Country profile BRB
Context
Context
| Year | Age group | Proportion | Gender | Indicator | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 5-14 | 1.7 | Male | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | UN SDG Indicators Database |
| 2012 | 5-14 | 0.8 | Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | UN SDG Indicators Database |
| 2012 | 5-14 | 1.2 | Male & Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | UN SDG Indicators Database |
| 2012 | 5-14 | 1.8 | Male | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%) | UN SDG Indicators Database |
| 2012 | 5-14 | 0.9 | Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%) | UN SDG Indicators Database |
| 2012 | 5-14 | 1.4 | Male & Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%) | UN SDG Indicators Database |
National Legal Framework
National Legal Framework
| Provision | Legislation date | Convention | Legislation info | sources | Value | sort_order | Provision description | Legislation description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Is the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs, prohibited? | 1990-08-15 | C182 | Drug Abuse (Prevention and Control) Act - Section 22 | [{"link_name":"Drug Abuse (Prevention and Control) Act","source_link":"https://www.barbadoslawcourts.gov.bb/assets/content/pdfs/statutes/DrugAbuse(PreventionandControl)CAP131.pdf"}] | Yes | 11 | C182 prohibits the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs. | Section 22 of the Act prohibits the employment, hire or use of children and young persons in drug trade. |
| Is forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18 for use in armed conflict prohibited? | N/A | C182 | N/A | [{"link_name":"N/A","source_link":"N/A"}] | Yes | 9 | C182 defines forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18 for use in armed conflict as a worst form of child labour. Nevertheless, C182 only prohibits the forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18, and does not cover the voluntary recruitment of children under 18. | There are no mandatory military service in Babrados. |
| Is the use, procuring or offering of a child for the purpose of prostitution and for production of pornography prohibited? | 1990-12-20 ; 1992-02-13 | C182 | Protection of Children Act - Section 2 and 3 ; Sexual Offences Act - Section 17 | [{"link_name":"-Protection of Children Act","source_link":"https://www.barbadoslawcourts.gov.bb/assets/content/pdfs/statutes/ProtectionofChildrenCAP146A.pdf"},{"link_name":"-Sexual Offences Act","source_link":"https://www.warnathgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/lgbti2.pdf"}] | No | 10 | C182 prohibits the use of a child under the age of 18 for prostitution, regardless of the child's consent. The use, procuring or offering of any person under the age of 18 for commercial sexual exploitation constitutes a worst form of child labour, even if prostitution is a legalised. In regard to the prohibition of child pornography, States need to make sure that national legislation addresses the involvement of a child in the production of pornographic materials, including non-recorded performances. | Section 2 of the Protection of children Act defines a child as a person below 18 years, while Section 3 of the same Text makes guilty of an offence any person who "takes or permits to be taken any indecent photograph of a child; or distributes or shows an indecent photograph of a child; or has in his possession indecent photographs of a child whether or not with a view to their being distributed or shown by that person or others; or publishes or causes to be published any advertisement likely to be understood as conveying that the advertiser distributes or shows indecent photographs of children or intends to do so". However, section 17 of the Sexual Offences Act states that "a person who being the owner, occupier or manager of premises; or having control of premises or assisting in the management or control of premises, induces or knowingly suffers a minor under 16 years of age to resort to or to be in or upon the premises for the purpose of having sexual intercourse with any person is guilty of an offence". Such provision does not protect children aged between 17 and 18 years against their use, procuring or offering for the purpose of havinf sexual intercourse with any person. |
| Is the sale and trafficking of children for sexual and labour exploitation prohibited? | 2016-06-09 | C182 | Trafficking in Persons Prevention Act 2016-9 - Section 4 | [{"link_name":"Trafficking in Persons Prevention Act","source_link":"https://oag.gov.bb/attachments/Trafficking%20in%20Persons%20Prevention%20Act,%202016-9.pdf"}] | Yes | 8 | C182 defines all forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, such as the sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage and serfdom and forced or compulsory labour as worst forms of child labour. | Section 4 of the Act prohibits trafficking in children. |
