Country profile RWA
Context
Context
| Year | Age group | Proportion | Gender | Indicator | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 7-17 | 3.9 | Male | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2017 | 7-17 | 3.2 | Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2017 | 7-17 | 3.5 | Male & Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2014 | 7-17 | 16.8 | Male | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2014 | 7-17 | 21.2 | Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2014 | 7-17 | 19 | 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? | 2012-09-03 | C182 | Presidential Order Nº32/01 Establishing Rwanda Defence Forces special statute - Article 7 | [{"link_name":"Presidential Order Nº32/01 Establishing Rwanda Defence Forces special statute","source_link":"https://natlex.ilo.org/dyn/natlex2/natlex2/files/download/98243/RWA-98243.pdf"}] | 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. | Article 7 of the Presidential Order determines the conditions for recruitment. These include a minimum age of 18 years for recruitment into the Rwandan defence forces. |
| Is the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs, prohibited? | 2018-08-30 | C182 | Law Nº68/2018 determining offences and penalties in general - Article 263 | [{"link_name":"Law Nº68/2018 determining offences and penalties in general","source_link":"https://www.refworld.org/legal/legislation/natlegbod/2018/en/123720"}] | Yes | 11 | C182 prohibits the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs. | Article 263 of the law prohibits the involvement of a child in the use of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances as well as its producing, transforming, transporting storage or selling. |
| Is the use, procuring or offering of a child for the purpose of prostitution and for production of pornography prohibited? | 2018-09-24 | C182 | Law Nº 51/2018 Relating to the Prevention, Suppression and Punishment of Trafficking in Persons and Exploitation of Others - Article 3 and Article 24 | [{"link_name":"Law Nº 51/2018 Relating to the Prevention, Suppression and Punishment of Trafficking in Persons and Exploitation of Others","source_link":"https://www.refworld.org/legal/legislation/natlegbod/2018/en/123715"}] | 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 3 of the Law defines sexual exploitation as the obtaining of financial or other benefits through the involvement of another person in prostitution, sexual servitude or other kinds of sexual services, including pornographic acts or the production of pornographic materials. Article 24 prohibits sexual exploitation and provides that, should this offence be committed against a child, the offender is liable to life imprisonment and to a fine of not less than ten million and not more than fifteen million Rwandan francs. |
| Is the sale and trafficking of children for sexual and labour exploitation prohibited? | 2018-09-24 | C182 | Law Nº 51/2018 Relating to the Prevention, Suppression and Punishment of Trafficking in Persons and Exploitation of Others - Article 18, Article 19 and Article 20 | [{"link_name":"Law Nº 51/2018 Relating to the Prevention, Suppression and Punishment of Trafficking in Persons and Exploitation of Others","source_link":"https://www.refworld.org/legal/legislation/natlegbod/2018/en/123715"}] | 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 18 and Article 19 of the Law, respectively, prohibit the offence of trafficking in persons and the promoting and facilitating of trafficking in persons. Article 20 considers the fact of committing such an offence against a child to be an aggravating circumstance, thus prohibiting child trafficking. |
| Is the minimum age for admission to work not less than the age for completion of compulsory schooling? | 2021-02-18 | C138 | Law determining the Organization of Education - Article 55, Article 56 and Article 57 | [{"link_name":"Law determining the Organization of Education","source_link":"https://rwandalii.org/akn/rw/act/law/2021/10/eng@2021-02-18"}] | 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 57 of the Law provides that primary education in public and Government-subsidised schools is compulsory. Given that Article 56 states that a child should start primary school at the age of at least 6 years old and that, Article 55 states that primary education is organised in 6 years, the age of completion of compulsory education is 12 years old, which is below the minimum age for admission to work of 16 years. |
| Minimum age for admission to apprenticeship | 2018 | C138 | Law No. 66/2018 - Section 5 | [{"link_name":"CEACR Direct Request","source_link":"https://normlex.ilo.org/dyn/nrmlx_en/f?p=NORMLEXPUB:13203:0::NO::P13203_COUNTRY_ID:103460"}] | 13 | 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. | In a Direct Request published in 2023, the CEACR notes that, according to section 5 of Law No. 66/2018, a child aged 13 to 15 years is allowed to perform light work in the context of apprenticeships. |
| Light work - Determination of types and conditions of activities | 2022-09-02 | C138 | Ministerial Order Nº02/MIFOTRA/22 on Occupational safety, employees' and employers' organisations, child employment, employment of foreigner, the child and circumstantial leave - Article 39 and Annex II | [{"link_name":"Ministerial Order Nº02/MIFOTRA/22","source_link":"https://www.migration.gov.rw/fileadmin/user_upload/pdf_files/ministerial_order_11_11_2022_1.pdf"}] | Yes | 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. | Article 39 of the Order states that a child aged between 13 and 15 can perform light work in private sector provided it does not have a detrimental effect on his life interests including health, development and education and provided it is performed in daily hours that do not exceed six hours per day. Annex II of the text presents the different types of light works allowed. |
