Country profile IRQ
Context
Context
| Year | Age group | Proportion | Gender | Indicator | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 5-17 | 4.3 | Male | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2018 | 5-17 | 1.9 | Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2018 | 5-17 | 3.1 | Male & Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2018 | 5-17 | 4.8 | Male | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2018 | 5-17 | 4.1 | Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2018 | 5-17 | 4.5 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Is the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs, prohibited? | 2004-05-30 | C182 | Amendments to the Labour Code - Law No. 71 - Section 91.3 (c) | [{"link_name":"Amendments to the Labour Code","source_link":"https://www.refworld.org/legal/legislation/natlegbod/2004/en/65908"}] | Yes | 11 | C182 prohibits the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs. | Section 91.3 (c) of the Law prohibits "the use, procuring or offering of a child for illicit activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs as defined in the relevant international treaties" |
| Is the use, procuring or offering of a child for the purpose of prostitution and for production of pornography prohibited? | 2012-04-23 | C182 | Law No. 28 of 2012 Combating Trafficking in Persons - Articles 1. ; 5. ; 6. | [{"link_name":"Law No. 28 of 2012 Combating Trafficking in Persons","source_link":"https://www.refworld.org/legal/legislation/natlegbod/2012/en/122526"}] | 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. | Article 1. of the Law defines trafficking in persons as "the recruitment, transportation, harbouring or reception of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, the abuse of power or the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to have the consent of a person having control or guardianship over another person, for the purpose of exploitation or the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation [...]". Article 5. punishes anyone who commits such offence. Article 6. of that same Text brings the sentence to life imprisonment and to a find of not more than twenty-five million dinars if the victim of such crime has not turned 18 years of age. |
| Is forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18 for use in armed conflict prohibited? | N/A | C182 | N/A | [{"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:4396418,102974:NO"}] | No | 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. | In an Observation published in 2025, the CEACR urges the Government to "take the necessary measures to ensure that the law prohibiting the recruitment of children under 18 years of age for use in armed conflict is adopted", thus implying that no such law has yet been implemented. |
| Is the sale and trafficking of children for sexual and labour exploitation prohibited? | 2012-04-23 | C182 | Anti-Trafficking Act, 2012 - Section 1. and Section 6. (1) | [{"link_name":"CEACR Direct Request","source_link":"https://normlex.ilo.org/dyn/nrmlx_en/f?p=1000:13100:0::NO::P13100_COMMENT_ID,P13100_LANG_CODE:4396415,en:NO"}] | No | 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. | In a Direct Request published in 2025, the CEACR notes the existence of the Anti-Trafficking Act No. 28 of 2012 which prohibits the sale and trafficking of persons (section 1) and increases the penalty in cases where the victim is under 18 years of age (section 6(1)). However, it should be noted that these provisions fail to exclude the need to prove means, as provided in section 1 of the law, in the case of the trafficking of children. Thus, the Committee emphasizes that the sale of trafficking of children under the age of 18 for the purpose of commercial sexual or labour exploitation must be prohibited regardless of whether the child has been forced into trafficking, and that he or she must be treated as a victim and therefore cannot legally consent to his or her own exploitation. |
| List of hazardous activities prohibited for children | 2015-10-15 | C138 & C182 | Labour Law, 2015 - Article 95 | [{"link_name":"Labour Law, 2015","source_link":"https://beoe.gov.pk/files/legal-framework/labor-laws/Iraq-Labour-Laws.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. | Article 95 of the Law provides with the following list of prohibited work for children below the age of 18 years : "a- Working in underground and underwater locations or working in dangerous heights or restricted areas. b- Working with dangerous machines, equipment, or tools requiring a manual intervention or lifting of heavy loads. c- Working in an unhealthy environment exposing the minors to hazards or to unusual temperatures, noise or to movements harmful to their health. d- Working in difficult conditions for long hours or in some conditions during night.". |
