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

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

The Committee notes the joint observations of the Confederation of Christian Trade Unions (CSC), the General Labour Federation of Belgium (FGTB) and the General Confederation of Liberal Trade Unions of Belgium (CGSLB), received on 30 August 2024.

Article 5 of the Convention. Monitoring mechanisms. Child Labour Advisory Council. The Committee welcomes the decision of 26 March 2024 of the National Labour Council, referred to by the Government in its report on the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138), to activate the Child Labour Advisory Council, as provided for by the Act of 16 March 1971. The mandate of the Advisory Council is to: (1) give opinions to the labour minister and the competent officials on proposals relating to general child labour issues, either on its own initiative or at their request, in the form of reports expressing the different views expressed in the Council; (2) provide an opinion to the competent official, at his/her request, at the time of examination of the individual work exemption request and its subsequent monitoring when granted; (3) collate documentation relating to child labour; (4) coordinate, follow up and evaluate research in the area of child labour; and (5) draw up an annual report on these activities and on the application of the legislation on child labour, to be forwarded to the labour minister and the National Labour Council. The Committee notes that the CSC, FGTB and CGSLB ask in their joint observations that all issues and all relevant reports of the Child Labour Advisory Council relating to the application of the Convention be submitted to the Committee. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the operation of the Child Labour Advisory Council and on its activities connected with the prevention and elimination of the worst forms of child labour. The Committee also requests the Government to provide copies of the annual reports of the aforementioned Council.

Article 7(2). Effective and time-bound measures. Clause (d). Identifying and reaching out to children at special risk. Unaccompanied migrant and refugee children. The Committee notes the indication in the Government’s report that unaccompanied foreign minors are assigned a specially trained mentor, including on human trafficking issues. The Government also refers to the publication of two brochures explaining the risks of exploitation and/or trafficking and highlighting indicators of trafficking in minors. The first brochure is intended for frontline actors working with Ukrainian minors and the second is intended for Ukrainian minors themselves and is translated into German, English, Russian and Ukrainian. The Committee notes that the CSC, FGTB and CGSLB in their joint observations: (1) express regret that there has been no consultation of the social partners on this matter; and (2) ask for cooperation in this area to be organized in a more structured, ongoing manner between the Government and the social partners. The Committee requests the Government to provide its comments in this respect.