Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2007, published 97th ILC session (2008)

Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105) - Mali (Ratification: 1962)

The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the following matters raised in its previous direct request:

Article 1(b) of the Convention. Labour or services exacted for purposes of economic development. In its previous comments, the Committee drew the Government’s attention to the fact that section L6(2) of the Labour Code was not in conformity with the Convention. According to this provision “all work required in the public interest by legislative provisions on … participation in development” is not considered to be forced or compulsory labour. Pursuant to Article 1(b) of the Convention, the State undertakes to suppress and not to make use of any form of forced or compulsory labour as a method of mobilizing and using labour for purposes of economic development.

In its last report, the Government reaffirms that the provisions of section L6(2) of the Labour Code have never been applied in practice and that no decree or order has been adopted to give effect to them. It states that the announced review of the Labour Code has not yet taken place but that, during the course of a review in the near future, it will do everything possible to ensure compliance with the Convention on this point. The Committee takes note of this information. It hopes that, in the near future, the Government will take all the necessary steps to amend the provisions of section L6(2) of the Labour Code in order to ensure their compliance with the Convention. Please provide copies of any texts adopted to this end.