Country profile KIR
Context
Context
| Year | Age group | Proportion | Gender | Indicator | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 5-17 | 7.1 | Male & Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2019 | 5-17 | 8.6 | Male | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2019 | 5-17 | 5.5 | Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2019 | 5-17 | 16.5 | Male & Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2019 | 5-17 | 18.5 | Male | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2019 | 5-17 | 14.5 | 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 | N/A | C138 & 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:4344494"}] | 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 the CEACR Observation under C182, 2023, Kiribati has not yet adopted a formal list of hazardous types of work prohibited for children under 18 years of age. The Committee noted that the Hazardous Work Regulations, which were drafted pursuant to Section 117 of the Employment and Industrial Relations Code 2015, were in the process of being finalised by the Office of the Attorney-General and were expected to be endorsed before the end of the year. In April 2023, the national Child Labour Taskforce identified the finalisation of these regulations as an immediate priority. Until their adoption, there remains a legal gap in the specific determination of prohibited hazardous work for children. |
| Minimum age for hazardous work | 2015 | C138 & C182 | Employment and Industrial Relations Code (EIRC) 2015 - Section 117 | [{"link_name":"Employment and Industrial Relations Code (EIRC)","source_link":"https://www.employment.gov.ki/labour-division/work-relations-wr-unit/employment-and-industrial-relation-code-2015-pg2"}] | 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. | Section 117 of the Employment and Industrial Relations Code 2015 prohibits the employment of children under the age of 18 in any type of hazardous work. Hazardous work is defined as any work that is likely to be harmful to the health, safety, or morals of children. |
| Is the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs, prohibited? | 2015 ; 1977 | C182 | Employment and Industrial Relations Code - Section 118(1)(h), Section 118(1)(i) ; Penal Code - Section 142 | [{"link_name":"-Employment and Industrial Relations Code","source_link":"https://www.employment.gov.ki/labour-division/work-relations-wr-unit/employment-and-industrial-relation-code-2015-pg2"},{"link_name":"-Penal Code","source_link":"https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/national-practice/penal-code-cap-67-revised-edition-1998"}] | Yes | 11 | C182 prohibits the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs. | Kiribati explicitly prohibits the use, procuring, or offering of children for illicit activities, including the production and trafficking of drugs. Section 118(1)(h) of the Employment and Industrial Relations Code 2015 criminalises the use, procuring, or offering of a child for illicit activities. Section 118(1)(i) specifically addresses the involvement of children in the production and trafficking of drugs. Additionally, Section 142 of the Penal Code provides further legal provisions against such offences. |
| Is the use, procuring or offering of a child for the purpose of prostitution and for production of pornography prohibited? | 2015 ; 1977 | C182 | Employment and Industrial Relations Code (EIRC) 2015 - Section 118(1)(f), Section 118(1)(g) ; Penal Code - Sections 136, 141, and 142 | [{"link_name":"-Employment and Industrial Relations Code (EIRC) 2015","source_link":"https://www.employment.gov.ki/labour-division/work-relations-wr-unit/employment-and-industrial-relation-code-2015-pg2"},{"link_name":"-Penal Code","source_link":"https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/national-practice/penal-code-cap-67-revised-edition-1998"}] | 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. | Kiribati prohibits the use, procuring, or offering of a child for the purpose of prostitution and/or for the production of pornography. Section 118(1)(f) of the Employment and Industrial Relations Code 2015 criminalises the use, procuring, or offering of a child for prostitution. Section 118(1)(g) prohibits the use, procuring, or offering of a child for the production of pornography. Additionally, Sections 136, 141, and 142 of the Penal Code provide further legal provisions against such offences. |
