Country profile DZA

Context

Context

Year Age group Proportion Gender Indicator Source
2019 5-17 2.5 Male Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) Source
2019 5-17 1.3 Female Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) Source
2019 5-17 1.9 Male & Female Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) Source
2019 5-17 2.9 Male Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%) Source
2019 5-17 2 Female Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%) Source
2019 5-17 2.5 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
Minimum age for hazardous work 1975-09-26 ; 1990-04-21 C138 & C182 Civil Code - Article 40 and Act No. 90-11 - Section 15 (3) [{"link_name":"Civil Code","source_link":"https://clr.africanchildforum.org/Legislation%20Per%20Country/algeria/algeria_civilcode_1975_fr.pdf"}] 19 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 Article 40 of the Civil Code stipulates that a minor is someone aged less than 19 years, section 15(3) of the Act No. 90-11 provides that "minor workers may not be employed in work that is hazardous, unhealthy, harmful to their health or prejudicial to their morals".
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":"CEACR Observation","source_link":"https://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=1000:13100:0::NO:13100:P13100_COMMENT_ID,P13100_COUNTRY_ID:4117297,102908:NO"}] No 11 Defined as a worst forms of child labour by C182. It requires that the act of using, procuring or offering a child for the production and trafficking of drugs, as well as other types of illicit activities shall be prohibited in national legislation. In ILO CEACR Observation on C182, 2021, "The Committee once again emphasizes that although national legislation establishes penalties for the possession, use or trafficking of drugs, it does not define specific offences on the use, procuring or offering of children by other persons for the production and trafficking of drugs. It also reminds the Government that all children under 18 years used, procured or offered for illicit activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs, must be treated as victims and not criminals. The Committee can only express its concern at the absence of provisions expressly prohibiting the use, procuring or offering of a child under 18 years of age for the production and trafficking of drugs."
Is the use, procuring or offering of a child for the purpose of prostitution and for production of pornography prohibited? 1966-06-08 C182 Penal Code - Sections 342 and 343 [{"link_name":"-Penal Code","source_link":"https://wipolex-res.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/fr/dz/dz027fr.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:3183225,102908"}] 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 legal practice. 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. Sections 342 and 343 of the Penal Code prohibit and punish the procuring or offering of persons, particularly children, for prostitution. However, the Penal Code does not explicitly mention pornography. In an Observation published in 2015, the CEACR urges the Government to take the necessary measures as a matter of urgency to ensure, in law and practice, the prohibition of the use, procuring or offering of a child under 18 years of age for the production of pornography or for pornographic performances.
Is forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18 for use in armed conflict prohibited? 1974-11-15 C182 The National Service Code - Article 3 [{"link_name":"The National Service Code","source_link":"https://www.mdn.dz/site_principal/sommaire/service/lois_fr.php"}] Yes 9 Defined as one of the worst forms of child labour by C182. Applies both to official armed forces and other armed groups. Nevertheless, C182 only prohibits the forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18, and does not cover the voluntary recruitment of children under 18. The National Service Code (Code du service national) of 1974 indicates that military service is obligatory for all men over 19 years of age (Algeria 1974a, Art. 3).
Is the sale and trafficking of children for sexual and labour exploitation prohibited? 2009-02-25 C182 Act No. 09-01 of 25 - 303bis(4) [{"link_name":"Act No. 09-01","source_link":"https://natlex.ilo.org/dyn/natlex2/r/natlex/fe/details?p3_isn=81146&cs=1baB0FXS5eJEPcupim9Ll2gPXXpBmuHvSCBjbrgANPsCttwSBPiFaLuGlByIk_2Rwlyk4wCQP8HHWOEHSr-xgKQ"}] Yes 8 Defined as one of the worst forms of child labour by C182. Including 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. Section 303bis(4) of Act No. 09-01 of 25 February 2009 provides for imprisonment and a fine in cases of trafficking of persons, in particular, for economic and sexual exploitation. Where the trafficking involves a person who is in a vulnerable situation owing to their age, among other things, the prison sentence is between 5 and 15 years.
