2002 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor - Oman

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

In conjunction with UNESCO, the Government of Oman participated in the Education For All 2000 Assessment.2693 The Ministry of Education is also working to increase net enrollment among children and improve the education curriculum.2694

Incidence and Nature of Child Labor

In 2000, the ILO estimated that less than 1 percent of children ages 10 to 14 years in Oman were working.2695

In order to achieve the goal of education for all, the government provides free transportation to and from school.2696 Education is free but not compulsory for all children ages 6 to 18.2697 In 1998, the gross primary enrollment rate was 74.6 percent (72.5 percent for girls and 76.7 percent for boys). The net enrollment rate for that year was 66 percent (65.3 percent for girls and 66.8 percent for boys.)2698 Attendance rates are not available for Oman. While enrollment rates indicate a level of commitment to education, they do not always reflect children's participation in school.2699

Child Labor Laws and Enforcement

The Oman Labor Law of 1973 established the minimum age for employment at 13 years.2700 A child is defined as anyone below the age of 13 and a juvenile as anyone between the ages of 13 and 16.2701 The employment of juveniles is permitted between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., provided that the labor is not too strenuous for their age.2702 The law further prohibits employers from working juveniles overtime, on weekends and holidays without the authorization of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor. An employer is required to possess a certificate of health for each child.2703

The Government of Oman has not ratified ILO Convention 138, but ratified ILO Convention 182 on June 11, 2001.2704


2693 UNESCO, Education for All 2000 Assessment: Country Reports – Oman, prepared by Ministry of Education Planification and Educational Information, pursuant to UN General Assembly Resolution 52/84, 1999, [cited August 26, 2002]; available from http://www2.unesco.org/wef/countryreports/oman/contents.html.

2694 United Nations, Youth at the United Nations: Country Profiles on the Situation of Youth- Oman, 2001 [cited August 26, 2002]; available from http://esa.un.org/socdev/unyin/countrya.asp?countrycode=om.

2695 World Bank, World Development Indicators 2002 [CD-ROM], Washington, D.C., 2002.

2696 UNESCO, EFA Country Report: Oman.

2697 Ibid. For a source verifying that education is not compulsory, see UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, 2001, [cited August 26, 2002]; available from http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/385c2add1632f4a8c12565a9004dc311/ e07b24de6d770996c1256ae90056efd0?OpenDocument.

2698 World Bank, World Development Indicators 2002.

2699 For a more detailed discussion on the relationship between education statistics and work, see the preface to this report.

2700 ILO, Review of Annual Reports Under the Follow-up to the ILO Declaration on the Fundamental Principals and Rights at Work, [online] 2000 [cited August 27, 2002], 327; available from http://www.ilo.org/public/english/standards/ relm/gb/docs/gb277/d2-index.htm. See also Government of Oman, Labour Law, 1973, Sultan's Decree no.34/1973, [cited December 17, 2002]; available from http://www.omanet.com/english/government/labour.asp?cat=gov.

2701 Labour Law.
2702 Ibid.

2703 Ibid.

2704 ILO, Ratifications by Country, in ILOLEX, [database online] [cited October 3, 2002]; available from http://www.ilo.org/ilolex/english/newratframeE.htm.

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