| Is forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18 for use in armed conflict prohibited? | 2015 | C182 | Employment and Industrial Relations Code (EIRC) - Section 118(1)(e) | [{"link_name":"Employment and Industrial Relations Code (EIRC)","source_link":"https://www.employment.gov.ki/labour-division/work-relations-wr-unit/employment-and-industrial-relation-code-2015-pg2"}] | 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. | Kiribati does not maintain a standing military force. As such, there is no provision for voluntary or compulsory recruitment of children under 18 by the state military. Section 118(1)(e) of the Employment and Industrial Relations Code 2015 explicitly prohibits the use, procuring, or offering of children for use in armed conflict by non-state armed groups. |
| Is the sale and trafficking of children for sexual and labour exploitation prohibited? | 2005 | C182 | Measures to Combat Terrorism and Transnational Organized Crime Act - Sections 43 and 44 ; Employment and Industrial Relations Code (EIRC) 2015 - Section 118(1)(b) | [{"link_name":"-Measures to Combat Terrorism and Transnational Organized Crime Act","source_link":"https://www.warnathgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Kiribati_Measures_to_Combat_Terrorism_and_Transnational_Organised_Crime_Act_2005.pdf"},{"link_name":"-Employment and Industrial Relations Code (EIRC) 2015","source_link":"https://www.employment.gov.ki/labour-division/work-relations-wr-unit/employment-and-industrial-relation-code-2015-pg2"}] | 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. | Kiribati prohibits the sale and trafficking of children for sexual and labour exploitation through several legislative instruments. The Measures to Combat Terrorism and Transnational Organized Crime Act 2010, particularly Sections 43–44, criminalises human trafficking offences, including those involving children. Additionally, the Employment and Industrial Relations Code (EIRC) 2015, Section 118(1)(b), prohibits the trafficking of children for labour exploitation. |
| Minimum age for admission to apprenticeship | 2015 (amended in 2021) | C138 | Employment and Industrial Relations Code (EIRC) 2015 - Section 115(2) | [{"link_name":"-Employment and Industrial Relations Code (EIRC) 2015","source_link":"https://www.employment.gov.ki/labour-division/work-relations-wr-unit/employment-and-industrial-relation-code-2015-pg2"}] | 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. | Section 115(2) of the Employment and Industrial Relations Code (EIRC) 2015 initially allowed for the employment or apprenticeship of children from the age of 14. However, following its amendment in 2021, the general minimum age for employment—including apprenticeships—was raised to 15 years. This amendment aligns the minimum age for apprenticeships with the completion age of compulsory schooling and brings Kiribati into conformity with Article 2 of ILO Convention C138. |
| Is the minimum age for admission to work not less than the age for completion of compulsory schooling? | 2015 (amended in 2021) ; 2013-12-30 | C138 | Employment and Industrial Relations Code (EIRC) 2015 (as amended in 2021) - Section 115 ; Education Act 2013 - Section 7 | [{"link_name":"-Employment and Industrial Relations Code (EIRC) 2015 (as amended in 2021)","source_link":"https://www.employment.gov.ki/labour-division/work-relations-wr-unit/employment-and-industrial-relation-code-2015-pg2"},{"link_name":"-Education Act 2013","source_link":"https://natlex.ilo.org/dyn/natlex2/natlex2/files/download/98634/KIR98634.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. | Section 115 of the Employment and Industrial Relations Code (EIRC) 2015, as amended in 2021, raises the general minimum age for employment from 14 to 15 years, aligning it with the age of completion of compulsory education as stipulated in Section 7 of the Education Act 2013. This amendment ensures that the minimum age for admission to work is not less than the age for completion of compulsory schooling. |
| Light work - Determination of types and conditions of activities | 2015 (amended in 2017) | C138 | Employment and Industrial Relations Code (EIRC) 2015 - Section 116 | [{"link_name":"-Employment and Industrial Relations Code (EIRC) 2015","source_link":"https://www.employment.gov.ki/labour-division/work-relations-wr-unit/employment-and-industrial-relation-code-2015-pg2"},{"link_name":"-CEACR Observation","source_link":"https://www.ilo.org/normlex-permalink/comment/en/4344494"}] | 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. | According to the CEACR Observation, C138, 2023, Kiribati has taken steps toward establishing a framework for light work. Section 116 of the Employment and Industrial Relations Code (EIRC), as amended in 2017, provides for light work by children aged 12 or 13. However, the Light Work Regulations, which are to