| List of hazardous activities prohibited for children | N/A | C138 & C182 | N/A | [{"link_name":"CEACR Direct Request","source_link":"https://normlex.ilo.org/dyn/nrmlx_en/f?p=1000:13100:0::NO:13100:P13100_COMMENT_ID,P13100_COUNTRY_ID:3963260,103218"}] | No | 7 | C138 and C182 require the national determination of a list of hazardous work prohibited for children under 18 years of age. The competent authorities should consult with workers' and employers' organizations to determine what types of employment or work are considered to be hazardous. Such a list shall be periodically examined and revised as necessary. | According to a Direct Request published in 2019 by the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations (CEACR), the national legislation does not contain a determination of hazardous activities prohibited to children. Since the publication of the Committee's comment in 2019, no legislative measures appear to have been adopted to address this issue. |
| Minimum age for hazardous work | 1977-03-27 | C138 & C182 | Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act - Section 2 and 8 (1) | [{"link_name":"Employment (Miscellaneous\r\nProvisions) Act","source_link":"https://www.barbadoslawcourts.gov.bb/assets/content/pdfs/statutes/Employment(MiscellaneousProvisions)CAP346.pdf"}] | 18 | 6 | C138 and C182 set 18 as the minimum age for hazardous work, which is defined as work that, due to its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to jeopardize children’s health, safety or morals. C138 and C182 allow countries to permit hazardous work exceptionally as from 16, provided that the health, safety and morals of the young persons concerned are fully protected and that they have received adequate specific instruction or training. | While Section 2 of the Act defines a young person as a somebody aged less than 18 years, Section 8 (1) states that no young person shall be employed in any industrial undertaking during the night or in any work that by its nature or the circumstances under which it is done is likely to cause injury to his health, safety or morals. |
| Light work - Determination of types and conditions of activities | N/A | C138 | Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act - Section 2; 13 and 14 | [{"link_name":"Employment (Miscellaneous\r\nProvisions) Act","source_link":"https://www.barbadoslawcourts.gov.bb/assets/content/pdfs/statutes/Employment(MiscellaneousProvisions)CAP346.pdf"}] | N/A | 3 | If the country chooses to allow light work, States must determine what activities are considered light work, and the hours and the circumstances under which they may be carried out. | While Section 2 of the Act defines a child as a person who has not attained the age of 16 years , Section 13 states that no child shall be allowed to work between 6.00 p.m. of one day and 7.00 a.m. of the following day in any undertaking whatever. Furthermore, Section 14 of the same Text stipulates that no person shall employ a child or young person in any undertaking whatever during of employment of school hours. Apart from these two provisions, no legal framework seems to determine the types and conditions of activities that are considered light work in Barbados. |
| Minimum age for light work | 1938-12-30 | C138 | Recruiting of Workers Act, 1938 - Article 5 | [{"link_name":"Recruiting of Workers Act","source_link":"https://www.barbadoslawcourts.gov.bb/assets/content/pdfs/statutes/RecruitingofWorkersCAP354.pdf"}] | 14 | 2 | C138 defines light work as work that does not interfere with children’s schooling, or their ability to benefit from it, and that is not hazardous. C138 allows countries to permit light work for children younger than the general minimum age. For countries that set the minimum age at 15, this means children aged 13-14, and for those that set it at 14, children aged 12-13 may engage in light work. | Article 5 of the Act states that the Minister may by regulations permit persons under 16 years but of or above the age of 14 years to be recruited with the consent of their parents or guardians for employment upon light work. |
| Minimum age for admission to apprenticeship | 1979-07-31 | C138 | Occupational Training Act, 1979 (Cap. 42) - Article 14 and 15 | [{"link_name":"Occupational Training Act, 1979 (Cap. 42)","source_link":"https://www.barbadoslawcourts.gov.bb/assets/content/pdfs/statutes/OccupationalTrainingCAP042.pdf"}] | 16 | 5 | C138 does not apply to work done in school for general, vocational or technical education or in training institutions or work done by children at least 14 years of age in undertakings, where such work is carried out in accordance with conditions prescribed by the competent authority. Such work must be an integral part of: (i) a course of education or training for which a school or training institution is primarily responsible; (ii) a programme of training mainly or entirely in an undertaking, which programme has been approved by the competent authority; or (iii) a programme of guidance or orientation designed to facilitate the choice of an occupation or of a line of training. | Article 14. (1) (a) of the Act sets the minimum age to admission to apprenticeship to 16 years. Furthermore, Article 14. (2) stipulates that a minor may not cary such activity unless they first obtained the consent of their parent or guardian. In addition, according to Article 15, employers must obtain a medical certificate from all apprentices or trainees under the age of 18. |
