2002 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor - Montserrat (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 areas generally are not eligible to become members of the ILO, and ILO Convention 138 and ILO Convention 182 do not apply to any of them.³⁹³⁷

Statistics on the number of working children under the age of 15 in Montserrat are unavailable. Information is also unavailable on the incidence and nature of child labor. Education is compulsory for children between the ages of 5 and 14, and free up to the age of 17.³⁹⁷⁴ The Government of Montserrat developed an Education in the Country Policy Plan for 1998-2002 in conjunction with the United Kingdom. Under this plan, the government is supporting initiatives in the areas of curriculum development, student assessment and evaluation, professional development for teachers, post-secondary education expansion, and educational infrastructure and information technology.³⁹⁷⁵

3937 ILO official, electronic communication to USDOL official, January 31, 2002. Also Julie Misner, USDOL Office of International Organizations, electronic communication to USDOL official, September 3, 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, Chapter 1, Article 1 and Chapter III, Article 35 [cited November 12, 2002]; available from http://www.ilo.org/public/english/about/iloconst.htm.

3974 Alex Ackie, Governor's Office Clerical Officer, Government of Montserrat, electronic communication to USDOL official, January 23, 2001.

3975 See UNESCO, Education for All 2000 Assessment: Country Reports – Montserrat, prepared by Ministry of Education, pursuant to UN General Assembly Resolution 52/84, 1997, [cited January 2, 2003]; available from http://www2.unesco.org/wef/countryreports/montserrat/contents.html.