| Minimum age for hazardous work | 2018-08-30 | C138 & C182 | Law N° 66/2018 regulating Labour in Rwanda - Article 6 | [{"link_name":"Law N° 66/2018 regulating Labour in Rwanda","source_link":"https://www.minijust.gov.rw/fileadmin/user_upload/Minijust/Publications/Laws/Law_regulating_labour_in_Rwanda.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 6 of the Law prohibits hazardous work for children below the age of eighteen. |
| List of hazardous activities prohibited for children | 2010-06-26 | C138 & C182 | Ministerial Order determining the List of Worst Forms of Child Labour, their Nature, Categories of Institutions that are not Allowed to Employ them and their Prevention Mechanisms | [{"link_name":"Ministerial Order determining the List of Worst Forms of Child Labour","source_link":"https://rwandalii.org/akn/rw/act/mo/minister-of-public-service-and-labour/2010/6/eng@2010-07-26/source"}] | 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 Ministerial Order determines the list and nature of works prohibited to children. |
| Minimum age for light work | 2018-08-30 | C138 | Decree N° 2017-682/PRN/MET/PS regulating Labour in Rwanda - Article 5 | [{"link_name":"Decree N° 2017-682/PRN/MET/PS regulating Labour in Rwanda","source_link":"https://www.minijust.gov.rw/fileadmin/user_upload/Minijust/Publications/Laws/Law_regulating_labour_in_Rwanda.pdf"}] | 13 | 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. | Article 5 of the Law provides that a child aged between 13 and 15 years is allowed to perform light works in the context of apprenticeship. |
| Minimum age for admission to work | 2009-05-27 | C138 | Law N° 66/2018 regulating Labour in Rwanda - Article 5 | [{"link_name":"Law N° 66/2018 regulating Labour in Rwanda","source_link":"https://www.minijust.gov.rw/fileadmin/user_upload/Minijust/Publications/Laws/Law_regulating_labour_in_Rwanda.pdf"}] | 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. | Article 5 of the Law prohibits the employment of children under the age of 16. |
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) | 23-MAY-2000 | Source |
| in-force | C138 | Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) | 15-APR-1981 | Source |
Policies and Plans
Policies and Plans
| Description | sources | Period | Policy name | Implementing agency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The program includes measures to enhance the social protection of children. To achieve this, several initiatives are planned, including: Expanding community-based rehabilitation to improve access to high-quality social care services for vulnerable groups and address issues of child abuse; Providing comprehensive training on child protection for all front-line social workers; Strengthening rehabilitation and reintegration services for children by distributing reintegration packages to those in need and supporting orphans with school fees and psychological services. | [{"link_name":"SP-SSP","source_link":"https://www.minecofin.gov.rw/index.php?eID=dumpFile&t=f&f=113402&token=dcf0020be749bda1c818d68fc4a5e7406882aad9"}] | 2024-2029 | Social Protection Sector Strategic Plan (SP-SSP) | Ministry of Local Government |
| The ESSP commits to promoting access to education at all levels, improving the quality of education and training as well as ensuring that disadvantaged groups have access to meaningful learning opportunities. | [{"link_name":"ESSP","source_link":"https://www.minecofin.gov.rw/index.php?eID=dumpFile&t=f&f=113412&token=b81dd78dfa09db634dd2202d668c7288ec3894af#:~:text=The%20Education%20Sector%20Strategic%20Plan%202024%2D2029%20aligns%20closely%20with,the%20quality%20of%20learning%20outcomes."}] | 2024-2029 | Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP) | Ministry of Education |
| To provide coordinated and appropriately resourced services for special needs and inclusive education, the SNIEP follows 5 key objectives : 1- Improving Access, Enrolment and Retention rates; 2- Development of support services through schools of excellence in special needs education; 3- : Development of capacity for SN & IE quality services; 4- Improving SN&IE quality services; 5- Promoting Inclusive and Child-Friendly Approaches. | [{"link_name":"SNIEP","source_link":"https://planipolis.iiep.unesco.org/sites/default/files/ressources/rwanda_special_needs_strategic_plan_2018.pdf"}] | 2018/19 - 2023/24 | Special Needs & Inclusive Education Strategic Plan (SNIEP) | Ministry of Education |
| The plan is part of the Vision 2050 ambition of Rwanda to become an upper middle-income country by 2050. It aims to meet some key goals : Strengthen and extend social protection measures to build strong, resilient and safe families/Communities; Improve community and stakeholders’ engagement on child labour elimination through awareness and capacity building; Mainstream child labour prevention across sectors and planning processes; Strengthen case management for the elimination of child labour; Strengthen law enforcement on child labour; Strengthen coordination and collective actions with all stakeholders on child labour elimination. | [{"link_name":"National policy on elimination of child labour","source_link":"https://www.mifotra.gov.rw/index.php?eID=dumpFile&t=f&f=81889&token=74312c5b50ac2315ad8927cde26d0889f7fc3d96"}] | 2023 | National policy on elimination of child labour, 2023 | Concerted responsibility of Ministries and affiliated Institutions |