be issued under this section and are intended to specify the types of permissible light work, the hours, and conditions under which such work can be carried out, were still pending finalisation by the Office of the Attorney-General as of the reporting year. The CEACR further notes the Government’s explanation regarding the removal of the requirement that light work not prejudice a child’s participation in vocational training. The Government stated that this was due to an administrative directive prioritising formal education over vocational training. The Committee encouraged the Government to consider reintroducing safeguards related to vocational training in future revisions of the EIRC or its regulations. |
| Minimum age for light work | 2015 (amended in 2017) | C138 | Employment and Industrial Relations Code (EIRC) 2015 - Section 116 | [{"link_name":"-Employment and Industrial Relations Code (EIRC) 2015","source_link":"https://www.employment.gov.ki/labour-division/work-relations-wr-unit/employment-and-industrial-relation-code-2015-pg1"},{"link_name":"-CEACR Observation","source_link":"https://www.ilo.org/normlex-permalink/comment/en/4344494"}] | 12 | 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. | According to the CEACR Observation, C138, 2023, Section 116 of the Employment and Industrial Relations Code (EIRC) 2015, as amended in 2017, provides that children aged 12 or 13 may be employed or engaged to perform light work that: Is unlikely to be harmful to the health and development of the child; Does not prejudice the child's attendance at school or participation in vocational training; Does not prejudice the child's ability to benefit from schooling or vocational training; and Complies with the prescribed requirements for light work. However, the specific Light Work Regulations, intended to define permissible activities, working hours, and conditions for light work, were still under review by the Office of the Attorney-General as of the latest available information. |
| Minimum age for admission to work | 2015 | C138 | Employment and Industrial Relations Code (EIRC) 2015 - Section 115(1) | [{"link_name":"-Employment and Industrial Relations Code (EIRC) 2015","source_link":"https://www.employment.gov.ki/labour-division/work-relations-wr-unit/employment-and-industrial-relation-code-2015-pg1"},{"link_name":"-CEACR Observation","source_link":"https://www.ilo.org/normlex-permalink/comment/en/4344494"}] | 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. | Section 115(1) of the Employment and Industrial Relations Code (EIRC) was amended in 2021 to raise the general minimum age for admission to employment from 14 to 15 years. This change aligns the minimum age for employment with the age of completion of compulsory schooling in Kiribati. According to the CEACR Observation (C138, 2023), this amendment brings national legislation into conformity with the Convention. The Committee welcomed this step and reminded the Government that, under Article 2(2) of the Convention, it may now submit a formal declaration to the ILO Director-General updating its previously notified minimum age of 14 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) | 17-JUN-2009 | Source |
| in-force | C138 | Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) | 17-JUN-2009 | Source |
Policies and Plans
Policies and Plans
| Description | sources | Period | Policy name | Implementing agency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A national referral network coordinated by the Ministry of Women, Youth, Sports, and Social Affairs, allowing government agencies, churches, and NGOs to provide coordinated assistance to victims of exploitative and violent situations, including child labour and abuse. The programme remained active in 2023. | [{"link_name":"SafeNet","source_link":"https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ILAB/child_labor_reports/tda2023/Kiribati.pdf"}] | Ongoing | SafeNet | Ministry of Women, Youth, Sports, and Social Affairs |
| This policy aims to strengthen Kiribati’s welfare system by implementing services to prevent abuse, violence, neglect, and exploitation of children and young people. It explicitly includes efforts to prevent engagement in hazardous labour and other worst forms of child labour. In 2023, the government remained active in strengthening child protection activities under this policy. | [{"link_name":"CYPFWS","source_link":"https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ILAB/child_labor_reports/tda2023/Kiribati.pdf"}] | Ongoing | Children, Young People, and Families Welfare System Policy (CYPFWS) | Ministry of Women, Youth, Sports, and Social Affairs |