implementing any policies or programs to address child labor, as this is not perceived to be a problem, because of the 100 percent school enrollment rate and the restrictions on employment in the Children's Ordinance.5161 The government has yet to establish an independent mechanism to review complaints from children concerning violations of their rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.5162


5132 ILO official, e-mail communication to USDOL official, January 31, 2002. Most of the areas covered in this summary report are considered by the ILO to be non-metropolitan territories and therefore, are ineligible to become members of the ILO. An ILO member can submit a declaration to the ILO requesting that these conventions apply to their non-metropolitan territories. See ILO, Constitution; available from http://www.ilo.org/public/english/about/iloconst.htm.

5155 This statistic is not available from the data sources that are used in this report. Please see the "Data Sources and Definitions" section for information about sources used.

5156 The most recent year a report was received from the government was 2002. That year, the government reported that it has no records of how many children between the ages of 14 and 18 are working on a part-time basis. See Alison A.M. Inglis, Crown Counsel, e-mail communication to USDOL official, September 11, 2002.

5157 U.S. Department of State official, e-mail communication to USDOL official, May 24, 2005.

5158 Inglis, e-mail communication, September 11, 2002.

5159 Rosalind Cheek, Crown Counsel, Attorney General's Chambers, e-mail communication to USDOL official, December 21, 2000.

5160 Government of the United Kingdom, Sexual Offences Act 2003; available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2003/30042- b.htm. During 2005 the Government of the Falkland Islands worked to adapt the law to the local context. See Falklands Legislative Council, Debate on the Bills, [online] May 25, 2005 [cited September 28, 2005]; available from http://www.sartma.com/artd_1694_06_2005_19.html.

5161 Inglis, e-mail communication, September 11, 2002.

5162 Committee on the Rights of the Child, Concluding Observations, para. 15.

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