Country profile UZB
Context
Context
| Year | Age group | Proportion | Gender | Indicator | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 5-17 | 21.1 | Male | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2022 | 5-17 | 14.5 | Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2022 | 5-17 | 17.8 | Male & Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2022 | 5-17 | 23 | Male | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2022 | 5-17 | 18.1 | Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2022 | 5-17 | 20.6 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| List of hazardous activities prohibited for children | 2009 ; 2022 | C138 & C182 | Ordinance No. 30-31 ; Labour Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan - Article 355 | [{"link_name":"-Ordinance No. 30-31","source_link":"https://natlex.ilo.org/dyn/natlex2/natlex2/files/download/106532/uzb106532%20uzb.pdf"},{"link_name":"-Labour Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan","source_link":"https://invest-in-uzbekistan.org/en/category/regular-base/trudovoe-pravo/"}] | 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. | Uzbekistan has adopted a list of hazardous occupations for which the employment of persons under 18 is prohibited, in line with Article 355 of the Labour Code. This list was formally approved through Ordinance No. 30-31 issued jointly by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Ministry of Health. The list includes activities considered dangerous to the health, safety, or morals of minors, such as underground mining, chemical processing, construction, heavy lifting, and exposure to toxic substances. These legal measures were developed in consultation with relevant stakeholders and meet the requirements under Conventions No. 138 and 182. |
| Minimum age for hazardous work | 2022 | C138 & C182 | Labour Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan - Article 412 | [{"link_name":"Labour Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan","source_link":"https://invest-in-uzbekistan.org/en/category/regular-base/trudovoe-pravo/"}] | 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. | Uzbekistan’s Labour Code prohibits persons under 18 from undertaking hazardous work, as defined in Article 412 and the accompanying “negative list” of dangerous occupations. The updated legislation, effective from 30 April 2023, explicitly delineates activities considered hazardous — including work in construction, agriculture, and exposure to chemicals — and sets 18 as the default minimum age |
| Is the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs, prohibited? | 2007 ; 1994 | C182 | Law on Guarantees of the Rights of the Child - Article 10 ; Criminal Code - Articles 56, 127 | [{"link_name":"-Law on Guarantees of the Rights of the Child","source_link":"https://natlex.ilo.org/dyn/natlex2/natlex2/files/download/85548/UZB-85548.pdf"},{"link_name":"-Criminal Code","source_link":"https://www.refworld.org/legal/legislation/natlegbod/1994/en/20769?prevDestination=search&prevPath=/search?keywords=criminal+code+uzbeksitan&order=desc&sm_country_name%5B%5D=Uzbekistan&sort=score&result=result-20769-en"}] | Yes | 11 | C182 prohibits the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs. | Uzbek legislation expressly prohibits the involvement of children in illicit activities, including drug production and trafficking. Article 10 of the Law on Guarantees of the Rights of the Child safeguards children from being involved in criminal or unlawful acts. In addition, Article 56 of the Criminal Code provides for aggravated penalties when offences are committed involving minors, while Article 127 criminalises the involvement of a minor in antisocial behaviour or criminal activity. These provisions collectively ensure that the use, procuring, or offering of children for illicit activities is prohibited, in line with Uzbekistan’s obligations under Convention No. 182. |
| Is the use, procuring or offering of a child for the purpose of prostitution and for production of pornography prohibited? | 1994 ; 2001 | C182 | Criminal Code of Uzbekistan - Articles 128, 128(1), 130, 131, and 135 ; Law on Combating Human Trafficking - Articles 3 and 35 | [{"link_name":"-Criminal Code of Uzbekistan","source_link":"https://www.refworld.org/legal/legislation/natlegbod/1994/en/20769?prevDestination=search&prevPath=/search?keywords=criminal+code+uzbeksitan&order=desc&sm_country_name%5B%5D=Uzbekistan&sort=score&result=result-20769-en"},{"link_name":"-Law on Combating Human Trafficking","source_link":"https://lex.uz/acts/1339438"}] | 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. | Uzbekistan prohibits the use, procuring, or offering of children for prostitution and the production of pornography through several provisions in its national legislation. Articles 128, 128(1), 130, 131, and 135 of the Criminal Code criminalise sexual intercourse with minors, involving minors in immoral behaviour or prostitution, and the production and dissemination of pornographic materials involving children. Article 135 further criminalises the engagement of juveniles for sexual or other forms of exploitation through deceit, with enhanced penalties when committed against minors. In addition, Articles 3 and 35 of the Law on Combating Human Trafficking prohibit child trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and provide measures for the protection and rehabilitation of victims. While the law does not explicitly criminalise the mere possession of child pornography, the use, procurement, or offering of a child for commercial sexual exploitation is clearly prohibited, in line with the requirements of Convention No. 182. |
