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

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

Article 3 of the Convention. Worst forms of child labour. Clause (c). Use, procuring or offering of a child for illicit activities. The Committee notes that at the detailed discussion that was held by the Committee on the Application of Standards (Conference Committee) at the 113th Session of the International Labour Conference (June 2025), regarding the application of the Convention by Chad, the Conference Committee urged the Government to take, in consultation with the social partners, effective and time-bound measures to prohibit and penalize the use and procuring of children for illicit activities, in particular the production and trafficking of drugs.

The Committee notes that the Government refers to Ordinance No. 006/PR/2018, which provides for a penalty of between 10 and 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of between 100,000 to 2 million CFA francs for anyone who draws a financial or material profit from the repeated or continuous commission of offences involving children (sections 21 and 22, read together). The Committee notes that these provisions cover the prohibition of the use, procuring or offering of a child under 18 years for illicit activities, but only if the offence is repeated or continuous. The Committee recalls that, under Article 3(c) of the Convention, it should not be necessary for the offence to be repeated or continuous in order to be defined as such. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the application in practice of sections 21 and 22 of Ordinance No. 006/PR/2018, including the number of investigations and prosecutions carried out, and the number and nature of convictions and penalties imposed relating to the use, procurement or offering of a child under 18 years for illicit activities, including the production and trafficking of drugs.

Clause (d). Hazardous work. Children working in the informal economy. The Committee recalls that Decree No. 55/PR/MTJS DTOMPS does not apply to young persons under the age of 18 years who perform hazardous work in the informal economy, in which many children are engaged.

The Committee notes that, at the detailed discussion that was held by the Conference Committee, the Government representative indicated that 22 future inspectors were being trained in order to join the labour inspection services. The Committee also notes the Government’s indication that two inspectors have just completed their training at the African Regional Labour Administration Centre. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on measures taken to adapt and strengthen labour inspection services in order to ensure that children under 18 years are not engaged in hazardous work in the informal economy and that they receive the protection provided for under the Convention. It requests the Government to indicate the results achieved in this regard, including an indication of the number and nature of the violations found relating to the employment of children in hazardous work and the penalties imposed.

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 Conference Committee urged the Government to take effective and time-bound measures to improve the functioning of and investments in the education system to facilitate access to free quality basic education and protective measures for all children, particularly girls and street children, and the security and safety of children in war-affected areas, and to take measures to increase the school enrolment and attendance rates at primary and secondary levels and to decrease the school drop-out rates.

The Committee notes the Government’s indications that continuous teacher training programmes will be put in place to strengthen teachers’ pedagogical and technical skills, while ensuring decent and motivating working conditions to avoid strikes and ensure continuity in teaching. The Government also refers to a number of projects established specifically to promote girls’ access to education, including: (i) covering the school fees of 80,000 girls, school kits for 37,029 and school uniforms for 14,198 in 2024; (ii) the establishment of 24 reception centres to meet the requirement to shelter 4,200 vulnerable girls needing to pursue their education but without a family; and (iii) support for 14,307 young girls through a tuition programme in reception centres and schools. The Committee also notes the statistical data provided by the Government indicating that: (i) the school enrolment rate at primary level in 2023 was 91.77 per cent with significant disparities in gender (99.58 per cent of boys and 83.74 per cent of girls); (ii) at secondary level, the school enrolment rate is 25.24 per cent (30.08 per cent of boys and 17.95 per cent of girls); and (iii) the gender parity index for primary and secondary education is 0.75. 

Additionally, the Committee notes, from the concluding observations of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the concerns about: (i) the limited access to safe and high-quality education for girls, in particular for those living in areas affected by armed conflict, climate change and natural disasters, as well as for girls internally displaced; and (ii) the high drop-out rates among girls, attributable to early pregnancy, child marriage, excessive household responsibilities, the lack of menstrual hygiene products and of separate sanitary facilities in schools, and long and unsafe travel distances to schools, especially in rural and nomadic communities, (CEDAW/C/TCD/CO/5, para. 33). While noting the measures taken by the Government, the Committee requests it to continue its efforts to improve the functioning of the education system in the country and to ensure access to free basic education for all children, including girls and those living in remote areas or those affected by armed conflicts. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on all measures taken or envisaged in this regard, indicating the results achieved in terms of an increase in school attendance at primary level or early secondary level, and a reduction in school drop-out, particularly among girls.

