Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2015, published 105th ILC session (2016)

Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) - Cabo Verde (Ratification: 1979)

Articles 1(1), 2(1) and 25 of the Convention. Trafficking in persons. The Committee previously noted that Cabo Verde is a country of transit, particularly for migrants attempting to reach European countries, and it requested the Government to provide information on the activities conducted by the competent authorities to prevent and combat trafficking in persons, and on the applicable national legislation. In its report, the Government refers to a number of initiatives, including:

• -the process of revising the Penal Code, which should contain provisions criminalizing trafficking in persons;
• -the formulation and implementation, with the assistance of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, of a project to reinforce national capacities to prevent and combat trafficking in persons, including training for public actors and civil society;
• -the holding of a training seminar in June 2014 devoted to improving the identification of victims of trafficking and reinforcing the capacities of the investigation and prosecution services;
• -the National Immigration Strategy adopted in 2012 intended to regulate migratory flows so as to contribute to national social and economic development, while at the same time preventing and combating irregular migration and trafficking in persons. This strategy envisages, among other measures, the strengthening of the legislative framework, the development of a plan of action to prevent and combat trafficking in persons and to protect victims, and the reinforcement of the capacities of the national authorities, including the judicial system, for the identification of cases of trafficking and the punishment of those responsible.

The Committee notes this information and hopes that the Government will take all the necessary measures to strengthen the legislative framework to combat trafficking and, for this purpose, that the process of revising the Penal Code will be completed in the very near future with the adoption of penal provisions criminalizing and sanctioning trafficking in persons for sexual exploitation and labour exploitation. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on the implementation of the measures envisaged in the National Immigration Strategy in relation to combating trafficking in persons, and in particular the adoption of a plan of action to combat trafficking in persons. Please also indicate the measures taken to prevent and raise awareness on trafficking in persons and to protect victims. Finally, the Committee requests the Government to indicate the measures taken to reinforce the capacity of the competent authorities to identify, prosecute and bring to justice cases of trafficking, and to provide, where appropriate, information on the prosecutions initiated and the court rulings handed down in these cases.

Article 2(2)(c). Sentence involving the performance of community work. The Committee notes the detailed information provided by the Government on the monitoring of measures for the performance of the alternative sentence of the performance of community work, envisaged in section 71 of the Penal Code, the entities for which these services may be performed and the nature of the work involved. Based on all of this information, The Committee acknowledges that the work performed in the context of this sentence, to which convicted persons must give their consent, is indeed in the general interest.