Country profile CRI
Context
Context
| Year | Age group | Proportion | Gender | Indicator | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 5-17 | 4 | Male | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2018 | 5-17 | 2.7 | Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2018 | 5-17 | 3.4 | Male & Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2018 | 5-17 | 4.3 | Male | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2018 | 5-17 | 3.2 | Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2018 | 5-17 | 3.8 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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"}] | 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. | Costa Rica has no standing military. |
| Is the sale and trafficking of children for sexual and labour exploitation prohibited? | 1970-05-04 | C182 | Law N° 4573 Penal Code - Section 383 | [{"link_name":"Law N° 4573 Penal Code","source_link":"http://www.pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_texto_completo.aspx?nValor1=1&nValor2=5027"}] | 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 383 prohibits the sale and trafficking of children for any purpose. |
| List of hazardous activities prohibited for children | 2011-03-25 ; 2001-01-10 | C138 & C182 | Act No. 8922 the Prohibition of Hazardous and Unhealthy Work for Adolescent Workers ; Decree No.29229-MTSS - Article 4 | [{"link_name":"-Act No. 8922 the Prohibition of Hazardous and Unhealthy Work for Adolescent Workers","source_link":"https://www.pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_texto_completo.aspx?param1=NRTC&nValor1=1&nValor2=69942&nValor3=84247&strTipM=TC"},{"link_name":"-Decree No.29229-MTSS","source_link":"https://www.mtss.go.cr/seguridad-social/trabajo-infantil/trabajo-infantil/normativa/Decreto_29220.pdf"}] | 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. | The law prohibits young workers (15-17 years old) from performing hazardous and unhealthy types of work. This Act includes a wide range of hazardous types of work, including: mining and quarrying; activities conducted in confined or closed spaces. Also, the Act expressly prohibits domestic work for young persons where they must sleep at the job or remain beyond working hours. Furthermore, Article 4 of Decree No.29229-MTSS establishes specific conditions to protect the health of adolescent workers, prohibiting hazardous work and restricting other activities that jeopardise their physical, emotional and social development. |
| Minimum age for hazardous work | 1998-01-06 | C138 & C182 | Law No. 7739 Childhood and Adolescence Code - Section 2 | [{"link_name":"Law No. 7739 Childhood and Adolescence Code","source_link":"https://www.oas.org/dil/esp/codigo_ninez_adolescencia_costa_rica.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. | Minimum age for hazardous work is 18. Section 2 prohibits young workers (15-17 years old) from carrying out hazardous and unhealthy work. |
| Minimum age for admission to apprenticeship | 1998-01-06 - 1971-11-17 ; 2019-09-12 | C138 | Law No. 7739 Childhood and Adolescence Code - Section 79 ; Apprenticeship Act - Article 4; Law No.9728 on Education and Dual Technical Training - Article 17 | [{"link_name":"-Law No. 7739 Childhood and Adolescence Code","source_link":"https://www.oas.org/dil/esp/codigo_ninez_adolescencia_costa_rica.pdf"},{"link_name":"-Apprenticeship Act","source_link":"https://natlex.ilo.org/dyn/natlex2/natlex2/files/download/108781/Ley%20No.%204903%20COSTA%20RICA.pdf"},{"link_name":"-Law No.9728 on Education and Dual Technical Training","source_link":"https://pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_texto_completo.aspx?param1=NRTC&nValor1=1&nValor2=89820&nValor3=118020&strTipM=TC"}] | 15 | 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. | Children may enter into apprenticeship only if they are over 15 years of age, pursuant to Section 79 of the Code of Children and Adolescents. This minimum age requirement is reaffirmed in Article 4 of the Apprenticeship Act and in Article 17 of Law No. 9728 on Education and Dual Technical Training. |
| Is the minimum age for admission to work not less than the age for completion of compulsory schooling? | 1998-01-06 | C138 | Law No. 7739 Childhood and Adolescence Code - Section 59 ; Regulations No. 40529-MEP governing student enrolment and transfers - Article 11 | [{"link_name":"-Law No. 7739 Childhood and Adolescence Code","source_link":"https://www.oas.org/dil/esp/codigo_ninez_adolescencia_costa_rica.pdf"},{"link_name":"-Regulations No. 40529-MEP","source_link":"https://pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_texto_completo.aspx?param1=NRTC&nValor1=1&nValor2=84554&nValor3=109115&strTipM=TC"}] | 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. | Section 59 of Law No.7739 provides that preschool education, basic general education, and diversified education will be free and compulsory. This brings the total to 11 years of compulsory schooling for students who go through the entire system. As Article 11 of Regulation No. 40529-MEP governing student enrolment and transfers provides that preschool education begins at the age of 4, the age of completion of compulsory schooling is therefore set at 15 years which is aligned with the minimum age for admission to work. |
