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

Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) - Cabo Verde (Ratification: 2011)

The Committee takes note of the observations of the National Workers’ Union of Cape Verde – Trade Union Confederation (UNTC-CS), received with the Government’s report.

Article 2(1) of the Convention. Scope of application and labour inspection. Children working in the informal economy. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that: (1) it has increased the budget of the Labour Inspectorate so that inspectors can engage in awareness-raising and work at the national level in all sectors, including the informal sector, with the primary goal of identifying and combating child labour; (2) authorities have increased their efforts to eliminate child labour among persons under 15 years of age with a focus on the agricultural, fishing and domestic work sectors, particularly in rural areas; (3) with support from the EU-funded Trade for Decent Work (T4DW) project, it is carrying out additional activities aimed at combating child labour, particularly in the informal sector; and (4) through the “Formalization, Enterprise Development and Decent Work in Cabo Verde” project, the ILO offered a training course for Labour Department technicians, labour inspectors and the staff of other relevant entities in order to build their capacities for work with the informal sector. While the Committee takes note of the information provided, it notes that the Government does not provide information on the results of these measures. It also notes the Government’s indication that the Labour Inspectorate and the Cabo Verdean Institute for Children and Adolescents (ICCA) have not detected any cases of child labour in the formal economy and that no information is provided on violations detected in the informal economy. Noting that child labour remains an issue in the country, as highlighted by the Child Labour Survey 2022, referred to below, the Committee notes with regret the information that Labour Inspectorate services have not detected any cases of child labour in the reporting period.

The Committee further notes that the UNTC-CS observes that there is a need for: (1) greater effort on the part of competent authorities to detect child labour; (2) more resources to fight against child labour; (3) more awareness-raising among, and more commitment from, the individuals and institutions responsible for monitoring child labour; and (4) additional awareness-raising among families and communities to address the problem at the root level. In this regard, it notes the Government’s indication that, based on the outcomes of the Child Labour Survey, the Labour Inspectorate, in partnership with the ICCA, is carrying out activities in communities where the existence of child labour was found to be prevalent, in order to raise awareness among parents, educators and children. The Committee once again requests the Government to take the necessary measures to strengthen the capacity and expand the reach of the Labour Inspectorate services to adequately monitor and detect cases of child labour in the country, including in the informal economy. In this regard, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on the number of inspections on child labour carried out by labour inspectors, as well as by other agencies such as the ICCA, and on the number and nature of violations detected and penalties imposed.

Article 3(1) and (2). Minimum age for admission to, and determination of, hazardous work. The Committee previously noted that, within the framework of the T4DW project, it was envisaged to review Act No. 113/VIII/2016 establishing the list of hazardous types of work prohibited to children under the age of 16 years, to ensure that its application be extended to all those under the age of 18 years. In this regard, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that a consultant, responsible for the review of the list of hazardous types of work, has been selected and that the Committee’s comments will be taken into account during the revision of the list. The Committee once again urges the Government to take the necessary measures, in the framework of the T4DW project, to ensure that, in the context of the review of the list of hazardous types of work, the minimum age for admission to hazardous work will be raised from 16 to 18 years. It requests the Government to provide detailed information on any progress made in this regard.

Article 3(3). Admission to types of hazardous work from the age of 16 years. In its previous comments, the Committee noted that Act No. 113/VIII/2016 establishing a list of hazardous work prohibited to young persons under the age of 16 years does not require any conditions to be met prior to authorizing the employment of young persons aged 16 and 17 years in hazardous work, in contravention of Article 3(3) of the Convention. It notes the Government’s indication that the observations of the Committee will be addressed during the revision of the list of hazardous types of work prohibited for children. The Committee once again urges the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that the performance of hazardous tasks by young persons aged from 16 to 18 years is authorized only provided that their health, safety and morals are fully protected and that they have received adequate specific instruction or vocational training in the relevant branch of activity, as prescribed by Article 3(3) of the Convention. It requests the Government to provide detailed information on any progress made in this regard.

Application of the Convention in practice. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that, as a result of technical and financial support from the ILO, the Child Labour Survey was conducted in 2022 and its outcomes were released in February 2024. From the Child Labour Survey, the Committee notes that: (1) 4.2 per cent of children aged 5 to 17 years are estimated to be in child labour, including 2.5 per cent in hazardous work; (2) almost half (48 per cent) of the victims of child labour were between 5 and 11 years old, 28 per cent between 12 and 14 years old and 24 per cent between 15 and 17 years old; (3) child labour is mainly concentrated in agriculture (71 per cent), services (17 per cent) and the industrial sectors (12 per cent); and (4) children living in rural areas are more likely to be in a situation of child labour than their urban counterparts (9.4 per cent of children in rural areas are in child labour against 2.4 per cent of those living in urban areas). The Committee requests the Government to pursue its efforts towards the progressive elimination of child labour and to continue providing up-to-date statistical information on the extent, nature and trends of child labour in the country.

The Committee is raising other matters in a request directly addressed to the Government.