| Minimum age for hazardous work | 2015-10-15 | C138 & C182 | Labour Code 2015 - Article 1. 20) and Article 95. 1) | [{"link_name":"Labour Code 2015","source_link":"https://beoe.gov.pk/files/legal-framework/labor-laws/Iraq-Labour-Laws.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. | Article 1. 20) of the Code defines a minor as a person below the age of 18 years. Article 95. 1) prohibits the employment of minors in activities whose nature or work conditions may harm their health, safety or morality. |
| Minimum age for admission to apprenticeship | N/A | C138 | N/A | [{"link_name":"N/A","source_link":"N/A"}] | No | 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. | Our research found no information about the minimum age for apprenticeships in Iraqi law. |
| Is the minimum age for admission to work not less than the age for completion of compulsory schooling? | 11-10-1976 | C138 | Compulsory Education Law No. 118 - Article 1. 3. | [{"link_name":"Compulsory Education Law No. 118","source_link":"https://www.refworld.org/legal/legislation/natlegbod/1976/en/122524"}] | 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 1. 3. of the Act sets the age of completion of compulsory schooling to 15 years, which aligns with the minimum age for admission to work. |
| Light work - Determination of types and conditions of activities | N/A | C138 | N/A | [{"link_name":"CEACR Direct Request","source_link":"https://normlex.ilo.org/dyn/nrmlx_fr/f?p=NORMLEXPUB:13100:0::NO::P13100_COMMENT_ID%2CP13100_LANG_CODE:3248564%2Cen"}] | 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. | In a Direct Request published in 2016, the CEACR noted that "the national legislation does not provide for any exceptions for light work" and that "the Labour Law of 2015 does not regulate light work activities for children under 15 years of age as permitted by Article 7 of this Convention". Our research did not identify any updates to this provision since 2015. |
| Minimum age for light work | N/A | C138 | N/A | [{"link_name":"CEACR Direct Request","source_link":"https://normlex.ilo.org/dyn/nrmlx_fr/f?p=NORMLEXPUB:13100:0::NO::P13100_COMMENT_ID%2CP13100_LANG_CODE:3248564%2Cen"}] | 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. | In a Direct Request published in 2016, the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations (CEACR) noted that " the national legislation does not provide for any exceptions for light work". Our research did not identify any updates to this provision since 2015. |
| Minimum age for admission to work | 2015-10-15 | C138 | Labour Law, 2015 - Article 7 | [{"link_name":"Labour Law, 2015","source_link":"https://beoe.gov.pk/files/legal-framework/labor-laws/Iraq-Labour-Laws.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. | Article 7 of the Law sets the minimum age for employment to 15 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-JUL-2001 | Source |
| in-force | C138 | Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) | 13-FEB-1985 | Source |
Policies and Plans
Policies and Plans
| Description | sources | Period | Policy name | Implementing agency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The main goals of the Development Plan include the development of the education sector and the improvement of social protection. Even thought these provisions do not aim at tackling child labour directly, they do contribute to this objective by pursuing certain key objectives, such as the following : Ensuring good and comprehensive education at all levels of general education (formal and non-formal) and rehabilitating and developing infrastructure; Increasing enrolment rates in schools and reducing dropout rates; Ensuring the provision of quality, inclusive and sustainable education for people with special needs; Access to an efficient, sustainable and responsive social safety net system for vulnerable groups, ect. | [{"link_name":"National Development Plan","source_link":"https://www.undp.org/iraq/publications/iraq-national-development-plan-2024-2028#:~:text=The%20NDP%202024%2D2028%20aims,infrastructure%2C%20and%20ensuring%20environmental%20sustainability."}] | 2024-2028 | National Development Plan | Ministry of Planning |
| In an Observation published in 2025, the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations (CEACR) noted the Government's implementation of " the Child Protection Policy (2020–25), which includes several activities and targets in the areas of protection, initial intervention, rehabilitation and the reintegration of children aimed at working children and their families, so as to reduce child labour. Such activities include: (1) giving priority to families with children to be included in social protection schemes; (2) undertaking an awareness-raising campaign on the hazards of child labour and its negative impact on society; and (3) preparing studies on child labour". | [{"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:4396406,102974:NO"}] | 2020-2025 | Child Protection Policy | No information |