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

Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) - Mali (Ratification: 2002)

Article 1 of the Convention. National policy and application of the Convention in practice. The Committee notes the detailed information contained in the Government’s report on the measures taken to combat child labour. In particular, it notes that: (1) the second National Plan of Action for the Elimination of Child Labour in Mali (PANETEM II) has been examined by the Higher Labour Council and is passing through the last stage before its adoption by the Council of Ministers; (2) the PANETEM II will contain two sections divided into 10 strategic areas, a first section on the creation of a socio-economic and legal environment that is conducive to the elimination of child labour and a second on strengthening the effectiveness of action for the protection and rehabilitation of child workers; (3) the Government has collaborated with numerous international organizations, including for the implementation of the ILO project Accelerating action for the elimination of child labour in supply chains in Mali (ACCEL); and (4) the Government has also collaborated with various members of civil society to raise awareness of the problem of child labour.

With reference to the establishment of the SOSTEM data collection tool, referred to previously, for the monitoring of child labour and children at risk, the Government indicates that it is not yet operational due to the lack of resources and infrastructure. On this subject, the Committee notes the Government’s request for ILO technical and financial support for the operationalization of SOSTEM throughout the country.

The Committee also notes the concern expressed in its concluding observations by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child at the prevalence of child labour, including the worst forms of child labour (CRC/C/MLI/CO/3-5, 11 June 2024, para. 43). The Committee further notes that, according to the statistical microdata of the ILO Bureau of Statistics, in 2020, 25.6 per cent of children aged between 12 and 14 years were engaged in child labour (14.4 per cent of children of that age were performing hazardous types of work), and that the figure was 31.6 per cent for children between the ages of 15 and 17 years. The Committee is bound to express concern at the high number of children engaged in child labour, including hazardous types of work. The Committee requests the Government to intensify its efforts to ensure the progressive elimination of child labour, including in hazardous types of work. It requests the Government to provide information on: (i) the adoption of the PANETEM II and the measures taken for its implementation; (ii) any progress achieved in the operationalization of the SOSTEM; and (iii) any other measures taken for the elimination of child labour in the country and the results achieved.

Article 2(1). Scope of application and labour inspection. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that many capacity-building, information and awareness-raising activities have been carried out for local administrative authorities and community leaders in mining communities. The Government indicates, in particular, that: (1) 75 employers in the informal sector have received awareness-raising on the problem of child labour; (2) through the action taken by the National Unit to Combat Child Labour (CNLTE), in collaboration with certain non-governmental organizations and associations, 2,254 child workers have been identified, 3,586 children have been removed from child labour and 3,451 children, including 1,852 boys and 1,599 girls, have benefited from reintegration services; (3) a plan for the modernization and development of the labour inspection system in Mali was validated by a national tripartite workshop held in Bamako on 26 and 27 June 2025; and (4) within the framework of the implementation of the Social Stability and Growth Pact concluded on 25 August 2023 between the social partners and the Government, the adoption and implementation is envisaged of a plan for the strengthening of labour services, including labour inspection services, the National Labour Department and the CNLTE. The Committee encourages the Government to continue its efforts to reinforce the labour inspection services so as to ensure that all children benefit from the protection afforded by the Convention, including those working in the informal economy. It requests the Government to continue providing information on: (i) the measures taken in this respect, including within the framework of the Social Stability and Growth Pact and the plan for the strengthening of labour services; and (iii) the results achieved, and particularly the number of working children identified and the penalties imposed in the event of violations.

Article 3(3). Admission to hazardous types of work from the age of 16 years. In its previous comments, the Committee noted that Decree No. 2022-0125/PT-RM amending certain provisions of Decree No. 96-178/P-RM of 13 June 1996 on the terms and conditions for the application of the Labour Code in respect of hazardous types of work does not set out the requirement to ensure that young persons between the ages of 16 and 18 years engaged in hazardous types of work have received adequate specific instruction or vocational training in the relevant branch of activity, as provided for in Article 3(3) of the Convention.

The Committee notes the Government’s undertaking to bring the legislation into conformity with the provisions of Article 3(3) on the occasion of the forthcoming revision of the Labour Code. The Committee takes due note of the Government’s commitment and requests it to indicate the progress achieved in amending the legislation so that the admission of young persons to hazardous types of work from the age of 16 years is only authorized on condition that the health, safety and morals of the young persons concerned are fully protected and that they have received adequate specific instruction or vocational training in the relevant branch of activity.

Article 7. Light work. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s undertaking, following consultations with the social partners, to amend section D.189-35 of Decree No. 96-178/P-RM of 13 June 1996 so as to raise the minimum age for domestic work and light work of a seasonal nature from 12 to 13 years. It also notes with interest the adoption of Order No. 2024-2109/NTFPDS-SG of 5 July 2024 determining the list of types of light work authorized for children aged 13 and 14 years. The Committee requests the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure the harmonization of section D.189-35 of Decree No. 96-178/P-RM of 13 June 1996 with Order No. 2024-2109/NTFPDS-SG of 5 July 2024 so that only children aged 13 years and above are authorized to perform light work.