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2001 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor - Comoros

Government Policies and Programs to Eliminate the Worst Forms of Child Labor

The government and UNICEF have worked together to evaluate the extent of child labor.^[583] Awareness-raising meetings and information campaigns on child labor have been organized among families and children.^[584]

Incidence and Nature of Child Labor

In 1999, the ILO estimated that 37.9 percent of children between the ages of 10 and 14 in Comoros were working.^[585] Children work in the informal sector, in agriculture, and in family enterprises, particularly in subsistence farming and fishing.^[586] Children also work as domestic servants, some as young as seven years.^[587] Migration from rural areas has led to a growing number of children working and living on the streets.^[588] Two armed separatist groups in Anjouan, an island in Comoros, have reportedly been recruiting boy soldiers between the ages of 13 and 16.^[589]

Primary education is compulsory until the age of 10.^[590] In 1993, the gross primary enrollment rate was 74.6 percent, and the net primary enrollment rate was 52 percent.^[591] There are gender disparities in school attendance and dropout rates.^[592] In 1993, the gross primary enrollment rate was 84.3 percent for boys and 69.2 percent for girls; the net primary enrollment rate was 57.3 percent for boys and 46.6 percent for girls.^[593] Primary school attendance rates are unavailable for Comoros. While enrollment rates indicate a level of commitment to education, they do not always reflect children's participation in school.^[594] There is a general lack of facilities, equipment, qualified teachers, and textbooks and other resources.^[595] Salaries for teachers are low and often so far in arrears that many teachers refuse to work.^[596]

Child Labor Laws and Enforcement

The Labor Code sets the minimum age for work at 15 years. There are no laws prohibiting forced and bonded labor or trafficking in persons.^[597] There is lax enforcement of labor laws,^[598] in part because of a lack of labor inspectors and general lack of resources.^[599] Comoros has not ratified ILO Convention 138 or ILO Convention 182.^[600]

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[583] UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, Summary Record of the 666th Meeting: Comoros, CDC/C/SR.666 (Geneva, October 4, 2000) [hereinafter Record of 666th Meeting], para. 39.

[584] Ibid. at para 46.

[585] World Development Indicators 2001 (Washington, D.C.: World Bank, 2001) [hereinafter World Development Indicators 2001] [CD-ROM].

[586] UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, Consideration of Reports Submitted by States Parties Under Article 44 of the Convention: Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, Comoros, CRC/C/15/Add.141 (Geneva, October 16, 2000) [hereinafter Concluding Observations], para. 48. See also Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2000 – Comoros (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of State, February 2001) [hereinafter Country Reports 2000], Section 6d, at http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2000/af/index.cfm?docid=838.

[587] Concluding Observations at para. 29. See also Record of 666th Meeting at para. 3 and Country Reports 2000 at Section 5.

[588] Concluding Observations at para. 39. See also Record of the 666th meeting at para. 3.

[589] Record of 666th Meeting at para 41. See also Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, Africa Report: Comoros (London, March 1999).

[590] Country Reports 2000 at Section 5.

[591] World Development Indicators 2001.

[592] Concluding Observations at para. 43.

[593] World Development Indicators 2001.

[594] For a more detailed discussion on the relationship between education statistics and work, see Introduction to this report.

[595] Concluding Observations at para. 43.

[596] Record of 666th Meeting at para. 23.

[597] Country Reports 2000 at Sections 6d, 6f.

[598] Concluding Observations at para. 48.

[599] Country Reports 2000 at Sections 5, 6d.

[600] In February 2000, the Council of Ministers in Comoros approved ILO Convention 182 for ratification. See Record of 666th Meeting at para. 39. See also ILO-IPEC, Ratification Campaign: Ratification Map, on 11/20/01.

Topics: Childrens rights, Right to education, Child labour, Trafficking in persons,