CMNT_TITLE

Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) - Fiji (RATIFICATION: 2002)

Other comments on C182

Observation

2021
2017
2014

Direct Request

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Article 7(2). Effective and time-bound measures. Clause (e). Taking account of the special situation of girls. Child victims of commercial sexual exploitation. In its previous comments, the Committee took note of the serious problem of child prostitution, particularly in sex tourism, in the country and noted the concern expressed by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women about the exploitation of underage girls in commercial sex work. The Committee took note of the Government’s reference to a task force subcommittee of the National Coordinating Committee on Children (NCCC), which is comprised of “Homes of Hope”, the ILO and “Empower Traffic”, and which is working with the Department of Women and Social Welfare (DOW) in managing and intervening in children’s rights cases. The Government stated that the Police Department intervenes if the DOW receives reports of child victims of prostitution or sexual abuse. The Committee further noted the Government’s commitment to ensure that children who are removed from such circumstances are placed under the care of the State and undergo rehabilitation programmes before they are reintegrated into educational or vocational programmes. It also noted the Government’s endeavours to continue to strengthen the network between government ministries, particularly the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Education, along with non-governmental organizations and faith-based organizations, to ensure the care and protection of children. The Committee took due note of the Government’s efforts to combat the commercial sexual exploitation of children. However, it noted the information contained in the report “Child Labour in Fiji – A survey of working children in commercial sexual exploitation, on the streets, in rural agricultural communities, in informal and squatter settlements and in schools” (Child Labour in Fiji report), produced by the ILO Country Office for South Pacific Island Countries and ILO–IPEC, according to which the commercial sexual exploitation of children and child sex tourism continue to occur. The Committee expressed its concern regarding the continuation of child commercial sexual exploitation, including child sex tourism, and requested the Government to take effective and time-bound measures and to provide information in this regard.

The Committee notes the absence of information in this regard in the Government’s report. It notes however that, according to its 2014 concluding observations, the Committee on the Rights of the Child notes with deepest concern that sexual exploitation and abuse of children is prevalent in Fiji, including through organized child prostitution networks and brothels (CRC/C/FJI/CO/2-4, paragraph 32). The Committee on the Rights of the Child is furthermore gravely concerned about Fiji being a source country for children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labour, with child trafficking victims being exploited in brothels, local hotels, private homes and other rural and urban locations (paragraph 69). The Committee once again urges the Government to take effective and time-bound measures to remove children from the worst forms of child labour, taking into account the special situation of girls. The Committee also once again requests the Government to provide concrete information on the intervention strategies and rehabilitation programmes aimed at providing direct assistance to child victims of commercial sexual exploitation, and on the number of these children who have been effectively rehabilitated and socially integrated.

The Committee is raising other matters in a request addressed directly to the Government.