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

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

Labour inspection. In its previous comments, the Committee noted the Government’s information that a monitoring and follow-up system of children working in the agricultural sector was established. It also noted from the Government’s report that the Ministry of Manpower and Migration (MoMM), in collaboration with the departments of manpower and migration at the governorate level, prepared an annual plan on field visits aimed at inspecting child labour in accordance with the Labour Code of 2003, the Child Law of 2008, as well as the application of Ministerial Order No. 118 of 2003 prohibiting hazardous work for children under the age of 18 years. The Committee noted, however, an absence of information in the Government’s report on the number of violations detected and penalties applied for the violations related to child labour.

The Committee notes the Government’s indication that it is making enormous efforts to monitor the violations relating to the employment of children. In this regard, it notes the Government’s information that the Labour Inspection Department inspected 21,735 undertakings, which led to the issuance of 5,353 warnings and infringement reports against 352 employers found in violation of the Law. The Government indicates that 23,316 child labourers were identified, among which 20,101 were boys and 3,215 were girls. However, the Committee notes the absence of information on the penalties imposed on the employers found in violation of the Law. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing information on the number and nature of violations relating to the employment of children and young persons detected by the labour inspectorate. It also requests that the Government provide information on the number of persons prosecuted and the penalties imposed.