Country profile CMR
Context
Context
| Year | Age group | Proportion | Gender | Indicator | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 5-17 | 38.461 | Male | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2014 | 5-17 | 32.776 | Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2014 | 5-17 | 33.36 | Male & Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2014 | 5-17 | 40.12 | Male | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2014 | 5-17 | 37.7 | Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2014 | 5-17 | 38.9 | Male & Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%) | Source |
National Legal Framework
National Legal Framework
| Provision | Legislation date | Convention | Legislation info | sources | Value | sort_order | Provision description | Legislation description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| List of hazardous activities prohibited for children | 1969-05-27 | C138 & C182 | Order N° 17 on Child Labour - Chapter III | [{"link_name":"-Order N° 17 on Child Labour","source_link":"https://natlex.ilo.org/dyn/natlex2/natlex2/files/download/17964/CMR-17964.pdf"},{"link_name":"-CEACR Observation","source_link":"https://normlex.ilo.org/dyn/nrmlx_en/f?p=1000:13100:0::NO:13100:P13100_COMMENT_ID,P13100_COUNTRY_ID:4414708,103038"}] | Yes | 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. | Chapter III provides the list of hazardous activities for children. This list does not prohibit work under water or work at dangerous heights, as in the case of children employed in fishing or banana harvesting. The Committee noted that the Conference Committee had urged the Government to urgently revise, in consultation with the social partners, the list of hazardous types of work established by Order No. 17 in order to prevent the engagement of children under 18 years of age in hazardous activities, including underwater work and work at dangerous heights. In this regard, the Government indicated that the revision of the list of hazardous types of work was due to take place in 2018 and would be undertaken in conjunction with the social partners. |
| Minimum age for hazardous work | 1992-08-14 | C138 & C182 | Labour Code - Sections 86. 2) and 87. | [{"link_name":"Labour Code","source_link":"https://wwwex.ilo.org/dyn/natlex2/natlex2/files/download/31629/CMR-31629%20(EN).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. | According to section 86. 2), under no circumstances may young people under the age of eighteen be employed on board ships as stokers or drivers; when children and young people under the age of eighteen are to be taken on board ships with a crew not exclusively composed of members of the same family, they must first undergo a medical examination attesting to their suitability for this work; a medical certificate signed by an approved physician is drawn up for this purpose. In Addition, Section 87. stipulates that : (1) The Inspector of Labour of the area may order women and children to be examined by an approved medical practitioner in order to ascertain that the work allotted to them in not beyond their strength. Such order shall be automatic if requested by the woman or child. (2) A woman or child shall not be kept on any job which has been so found to be beyond their strength and shall be transferred to more suitable work. If this is impossible, the contract shall be terminated without notice and without either party being responsible. |
| Minimum age for admission to apprenticeship | 1992-08-14 | C138 | Labour Code - Section 86 | [{"link_name":"Labour Code","source_link":"https://wwwex.ilo.org/dyn/natlex2/natlex2/files/download/31629/CMR-31629%20(EN).pdf"}] | 14 | 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. | Section 86 of the Labour Code states that : (1) No child shall employed in an enterprise even as an apprentice before the age of 14 (fourteen) years, except as otherwise authorized by order of the minister in charge of labour, taking account of local conditions and the jobs which the children may be asked to do. |
| Is the minimum age for admission to work not less than the age for completion of compulsory schooling? | 1998-04-14 | C138 | Act No. 98/004 | [{"link_name":"-Act No. 98/004","source_link":"https://www.axl.cefan.ulaval.ca/afrique/cameroun-loi-1998.htm"},{"link_name":"-CEACR Observation","source_link":"https://normlex.ilo.org/dyn/nrmlx_en/f?p=1000:13100:0::NO:13100:P13100_COMMENT_ID,P13100_COUNTRY_ID:4116054,103038"}] | 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. | In its observation (CEACR) - adopted 2021 on Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138), the Committee notes that by virtue of Act No. 98/004 of 14 April 1998 governing education in Cameroon, only primary education is compulsory in the country, and that it ends at 12 years of age, which is two years before the minimum age for admission to employment or work (14 years). |
| Light work - Determination of types and conditions of activities | No information | C138 | Just like like work in not allowed in Cameroon, the national legal framework does not determine what activities are considered light work, and the hours and the circumstances under which they may be carried out. | [{"link_name":"N/A","source_link":"No information"}] | 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. | No information |
| Minimum age for light work | No information | C138 | National legislation in Cameroon does not set a minimum age for admission to light work. | [{"link_name":"N/A","source_link":"No information"}] | N/A | 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. | No information |
| Minimum age for admission to work | 1969-05-27 | C138 | Order N° 17 on Child Labour - Section 2 | [{"link_name":"Order N° 17","source_link":"https://natlex.ilo.org/dyn/natlex2/natlex2/files/download/17964/CMR-17964.pdf"}] | 14 | 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. | Section 2 prohibits the employment of children below 14 years old. |
| Is the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs, prohibited? | No information | C182 | No information | [{"link_name":"No information","source_link":"No information"}] | No | 11 | C182 prohibits the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs. | No information |
