Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2024, published 113rd ILC session (2025)

Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) - Rwanda (Ratification: 2000)

Article 7(2) of the Convention. Effective and time-bound measures. Clause (a). Access to free basic education. The Committee takes note, from the Government’s report, of the numerous measures taken to ensure that all children have access to free basic education, including: (1) the ongoing review of the Girls’ Education Policy of 2008, to address the challenges related to girls’ education; (2) increasing the availability of a girls’ room in primary and secondary school, to increase their performance in schools and reduce dropout and repetition rates; (3) the Ministry of Education, through the Rwanda Basic Education Board (REB), provides teachers and school leaders with gender-responsive pedagogy training every year to provide equal opportunities to both girls and boys; (4) staff continues to be trained in special needs and inclusive education at all levels, pre-primary, primary and secondary education; (5) implementation of the School Feeding Programme from pre-primary school to secondary education, through the equipment of schools with kitchens and cooking stoves, and the provision of a subsidy for each student’s meal to complement parents’ contributions; (6) improvement of school infrastructures, including by increasing the number of school classrooms, desks and classes; and (7) continued increase of the budget allocated to education, up nearly 20 per cent from 479.1 billion in 2021–22 to 573.5 billion in 2022–23.

The Committee further notes, from the Statistical Yearbook 2023, published by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda, that: (1) the net enrolment rate for primary school children is 95.2 per cent for 2021–22 (95.2 per cent for boys and 95.3 per cent for girls); (2) the net enrolment rate in secondary education decreased, at 30.8 per cent for 2021–22 (26.9 per cent for boys and 34.6 per cent for girls), previously 34.6 per cent for 2020–21 (31.7 per cent for boys and 37.5 per cent for girls); (3) the repetition rates increased between 2019–20 and 2020–21 going from 10.9 per cent to 24.6 per cent in primary education and from 8.9 per cent to 14 per cent in the lower secondary; (4) the drop-out rate in primary school decreased from 9.5 per cent in 2019–20 to 7.1 per cent in 2020–21; and (5) the drop-out rate for lower secondary school continues to increase, it was at 6.3 per cent in 2016–17, 9.1 per cent in 2018–19 and 12.5 per cent for 2020–21. The Committee therefore asks the Government to pursue its efforts to: (i) ensure that all children have access to free basic education up to, at least, the end of lower secondary education; and (ii) reduce school drop-out and repetition rates. In this regard, it requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures adopted to this end, and the results achieved, including by providing up-to-date statistical data on school enrolment, drop-out and repetition rates.

Child soldiers. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the Rwanda Demobilization and Reintegration Commission (RDRC) continues to ensure the well-being and protection of the children rescued from armed groups operating in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by providing them with rehabilitation services, civic education, ensuring effective reunification (family tracing, family mediation and reunification), and community sensitization to prepare them for successful reintegration. While noting this general statement, the Committee notes that the Government does not reply to the Committee’s previous requests on this point. Once again, the Committee encourages the Government to continue its efforts to remove children under 18 from armed groups and ensure they receive adequate assistance for their rehabilitation and social integration, including reintegration into the school system or vocational training, wherever appropriate. In this regard, it once again requests the Government to supply: (i) information on the specific measures taken and the results achieved, including by indicating the number of child soldiers who were identified and who benefited from rehabilitation and integration services by the RDRC; and (ii) a copy of the latest annual report of the RDRC.

Clause (d). Children at special risk. HIV/AIDS orphans and other vulnerable children (OVCs). The Committee notes the Government’s general statement that it has put in place specific legislations and policies, independent institutions and programmes to ensure that all children including those affected by HIV/AIDS, and orphans are protected from the worst forms of child labour. However, the Committee notes that: (1) the Government does not provide information on any measures taken directed specifically at child orphans due to HIV/AIDS or other OVCs; and (2) the Government also indicates that there has been no case of orphan or OVCs who have benefited from protection from the worst forms of child labour.

The Committee further notes that the number of HIV/AIDS orphans in Rwanda in 2023 was estimated at 78,000 (compared to 90,000 in 2020), according to statistics of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). Recalling that OVCs are at an increased risk of being engaged in the worst forms of child labour, the Committee requests the Government to strengthen its efforts to ensure that children orphaned by HIV/AIDS and OVCs are protected from the worst forms of child labour. The Committee once again requests the Government to provide information on: (i) any specific measures taken in this regard; and (ii) the results achieved, including in terms of the number of OVCs who have benefited from these efforts.

Refugee children. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that it continues to demonstrate its commitment to the protection of the rights of refugee children in general and their protection from the worst forms of child labour in particular, including through: (1) regular follow-ups and sensitization of parents on all the rights of the child; (2) Child Protection Committees have been established in all refugee camps to identify issues of child abuse, neglect and exploitation including the worst forms of child labour. These Committees work closely with the management of the Refugee camps, local authorities and civil society organizations; (3) adoption and implementation of Ministerial Order No. 01/MIDIMAR/13 of 3 December 2013, determining appropriate measures of tracing family members of unaccompanied refugee children for reunification through the program of reunifying refugee children with their families; (4) in partnership with stakeholders, provision of skills training and support to 1,695 refugee children including 72 children-headed families; and (5) between 2019 and 2022, 563 unaccompanied children were reunified with their families, the families of 408 children are being traced for further reunification, and 362 unaccompanied and separated children have been placed in foster families. The Committee takes due note of the measures taken by the Government and requests it to pursue its efforts to ensure that refugee children, particularly girls, are protected from the worst forms of child labour, including by ensuring their access to free basic education. The Committee once again requests the Government to continue providing information on the concrete measures taken and the results achieved in this regard.