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Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) - Honduras (RATIFICATION: 2001)

Other comments on C182

Observation

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Article 6 of the Convention. Programmes of action to eliminate the worst forms of child labour. The Committee takes note of the 2019 Report of the Honduran National Business Council (COHEP) on the activities undertaken by the private sector to eradicate child labour and its worst forms. The Committee notes, from the observations of the COHEP, that the project Addressing Child Labour in the Coffee Supply Chain in Honduras (2018–20), implemented by the ILO in conjunction with the COHEP, was extended until 2023. Its main objective is the design of a social compliance system and a Code of conduct for the prevention and eradication of child labour and its worst forms and the promotion of acceptable working conditions in the coffee supply chain. From the 2022 Evaluation Report published by the United States Department of Labour (USDOL), the Committee notes with interest that: (1) the social compliance system was adopted and successfully implemented by key institutions in the coffee industry, the COHEP and the Honduran Coffee Institute (IHCAFE); and (2) three cooperatives in the coffee sector have adhered to and implemented the social compliance system with the aim of obtaining a certification of conformity. The Report highlights that efforts must now be made towards the expansion of the social compliance system for sustainable results.

The Committee notes the Government’s indication, in its report, that the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (SETRASS), developed a National Strategy to Combat Child Labour in the coffee industry. The Government further indicates that, in 2021, the Road map for the elimination of child labour in all its forms 2021–25 was approved by the National Commission for the Eradication of Child Labour, consisting of 10 strategic goals which focus on the reduction of child labour, its worst forms and the engagement of adolescents in hazardous work, through the participation and cooperation of the Government, social partners and civil society. The Committee notes with interest that the National Institute of Statistics (INE) is developing a National Survey on Child Labour, to monitor the situation of child labour and its worst forms and better inform the development of policies, programmes and projects to improve the situation of these vulnerable groups. The Committee welcomes the Government’s efforts and requests it to provide information on the specific measures adopted and the results achieved through the implementation of the Road map for the elimination of child labour in all its forms 2021–25 and the National Strategy to Combat Child Labour in the Coffee Industry. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on the results of the National Survey on Child Labour in providing an overview of the worst forms of child labour in the country, including their nature, extent and trends.

Article 7(2). Effective and time-bound measures. Clause (d). Children at special risk. Children orphaned or vulnerable due to HIV/AIDS. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that section 70 of the Special Law on HIV/AIDS and its Reform 2015, establishes that the State, in coordination with public and private organizations, shall provide comprehensive care for children living with HIV/AIDS in shelters or care centres if they do not have relatives or guardians who can care for them. The Government also indicates that the Secretariat of Human Rights, in the framework of the Public Policy and National Plan of Action on Human Rights, undertakes a number of actions specifically aimed at the protection of children living with HIV/AIDS and to prevent them from engaging in child labour including its worst forms, including: (1) awareness-raising in the media to reduce discrimination; (2) strengthening measures to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS from mother to child and coordinating activities aimed at reducing maternal mortality; and (3) enacting laws against child labour including surveillance measures to prevent children from being exploited or abused in domestic work and other informal types of work. The Committee notes, from the statistical data of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), that in 2022, there were between 13,000 and 19,000 child orphans due to HIV/AIDS and less than 1,000 children aged 0 to 14 years who were living with HIV/AIDS. Whiletaking note of the efforts made by the Government and recalling that orphans and vulnerable children are at greater risk of becoming involved in the worst forms of child labour, the Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken to prevent child HIV/AIDS orphans from being engaged in the worst forms of child labour and to ensure the rehabilitation and social integration of those involved, particularly through education.

Children in street situations. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the special protection system to permit the registration and comprehensive care for street children is currently in its implementation phase by the Directorate for Children, Young Persons and the Family (DINAF). The Committee further notes the Government’s indication that due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of two tropical storms in 2022, the situation of street children has worsened. The Government indicates that to respond to these events, it created 11 temporary shelters to provide care and assistance for families and children living in the streets. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the DINAF proposes an intervention strategy for children living on the streets, with 3 levels of intervention: (1) an operational level in which it will continue approaching street children directly, to identify the points of greatest incidence, their age and family situation to gradually obtain the profile of these children and their families, and a mapping at the national level to know the number of children and adolescents in street situation; (2) a strategic level to coordinate the action of government institutions and civil society organizations; and (3) a political level for the enactment of legislation to better protect children in street situations. Recalling that children in street situations are at particular risk of becoming engaged in the worst forms of child labour, the Committee requests the Government to continue providing information on the measures taken to protect these children against the worst forms of child labour, including on the implementation of the special protection system. It once again requests the Government to provide information on the number of children removed from the streets and who have benefited from rehabilitation and social integration measures.

Article 8. International and regional cooperation. Action to combat poverty. The Committee notes, from the Road map for the elimination of child labour in all its forms 2021–25 that, the COVID-19 pandemic and the tropical storms Eta and Iota, have had a devastating impact on the poverty figures going from 59.3 per cent of poor households in 2019 to an estimated 70 per cent in 2020. Extreme poverty also increased 16.7 percentage points in 2020, with 53.4 per cent of Honduran households living in extreme poverty (compared to 36.7 per cent in 2019). The Committee notes the Government’s indication that: (1) the Secretariat for Development and Social Inclusion (SEDIS) provides assistance to families in extreme poverty. Through the Vida Mejor Management Platform, the SEDIS executed the delivery of Conditional Cash Transfers (TMC) to provide a minimum income for households living in extreme poverty in rural and urban areas of the country; (2) between 2018 and 2021, these cash transfers benefited 991,172 families, for a total of 4,289,736,597 Honduran lempiras (equivalent to US$174,658,564); and (3) it continues to implement the training project “Cuidate, a guide on health and well-being” in communities living in extreme poverty and social exclusion with a high rate of maternal and infant mortality and morbidity, and gender inequalities. The Committee notes from the concluding observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) that it is concerned at the high rates of poverty and social exclusion that continues to affect indigenous and Afro-Honduran peoples, particularly those living in rural and remote areas (CERD/C/HND/CO/6-8, paragraphs 16 and 17). Recalling that poverty reduction programmes contribute to breaking the cycle of poverty, which is essential for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour, the Committee requests the Government to continue taking the necessary measures to achieve an effective reduction in poverty among children at risk of being engaged in the worst forms of child labour, including indigenous children and Afro-Honduran children, and to provide information on the results achieved in this respect.