| Is the use, procuring or offering of a child for the purpose of prostitution and for production of pornography prohibited? | 2016-07-12 ; 2010 ; 2023 | C182 | Penal Code - Sections 294(1), 343(2), 344 ; Act No. 2010/012 of 21 December 2010 ; Act No. 2023/009 of 28 July 2023 instituting a charter for the protection of children online - Sections 16, 37, 40 | [{"link_name":"-Penal Code","source_link":"https://www.droit-afrique.com/uploads/Cameroun-Code-2016-penal1.pdf"},{"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:4414705,103038"},{"link_name":"-Act No. 2010/012 of 21 December 2010","source_link":"https://www.art.cm/sites/default/files/documents/loi_2010-012_cybersecurite_cybercriminalite.pdf"},{"link_name":"-Act No. 2023/009 of 28 July 2023 instituting a charter for the protection of children online","source_link":"https://www.prc.cm/fr/multimedia/documents/9701-loi-n-2023-009-du-25-07-2023"}] | Yes | 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 294(1) of the Penal Code imposes penalties on anyone who entices, assists or facilitates another person to enter into prostitution or who receives a share, even on an occasional basis, of the profits of the prostitution of another person or who receives subsidies from a person engaged in prostitution. Additionally, by virtue of section 343(2) of the same Code, penalties shall be imposed on whosoever, with a view to prostitution or debauchery, publicly, through the use of gestures, words, the written word or by any other means, proceeds to solicit another person of either sex. Moreover, Section 344 of the Penal Code criminalizes those who instigate, encourage or facilitate the debauchery or corruption of a person under the age of 21. As for the prohibition of the use of children for pornographic content, in a Direct Request published in 2025, the CEACR states that "Act No. 2010/012 of 21 December 2010 prohibits only the production or electronic dissemination of pornographic material involving children, which appears to include the use, but not the procuring or offering, of children for the production of pornographic material. It notes with interest the Government’s indication that Act No. 2023/009 of 28 July 2023 instituting a charter for the protection of children online also strengthens Act No. 2010/012 by: (1) imposing an obligation on search engine providers to inform the competent authorities of any acts that constitute child pornography (section 16); (2) establishing a penalty of up to 5 years’ imprisonment and a fine of 10 million Cameroon francs BEAC for anyone who makes, conveys or disseminates, through electronic media or an information system, a message containing child pornography (section 37); and (3) providing for a penalty ranging from 2 to 6 years’ imprisonment and a fine of 10 million francs BEAC for anyone who offers, produces or makes available child pornography, for himself or a third party, for dissemination or transmission (section 40)". |
| Is forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18 for use in armed conflict prohibited? | N/A | C182 | N/A | [{"link_name":"Child Soldiers Global Report 2001","source_link":"https://www.refworld.org/docid/4988060a28.html"}] | N/A | 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 is no conscription in the country. The Ecole Militaire Inter-Armes in Yaoundé, a military school for officers, has a minimum recruitment age of 18. Applicants under age 21 must have parental authorisation |
| Is the sale and trafficking of children for sexual and labour exploitation prohibited? | 2005-12-25 | C182 | Law n° 2005 / 015 of 29 December 2005 relating to the fight against child trafficking and slavery - Articles 4, 5 | [{"link_name":"Law n° 2005 / 015","source_link":"http://www.minjustice.gov.cm/index.php/fr/textes-lois/lois/376-loi-n-2005-15-en-date-du-29-decembre-2005-relative-a-la-lutte-contre-le-trafic-et-la-traite-des-enfants"}] | 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. | Article 4 provides a punishment of imprisonment from ten to twenty years and a fine of 50,000 to one million francs for a person who engages, even occasionally, in trafficking or trafficking of children. According to Article 5, the trafficking and child trafficking are punishable by imprisonment of fifteen (15) to twenty (20) years and a fine of 100,000 to 10,000,000 francs; a) When the offense is committed against a minor 15 years; b) When the perpetrator is a legitimate, natural or adopted child of the victim; c) When the offender has authority over the child or is required to participate in its functions to the fight against trafficking or peacekeeping; d) When the offense is committed by an organized group or criminal association; e) When the offense is committed with a weapon; f) When the victim was injured as described in section 277 of the Penal Code or when she died as a result of acts related to those acts. |
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) | 05-JUN-2002 | Source |
| in-force | C138 | Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) | 13-AUG-2001 | Source |
Policies and Plans
Policies and Plans
| Description | sources | Period | Policy name | Implementing agency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cameroon is a Pathfinder Country of the Alliance 8.7, a global partnership committed to eradicating forced labour, modern slavery, human trafficking, and child labour. As part of this initiative, Cameroon has initiated the development of a roadmap towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8.7. This report outlines the strategic objectives and actions necessary between 2021 and 2025 to make significant progress in these areas. More specifically the main objectives of Cameroon’s roadmap on child Labour would be: Eradicate the worst forms of child labour. Ensure quality education for all. Guarantee social protection for all. | [{"link_name":"Alliance 8.7 Priorities in Cameroon","source_link":"https://www.alliance87.org/pathfinders/cameroon"}] | 2021-2025 | ALLIANCE 8.7 PRIORITIES IN CAMEROON | Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MINTSS).. |
| Through the PANETEC, it is planned to integrate the issue of child labour into the formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the policies and programmes set out in the Growth and Employment Strategy Paper (GESP) with a view to improving their relevance. In its Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2021 on the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138), the Committee noted with concern that the National Plan of Action for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour (PANETEC) had still not been adopted. The Committee notes that the Government indicates in its report that the PANETEC was adopted on 18 October 2017, and was updated in 2020. | [{"link_name":"CEACR Observation","source_link":"https://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=NORMLEXPUB:13100:0::NO::P13100_COMMENT_ID:4116054"}] | 2017 | National Plan of Action for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour (PANETEC) | National Steering Committee to Combat Child Labor (CDN/LCTE) |