List of hazardous activities prohibited for children No information C138 & C182 No information [{"link_name":"CEACR Observation","source_link":"https://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=1000:13100:0::NO:13100:P13100_COMMENT_ID,P13100_COUNTRY_ID:4117297,102908"}] 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. According to ILO CEACR Observation on C182, 2021 "For several years, the Committee has been noting the Government’s indication that the issue of determining hazardous types of work had been addressed during the current drafting of the new Labour Code. In its previous comment, the Committee noted that section 48 of the draft Labour Code of October 2015 prohibits children below the age of 18 from engaging in hazardous work and provides for the establishment of a list of these types of work through legislation. The Committee urged the Government to take immediate measures to ensure the adoption of the draft Labour Code and the relevant regulation on the list of types of hazardous work prohibited to children under 18 years of age."
Minimum age for admission to apprenticeship No information C138 No information [{"link_name":"No information","source_link":"No information"}] No 5 Convention No. 138 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. The exception to the hazardous work prohibition (as from 16 years, under strict protection and prior instruction) also responds to the need to provide young workers with on-the-job training to learn occupations that may include hazardous tasks – for example apprenticeships in carpentry – that require the use of potentially dangerous tools. No information
Is the minimum age for admission to work not less than the age for completion of compulsory schooling? 2008-01-23 C138 No. 08-04 on National Education - Article 12 [{"link_name":"No. 08-04 on National Education","source_link":"https://planipolis.iiep.unesco.org/en/2008/loi-dorientation-sur-l%C3%A9ducation-nationale-no-08-04-du-23-janvier-2008-bulletin-officiel-de-4708"}] 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. According to article 12 of the National Education Law: Education is compulsory for all girls and boys between the ages of 6 and 16. This is in line with the minimum age for admission to work.
Light work - Determination of types and conditions of activities 1990-04-21 C138 Act No. 90-11 [{"link_name":"Act No. 90-11","source_link":"https://www.interieur.gov.dz/index.php/fr/le-ministere/le-minist%C3%A8re/textes-legislatifs-et-reglementaires/40-le-dispositif-legal-regissant-la-wilaya-et-la-commune/85-la-loi-n-90-11-du-21-aout-1990-relative-au-x-relations-de-travail.html"}] 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. National legislation in Algeria does not allow light work.
Minimum age for light work 1990-04-21 C138 Act No. 90-11- Section 15(1) [{"link_name":"Act No. 90-11","source_link":"https://www.interieur.gov.dz/index.php/fr/le-ministere/le-minist%C3%A8re/textes-legislatifs-et-reglementaires/40-le-dispositif-legal-regissant-la-wilaya-et-la-commune/85-la-loi-n-90-11-du-21-aout-1990-relative-au-x-relations-de-travail.html"}] 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. National legislation in Algeria does not allow light work: Section 15(1) of Act No. 90-11 of 21 April 1990 provides that the minimum age required for recruitment may not in any case be lower than 16 years.
Minimum age for admission to work 1990-04-21 C138 Act No. 90-11- Section 15(1) [{"link_name":"Act No. 90-11","source_link":"https://www.interieur.gov.dz/index.php/fr/le-ministere/le-minist%C3%A8re/textes-legislatifs-et-reglementaires/40-le-dispositif-legal-regissant-la-wilaya-et-la-commune/85-la-loi-n-90-11-du-21-aout-1990-relative-au-x-relations-de-travail.html"}] 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. Section 15(1) of Act No. 90-11 of 21 April 1990 provides that the minimum age required for recruitment may not in any case be lower than 16 years.

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) 09-FEB-2001 Source
in-force C138 Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) 30-APR-1984 Source

Policies and Plans

Policies and Plans

Description sources Period Policy name Implementing agency
A review of official online sources did not identify any specific policy or national action plan addressing Conventions 138 or 182. [{"link_name":"No information","source_link":"No information"}] No information No information No information
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