| Light work - Determination of types and conditions of activities | N/A | C138 | N/A | [{"link_name":"N/A","source_link":"N/A"}] | 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. | Light work is not allowed |
| Minimum age for light work | N/A | C138 | N/A | [{"link_name":"N/A","source_link":"N/A"}] | 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. | Light work is not allowed |
| Minimum age for admission to work | 1998-01-06 | C138 | Law No. 7739 Childhood and Adolescence Code - Sections 78 and 92 | [{"link_name":"Law No. 7739 Childhood and Adolescence Code","source_link":"https://www.oas.org/dil/esp/codigo_ninez_adolescencia_costa_rica.pdf"}] | 15 | 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. | Sections 78 and 92 sets 15 years as the minimum age for work. |
| Is the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs, prohibited? | 2001-12-26 | C182 | Law N° 8204 on narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, drugs of unauthorized use, related activities, money laundering and financing of terrorism - Section 77 | [{"link_name":"Law N° 8204","source_link":"http://www.pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_texto_completo.aspx?param1=NRTC&nValor1=1&nValor2=48392&nValor3=93996&strTipM=TC"}] | Yes | 11 | C182 prohibits the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs. | Section 77 prohibits the use of children in the production, sales and trafficking of drugs. |
| Is the use, procuring or offering of a child for the purpose of prostitution and for production of pornography prohibited? | 1970-05-04 | C182 | Law N° 4573 Penal Code - Section 167 and Sections 169-170 | [{"link_name":"Law N° 4573 Penal Code","source_link":"http://www.pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_texto_completo.aspx?nValor1=1&nValor2=5027"}] | 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 167 prohibits the use or offering of a child for the production of pornography, while Sections 169-170 prohibit and aggravate the penalty for anyone who uses children for prostitution. |
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) | 10-SEP-2001 | Source |
| in-force | C138 | Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) | 11-JUN-1976 | Source |
Policies and Plans
Policies and Plans
| Description | sources | Period | Policy name | Implementing agency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Costa Rica 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, Costa Rica has developed a comprehensive roadmap towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8.7 over 2021-2025. This roadmap outlines the strategic objectives and actions necessary to make significant progress in these areas from 2021 to 2025. The main objectives of Costa Rica's roadmap are focused on child labour: Expansion and strengthening of efforts to identify and monitor child labor and hazardous adolescent work Intersectoral Information Management System for the eradication of child labor Due diligence and combating hidden child labor in value chains Promote specialized actions from the interinstitutional framework for the identification, referral, integral protection, and follow-up of children and adolescents in irregular migratory conditions Participation of working children and adolescents in the monitoring and evaluation of public policies for the prevention and protection against all forms of child labor Technical and vocational training for adolescents in the process of withdrawing from child labor and reintegration into the educational system Promotion of behaviors to prevent child labor in all its forms and protection of adolescent workers among key stakeholders Monitoring and evaluation Regulatory updating and social dialogue The mandate of the roadmap is held by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MTSS). | [{"link_name":"Source","source_link":"https://www.mtss.go.cr/seguridad-social/trabajo-infantil/trabajo-infantil/hoja_ruta_2021_2025.pdf "}] | 2021-2025 | Roadmap to make Costa Rica a Country Free of Child Labour and its Worst Forms | The mandate of the roadmap is held by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MTSS). National Steering Committee for the Prevention and Eradication of Child Labour and the Protection of Adolescent Workers in Costa Rica |