2006 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor - Equatorial Guinea
- Author: Bureau of International Labor Affairs
- Document source:
-
Date:
31 August 2007
| Selected Statistics and Indicators on Child Labor | |
|---|---|
| Percent of children ages 5-14 estimated as working: | Unavailable |
| Minimum age for admission to work: | 141534 |
| Age to which education is compulsory: | 111535 |
| Free public education: | Yes1536* |
| Gross primary enrollment rate in 2002: | 127%1537 |
| Net primary enrollment rate in 2002: | 85%1538 |
| Percent of children 5-14 attending school: | Unavailable |
| As of 2001, percent of primary school entrants likely to reach grade 5: | 33%1539 |
| Ratified Convention 138: | 6/12/19851540 |
| Ratified Convention 182: | 8/13/20011541 |
| ILO-IPEC participating country: | Yes, associated1542 |
| * Must pay for school supplies and related items. | |
Incidence and Nature of Child Labor
In Equatorial Guinea, children work on family farms and as market vendors in family businesses; there were also unconfirmed reports of foreign children working as market vendors in non-family businesses.1543 Children from Benin, Nigeria, and Cameroon are trafficked predominantly into the commercial sector of Malabo and Bata.1544 West African children were most vulnerable to trafficking by relatives or family acquaintances who required them to work in the agricultural sector in addition to the commercial sector.1545 Girls are trafficked to Equatorial Guinea from Togo, Nigeria, and China for commercial sexual exploitation, while other children work as farmhands, street vendors and household servants.1546
Child Labor Law and Enforcement
The minimum age for employment is 14 years.1547 Children under 16 years are prohibited from work that might harm their health, safety, or morals.1548
A government decree bans all children under the age of 16 years from being on the streets after 11 p.m. The decree forbids parents or tutors from exploiting children in labor such as street vending, car washing, or working in bars or restaurants. Under the decree, youth found in the above situations will be automatically arrested, and businesses that employ minors, including family businesses, will be sanctioned.1549 The U.S. Department of State reports that the Ministry of Labor does not enforce the child labor laws effectively.1550
Forced or compulsory child labor is forbidden.1551 The law prohibits the smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons,1552 but the government did not conduct any arrests or prosecutions. Law enforcement officials have not received training on trafficking issues and have not investigated any trafficking cases.1553
Current Government Policies and Programs to Eliminate the Worst Forms of Child Labor
In February 2006, Equatorial Guinea adopted a 5-year National Plan of Action on Trafficking. The government conducted several activities to raise awareness, including a radio campaign to about the trafficking law.1554
1534 U.S. Department of State, "Equatorial Guinea," in Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – 2006, Washington, DC, March 6, 2007; available from http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/78732.htm., Section 6d.
1535 UNESCO Institute for Statistics, Ending Age of Compulsory Education. Primary. Total, accessed June 8, 2007; available from http://stats.uis.unesco.org/.
1536 Constitution of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, (January 17, 1995); available from http://www.ceiba-guinea-ecuatorial.org/guineeangl/nvelle_const.htm. See also U.S. Department of State, "Country Reports – 2006: Equatorial Guinea." Section 5.
1537 UNESCO Institute for Statistics, Gross Enrolment Ratio. Primary. Total, accessed December 20, 2006; available from http://stats.uis.unesco.org/.
1538 UNESCO Institute for Statistics, Net Enrolment Rate. Primary. Total, accessed December 20, 2006; available from http://stats.uis.unesco.org/.
1539 UNESCO Institute for Statistics, Survival Rate to Grade 5. Total, accessed December 18, 2006; available from http://stats.uis.unesco.org/.
1540 ILO, Ratifications by Country, [online], accessed October 20, 2006; available from http://www.ilo.org/ilolex/english/docs/declworld.htm. See also FXConverter, [online] 2005 [cited May 17, 2005]; available from http://www.carosta.de/frames/convert.htm.
1541 ILO, Ratifications by Country.
1542 Ibid.
1543 U.S. Department of State, "Country Reports – 2006: Equatorial Guinea." Section 6d.
1544 Ibid.
1545 U.S. Embassy – Malabo, reporting, March 02, 2007.
1546 U.S. Department of State, "Equatorial Guinea (Tier 2 Watch List)," in Trafficking in Persons Report – 2006, Washington, DC, June 5, 2006; available from http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2006/65988.htm.
1547 U.S. Department of State, "Country Reports – 2006: Equatorial Guinea." Section 6d.
1548 Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, Child Soldiers Global Report 2004, London, March 2005; available from http://www.child-soldiers.org/document_get.php?id=770.
1549 U.S. Embassy – Yaounde, reporting, November 16, 2005.
1550 U.S. Department of State, "Country Reports – 2006: Equatorial Guinea." Section 6d.
1551 Ibid. Section 6c.
1552 UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, Consideration of Reports Submitted by States Parties Under Article 44 of the Convention, Initial reports of States parties due in 1994, CRC/C/11/Add.26, United Nations, Geneva, September 12, 2003; available from http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/898586b1dc7b4043c1256a450044f331/ d53df7529775b260c1256f2000565994/$FILE/G0444306.doc. See also U.S. Department of State, "Trafficking in Persons Report – 2006: Equatorial Guinea."
1553 U.S. Department of State, "Trafficking in Persons Report – 2006: Equatorial Guinea." See also U.S. Embassy – Yaounde, reporting, November 16, 2005.
1554 U.S. Department of State, "Trafficking in Persons Report – 2006: Equatorial Guinea." See also U.S. Embassy – Yaounde official, E-mail communication to USDOL official, May 26, 2006.
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