Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2025, published 114th ILC session (2026)

Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) - Nepal (Ratification: 2002)

Article 3(b) of the Convention. Use, procuring or offering of a child for the production of pornography or for pornographic performances. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that it has not yet developed the previously mentioned database system to collect and share comprehensive statistics regarding cases on the use, procuring or offering of a child for prostitution. The Government indicates that it does remain committed to implementing this system. The Committee further notes the Government’s indication that: (1) several policies and legal mechanisms are currently in place to address cybercrime and protect children from online sexual exploitation, including the Online Child Safety Guidelines (2019) which aim to promote safer internet use among children and raise awareness about online risks; (2) the Nepal Police Cyber Bureau serves as the central authority for receiving and investigating complaints of online abuse, including the sexual exploitation of children; and (3) the Bureau received 811 reports from children, including 36 pornography-related cases (14 boys and 22 girls) in the period of 2022 to 2024. The Committee requests the Government to provide more detailed information on the results achieved through the Online Child Safety Guidelines (2019), or any other policy,to prevent and address the use, procuring or offering of children for pornography. It also once again requests the Government to provide information on the establishment of a database system that will permit it to share statistics regarding the number of cases reported, prosecutions, convictions and penalties applied in relation to the sections of the Act relating to Children, 2018, punishing the use, procuring or offering of children for the production or pornography or pornographic performances.

Article 3(c). Use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that it does not have specific data on cases prosecuted explicitly under section 66(2)(n) of the Act Relating to Children, 2018 (on the specific offence of training or causing a child to commit an offence, including the production or trafficking of drugs the following information outlines the broader context of children’s). The Committee takes note of this information which replies to its previous comment.

Article 5. Monitoring mechanisms. With reference to its previous comments, the Government indicates that it has sought further information on the impact of capacity-building efforts from labour inspection authorities and other bodies involved in enforcing child labour laws and that it will provide such information once it is available. The Committee once again requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken to build the capacity of the labour administration, labour inspection and other bodies responsible for enforcing the laws to combat the worst forms of child labour, as well as the results achieved, particularly as regards children in bonded or forced labour and in hazardous work in brick kilns.

Articles 6 and 8. Programmes of action. National Master Plan on the Elimination of Child Labour and international cooperation and assistance. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that it introduced Child-Labour-Free Zones (CLFZs), where participating municipalities receive a grant of 500,000 Nepalese rupees from the Federal Government to implement the CLFZ model. The Government states that 10 local municipalities have already been declared as CLFZ, while 204 local municipalities have received the grant and are working to declare their municipalities CLFZ, with regular monitoring and evaluation being carried out in these areas to ensure sustainability of outcomes. In addition, the Committee notes the Government’s information that social security schemes are also in place to support children from poor, marginalized, and high-risk households.

With reference to other regional and international ongoing cooperation, the Government further informs that: (1) Nepal is part of the Alliance 8.7; (2) the Inter-Agency Working Group on the elimination of child labour, established in 2017/18, continues to coordinate with more than ten national and international partners – including the ILO, to ensure alignment in delivering the National Master Plan on the Elimination of Child Labour; and (3) the South Asia Initiative to End Violence Against Children (Saievac) is leading the development of a regional strategy and action plan on combating trafficking and violence against children. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on: (i) the implementation and impact of the Child Labour Free Zones programme; and (ii) the concrete measures adopted by the Inter-Agency Working Group towards the effective elimination of the worst forms of child labour and the results achieved.

Article 7(2). Effective and time-bound measures. Clause (a). Preventing the engagement of children in the worst forms of child labour. Access to free basic education. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that it is implementing the School Education Sector Plan 2023–2032, which seeks to ensure access to quality education for all children with a focus on high-risk and marginalized groups, and the second National Master Plan on the Elimination of Child Labour (2018–2028), including through: (1) the implementation of alternative education programmes offered to out of school children; and (2) the improvement of infrastructure in community schools; and (3) the provision of targeted scholarships and support programmes which have been expanded for girls, Dalits, children with disabilities and children from indigenous communities. The Committee further notes the Government’s information that: (1) basic education completion rose to 80.3 per cent in 2024, with retention rates at 86.5 per cent for Grade 8; and (2) net enrolment for Grades 1 to 8 decreased slighted from 95.1 per cent in 2023 to 94.1 per cent in 2024. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing information on: (i) the measures taken to facilitate access to free, basic and quality education for all children, including girls and indigenous children; and (ii) the results achieved including in terms of any increase in the school enrolment, attendance and completion rates and any reduction in the school drop-out rates.