Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2017, published 107th ILC session (2018)

Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) - Egypt (Ratification: 1999)

Article 1 of the Convention. National policy on the effective abolition of child labour and application of the Convention in practice. The Committee previously noted that, according to the findings of the National Child Labour Survey of 2010 conducted by the ILO and the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, out of Egypt’s 17.1 million children, an estimated 1.59 million children aged between 5 and 17 years were engaged in child labour (approximately 9.3 per cent), 21 per cent of whom were girls and 79 per cent boys. Almost half of the employed children were engaged in hazardous non-wage work, mostly as unpaid family workers; about 9 per cent of working children between the ages of 5 and 9 years were engaged in hazardous wage work; this proportion increased steadily with age, reaching 48 per cent for 15 to 17 year-old boys and 28 per cent for 15 to 17 year-old girls. The majority of children worked in agriculture (63.8 per cent), followed by 17.7 per cent in the industrial sector and 18.5 per cent in services.

The Committee notes the Government’s information in its report regarding the measures taken to combat child labour in Egypt. The Government indicates that, as a result of the project implemented in collaboration with the ILO and the World Food Programme, “Combating Worst Forms of Child Labour by Reinforcing Policy Response and Promoting Sustainable Livelihoods and Educational Opportunities in Egypt” 2010–2014 (CWCLP), awareness-raising activities were conducted aimed at children who were exposed to child labour, and their families; 1,365 community schools in 16 governorates were identified for a needs assessment; 156 schools were readapted to be able to integrate targeted children; and 110,000 children were withdrawn from the labour market. The Government also indicates that a Memorandum of Understanding was signed with the ILO, that two workshops on the formulation of a national plan following the project were held in June 2014, and that a first draft of a national plan was prepared, which is currently under examination for all purposes of developing and implementing its final version. In this regard, the Committee notes that the ILO continues its work in supporting the national constituents in combating child labour through a project aimed at strengthening the capacity of the Egyptian Government, workers’ and employers’ organizations from 2016 to 2017. Among the expected outcomes of the project are the finalization of a National Action Plan on Combating the Worst Forms of Child Labour (NAP-WFCL) in Egypt and supporting the constituents and relevant partners in its implementation; the promotion of an upgraded apprenticeship system for working age girls and boys; and raising awareness on the notion of child labour among constituents, institutions and society.

However, the Committee notes that, according to the 2016 UNICEF report “Children in Egypt 2016: A Statistical Digest”, 7 per cent of children aged from 5 to 17 years were involved in child labour in 2014. While noting the measures taken by the Government, the Committee must express its concern at the situation and number of working children in Egypt. The Committee therefore encourages the Government to continue strengthening its efforts to ensure the progressive elimination of child labour. It requests that the Government continue providing information on the measures taken and the results achieved in terms of the number of children who are effectively removed from child labour, in particular through the implementation of the NAP-WFCL, once adopted.

Article 6. Apprenticeship. The Committee notes that the Government developed draft Labour Code, for which it requested ILO technical assistance. It notes that sections 26 and 58 of the draft Labour Code provide for a minimum age for admission to apprenticeship or training of 13 years. The Committee recalls that Article 6 of the Convention provides that training or apprenticeship performed in undertakings shall only be permitted for children of at least 14 years of age, where such work is an integral part of: a course of education or training for which a school or training institution is primarily responsible; a programme of training mainly or entirely in an undertaking, which has been approved by the competent authority; or a programme of guidance or orientation designed to facilitate the choice of an occupation or of a line of training. The Committee therefore requests that the Government take steps to ensure that sections 26 and 58 of the draft Labour Code are amended to raise the minimum age of admission to apprenticeship or training from 13 to 14 years of age, in accordance with Article 6 of the Convention.

Article 7. Determination of types of light work. The Committee previously noted the provisions of section 64 of the Child Law permitting children between the ages of 12 to 14 years, by decree of the governor concerned, with the agreement of the Minister of Education, to perform seasonal work which is not prejudicial to their health or development and does not interrupt their education. The Committee noted, at the time, that the minimum age for employment or work was 14 years in Egypt, but that it has since been raised to 15 years, in accordance with Article 2(2) of the Convention.

The Committee observes that, regarding the conditions and situation of employment of children of different age groups, section 59 of the draft Labour Code refers to the provisions of the Child Law, which includes section 64 on light work. The Committee recalls that, in accordance with Article 7(1) of the Convention, light work is only permitted for persons from 13 to 15 years of age, given that Egypt has specified 15 years as the minimum age for admission to employment or work. The Committee therefore requests that the Government take the necessary measures to ensure that section 64 of the Child Law is amended to raise the minimum age of admission to light work to 13 years, in accordance with Article 7(1) of the Convention.

The Committee is raising another matter in a request addressed directly to the Government.