Clause (d). Children at special risk. Children working and living in the street.  The Conference Committee urged the Government to take effective and time-bound measures to provide for the rehabilitation and social integration of children in street situations, and to continue efforts to ensure that the programme of the Ministry for Women, Protection in Early Childhood and National Solidarity is effective in the protection of street children. 

The Committee notes the information provided by the Government, particularly that: (i) the Minister of State in charge of women and early childhood held a meeting on 11 September 2024 with street children as part of a programme aimed at improving their situation and reintegrating them into their families; (ii) the testimonies gathered at this meeting showed that many of them hoped to reconnect with their families and return to a more stable and protected environment, and therefore some of them were supported to return to their respective homes; and (iii) the Ministry’s intervention falls under the National Child Protection Policy, which underscores the rehabilitation and improvement in living conditions of vulnerable children. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken to protect street children from the worst forms of child labour and to ensure therehabilitation and social integration of those who have been removed from the streets. It also requests the Government to provide more detailed information on the results achieved, including the number of children removed from the streets and the type of assistance they received to prevent them from returning to the streets.

Child HIV/AIDS orphans. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that measures have been taken to protect children affected by HIV/AIDS through the adoption of Act No. 019/PR/2009 on combating HIV/AIDS/STIs and protecting persons living with HIV/AIDS (sections 19, 21 and 30). It notes that, under section 21 of this Act, the State must ensure the protection and respect of the fundamental rights of children in the context of HIV/AIDS, facilitate their access to information and education, and provide free care and medication to orphans made vulnerable by AIDS. In addition, section 30 sets out that children and orphans made vulnerable by AIDS are entitled to regular schooling, information, counselling and care, and must not be subject to any discrimination in schools. The Committee further notes the Government’s information that it has established national HIV strategies that include specific pillars for the care of orphans and children made vulnerable by AIDS, with a view to strengthening psychosocial and community support services.

The Committee notes, according to UNAIDS estimations of 2024, that there are around 120,000 child HIV/AIDS orphans – an increase from the 110,000 in 2023. Recalling that children orphaned by HIV/AIDS are especially exposed to the worst forms of child labour, the Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on measures taken to ensure that these children have access to regular schooling, in accordance with Act No. 019/PR/2009. It also requests the Government to indicate the results achieved in this regard, in particular by indicating the number of child HIV/AIDS orphans who received care through HIV strategies and the type of assistance provided to them to ensure their rehabilitation and social integration.

Child domestic workers. The Conference Committee urged the Government to take effective and time-bound measures, in consultation with the social partners, to adopt regulations to protect children from domestic work, and to remove them from such situations and provide the necessary and appropriate assistance to ensure their rehabilitation and social integration.

The Committee recalls that, at the detailed discussion that was held in the Conference Committee, the Government representative indicated that no specific regulation on domestic work had been adopted but that a Bill to revise the Labour Code was under way and specific provisions on this subject could be incorporated into the new Labour Code. 

In addition, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that the Minister of Telecommunications, Digital Economy and Digitalization of the Administration has prepared a document to support Chad’s digital transformation entitled “Workforce Management Procedure” (PGMO), the aim of which is to set out clear procedures to identify and manage compliance with the provisions of the Labour Code regarding employment and working conditions, including working conditions for domestic workers.

The Committee notes that, in its observations, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) notes with concern that children are victims of exploitation in the area of domestic work and considers that the eradication of this practice will require the establishment of inspection services with sufficient resources to carry out their mandates, as well as the training of labour inspectors. The Committee requests the Government to indicate: (i) whether it continues to envisage the adoption of a specific regulation on domestic work, as previously mentioned; (ii) the measures envisaged to incorporate the provisions on domestic work into the new Labour Code; and (iii) how it is envisaged that the document “Workforce Management Procedure” will ensure the protection of child domestic workers from the worst forms of child labour.

Article 8. International cooperation. Poverty reduction measures. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the most vulnerable children must be helped, in particular by giving them access to quality health services, food, water and education. The Committee recalls that 42.3 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line and that 50 per cent of children are affected by multidimensional poverty. Recalling that poverty reduction programmes help to break the circle of poverty, which is essential for the eradication of the worst forms of child labour, the Committee requests the Government to provide more detailed information on the measures taken or envisaged to effectively reduce the poverty of children exposed to the risk of the worst forms of child labour, and the results achieved in this regard.