Objectives

The Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery wishes to focus his next thematic report to the Human Rights Council on “the worst forms of child labour.”, as per article 3 of the ILO Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182). They comprise:

(a) all forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, such as the sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage and serfdom and forced or compulsory labour, including forced or compulsory recruitment of children for use in armed conflict;

(b) the use, procuring or offering of a child for prostitution, for the production of pornography or for pornographic performances;

(c) the use, procuring or offering of a child for illicit activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs as defined in the relevant international treaties; and

(d) work which, by its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to harm the health, safety or morals of children.

The report aims to:

· Take stock of a) progress achieved in implementing SDG target 8.7 which has the objective to “eliminate the worst forms of child labour, including the recruitment and use of child soldiers, as well as to end all forms of child labour by 2025” and to b) identify remaining gaps in this area.

· Chart a way forward on action which needs to be taken by States, companies including the private sector and other stakeholders to avoid further delays in ending the worst forms of child labour.

Key questions and types of input/comments sought

1. Prevalence of the Worst Forms of Child Labour and Profiles of Victims/Survivors:

· Which worst forms of child labour are prevalent in your country or region and how do they manifest?

· What are the key drivers and causes of the worst forms of child labour in your country or region?

· Which groups of children are most vulnerable to the worst forms of child labour in your country or region (e.g. Indigenous, minority, migrant, children in a situation of homeless, children with a disability as well as gender-diverse children and/or others)?

2. Promising Practices and Initiatives:

· Please share examples of promising initiatives, measures or interventions implemented by governments, civil society organisations, businesses and others who may come in contact with victims and children at risk, that have contributed to preventing or eradicating the worst forms of child labour and providing alternatives for children at risk. These may include:

A) Recent legislative and/or policy developments (e.g. follow-up to R190 - Worst Forms of Child Labour Recommendation, 1999 (No. 190); creation of a hazardous work list for children, adjustment of offences and penalties particularly in line with the rapidly changing technological environment, advancement of human rights due diligence among businesses which may engage in, or benefit from the worst forms of child labour);

B) Prevention and protection measures (e.g. access to education and social protection programs, support to families, early warning and identification/reporting mechanisms, trauma-informed rehabilitation and reintegration measures, and age-appropriate access to justice and remedies); please also indicate if any measures/programmes address the root causes of the worst forms of child labour such as poverty, marginalization, armed conflict, migration/displacement or similar factors.

C) Regional/International initiatives, including inter-governmental law and enforcement and other forms of collaboration.

· Are victims/survivors and their families involved in the development and implementation of the measures/initiatives highlighted?

· Are there any innovative approaches, technologies, or tools that have been used to prevent and combat the worst forms of child labour and their root causes (e.g., data monitoring, AI, community-based initiatives)? Please share examples of successful applications;

· How was progress measured and what data exists in order to assess the effectiveness of the initiatives?

3. Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration:

· How do governments, businesses, civil society, trade unions, frontline service providers, and families/children themselves collaborate to address the worst forms of child labour? Please provide examples of multi-stakeholder initiatives or partnerships, as well as the limitations encountered in this context.

4. Charting the Way Forward

· What are remaining challenges in effectively eliminating the worst forms of child labour in your community, country or region?

Which key measures are needed to effectively address these challenges at the local, national, regional and global levels? Please explain which actions/measures (legal, administrative, political, economic, social, and cultural) Governments, businesses, National Human Rights Institutions, intergovernmental organizations, community leaders and other stakeholders should take/focus on as a matter of priority.

How inputs will be used?

Submissions will be published on the website of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery (OHCHR | Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences), unless confidentiality is requested for particular submissions.