| Is the minimum age for admission to work not less than the age for completion of compulsory schooling? | 1977-03-24 ; 1997 | C138 | Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1977-6 (Cap. 346) - Article 14. ; Education Act - Section 2 | [{"link_name":"-Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act","source_link":"https://www.barbadoslawcourts.gov.bb/assets/content/pdfs/statutes/Employment(MiscellaneousProvisions)CAP346.pdf"},{"link_name":"-Education Act","source_link":"https://butbdos.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2018/05/Education-Act-Regulations0.pdf"}] | Yes | 4 | C138 requires that the minimum age for admission to work shall not be less than the age of completion of compulsory schooling and, in any case, shall not be less than 15 years. | Article 14 of the Employment Act states that "no person shall employ a child or young person of compulsory age in any undertaking whatever during school hours" and that ""compulsory school age" and "school hours" have the meanings respectively assigned to them by Section 2 of the Education Act". The latter stipulates that compulsory school age goes from 5 to 16 years, making the minimum working age the same as the end of mandatory education. |
| Minimum age for admission to work | 1977-03-24 ; 1997 | C138 | Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1977-6 (Cap. 346) - Articles 13 and 14. ; Education Act - Section 2 | [{"link_name":"-Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act","source_link":"https://www.barbadoslawcourts.gov.bb/assets/content/pdfs/statutes/Employment(MiscellaneousProvisions)CAP346.pdf"},{"link_name":"-Education Act","source_link":"https://butbdos.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2018/05/Education-Act-Regulations0.pdf"}] | 16 | 1 | C138 establishes 15 as the minimum age for work in general. Developing countries have the option of setting a minimum age of 14 as a transitional measure as they strengthen their education systems and economies. | Article 13 of the Employment Act prohibits the employment of children aged less than 16 years in work between 6.00 p.m. of one day and 7.00. of the following day in any undertaking whatever. Besides, Article 14 of the Employment Act states that "no person shall employ a child or young person of compulsory age in any undertaking whatever during school hours" and that ""compulsory school age" and "school hours" have the meanings respectively assigned to them by Section 2 of the Education Act". The latter stipulates that compulsory school age goes from 5 to 16 years thus prohibiting the employment of children below 16 years during school hours. |
International Legal Framework
International Legal Framework
| Ratification status | Convention | Convention description | Date of ratification | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in-force | C182 | Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) | 23-OCT-2000 | Source |
| in-force | C138 | Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) | 04-JAN-2000 | Source |
Policies and Plans
Policies and Plans
| Description | sources | Period | Policy name | Implementing agency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Implemented in 2023, the Plan seeks to achieve several key objectives, including attaining universal pre-primary education (ages 3–5) within three years, promoting an inclusive approach in schools that ensures both social and academic integration for students with special educational needs, whether gifted, challenged, or otherwise exceptional, and updating and strengthening the legislative and regulatory framework governing education. | [{"link_name":"Reimagining Education in Barbados","source_link":"https://mes.gov.bb/Download.ashx?file=Attachments%2fEducation+Reform-FINAL-WA.pdf&name=Reimagining+Education+in+Barbados"}] | 2023 | Reimagining Education in Barbados | Ministry of education, technological and vocational training |
| The Plan’s primary objectives focus on enhancing the identification of victims and potential victims of trafficking, strengthening the national referral system to ensure comprehensive social and legal support for victims, and implementing an extensive public education programme to raise awareness and inform Barbadians about issues related to human trafficking. | [{"link_name":"National Action Plan against Human trafficking","source_link":"https://oag.gov.bb/Portfolios/Human-Trafficking/"}] | 2021-2023 | National Action Plan against Human trafficking | Barbados Governement |