| Is forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18 for use in armed conflict prohibited? | 1992 | C182 | Law on Universal Military Service - Articles 4, 24 and 46 | [{"link_name":"Law on Universal Military Service","source_link":"https://ccprcentre.org/files/documents/INT_CCPR_CSS_UZB_41381_E.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. | Uzbekistan prohibits the forced or compulsory recruitment of children under the age of 18 into the armed forces. Article 4 of the Law on Universal Military Service establishes that military service is compulsory only for male citizens upon reaching the age of 18. Article 24 sets 18 as the minimum age for voluntary enlistment in State military service. Article 46 further reinforces the legal framework prohibiting the enlistment of under-18s, thereby aligning with Convention No. 182's requirement to prohibit forced or compulsory recruitment of children for armed conflict. |
| Is the sale and trafficking of children for sexual and labour exploitation prohibited? | 1994 ; 2001 | C182 | Criminal Code of Uzbekistan - Article 135 ; Law on Combating Human Trafficking - Article 3 and 37 | [{"link_name":"-Criminal Code of Uzbekistan","source_link":"https://www.refworld.org/legal/legislation/natlegbod/1994/en/20769?prevDestination=search&prevPath=/search?keywords=criminal+code+uzbeksitan&order=desc&sm_country_name%5B%5D=Uzbekistan&sort=score&result=result-20769-en"},{"link_name":"-Law on Combating Human Trafficking","source_link":"https://lex.uz/acts/1339438"}] | 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 135 of the Criminal Code criminalises the engagement of persons, including juveniles, for sexual or other forms of exploitation through deceit. If the offence is committed against a minor or involves trafficking across borders, it carries penalties of up to eight years’ imprisonment. The Law on Combating Human Trafficking further reinforces this framework: Article 3 defines human trafficking broadly to include child trafficking for labour or sexual exploitation, while Article 35 provides for victim protection, including social, legal, and rehabilitation services. Together, these provisions ensure the prohibition of child trafficking in line with Convention No. 182. |
| 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. | The law does not explicitly refer to “apprenticeship”, nor does it formally define an apprenticeship system or set specific standards for it (such as required hours, qualifications, or provider accreditation). |
| Is the minimum age for admission to work not less than the age for completion of compulsory schooling? | 2020 | C138 | Law on Education - Articles 4 and 9 | [{"link_name":"Law on Education","source_link":"https://xalqtaliminfo.uz/en/document-show/43"}] | No | 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. | The Labour Code of Uzbekistan sets the minimum age for admission to employment at 15 years. However, according to Articles 4 and 9 of the Law on Education, children in Uzbekistan must complete 11 years of compulsory education, beginning at age 7 and ending at age 18. Therefore, the minimum age for employment is below the age of completion of compulsory schooling, and Uzbekistan does not meet this requirement under Convention No. 138. |
| 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. | Uzbekistan legal framework does not determine types and conditions under which light work may be carried. |
| Minimum age for light work | 2022 | C138 | Labour Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan | [{"link_name":"Labour Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan","source_link":"https://invest-in-uzbekistan.org/en/category/regular-base/trudovoe-pravo/"}] | 14 | 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. | The Labour Code allows children to begin working from the age of 14, provided there is written consent from a parent or legal guardian. This permits engagement in light work below the general minimum age of 15. |
| Minimum age for admission to work | 2022 | C138 | Labour Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan | [{"link_name":"Labour Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan","source_link":"https://invest-in-uzbekistan.org/en/zakonodatelstvo/trudovoj-kodeks-respubliki-uzbekistan-dd-30-04-2023-obshhaya-chast-razdel-i-obshhie-polozheniya/"}] | 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. | The Labour Code of Uzbekistan, adopted in 2022 and in force since 30 April 2023, sets the minimum age for admission to employment at 15 years. |
International Legal Framework
International Legal Framework
| Ratification status | Convention | Convention description | Date of ratification | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in-force | C138 | Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) | 06-MAR-2009 | Source |
| in-force | C182 | Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) | 24-JUN-2008 | Source |
Policies and Plans
Policies and Plans
| Description | sources | Period | Policy name | Implementing agency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our research found no evidence of implemented policies or plans in Uzbekistan to combat child labour. | [{"link_name":"N/A","source_link":"N/A"}] | N/A | N/A | N/A |