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Seychelles
Government Policies and Programs to Eliminate the Worst Forms of Child Labor
The Government of the Seychelles implemented educationreform programs in 1990 and 1999, which were aimed in part at improving accessto and quality of primary education through enhanced teacher trainingstandards, improved physical facilities, and guaranteed free education for all.[3911] The Division of Social Affairs in the Ministry of Social Affairs and ManpowerDevelopment works to protect children’s rights.[3912] The National Commission for Child Protection, established in 1996, isresponsible for overall child protection policies.[3913]
Incidence and Nature of Child Labor
Statistics on the number of working children under the ageof 15 in Seychelles are unavailable, are there have been no reports of childlabor in the country.[3914] Education is compulsory up to the age of 16 and free through secondary school up to the age of 18.[3915] In 1999, the gross primary enrollment rate was 100.8 percent and the netprimary enrollment rate was 99.9 percent.[3916] Attendance rates are not available for Seychelles. While enrollment ratesindicate a level of commitment to education, they do not always reflectchildren’s participation in school.[3917]
Child Labor Laws and Enforcement
Article 31 of the Constitution sets the minimum age foremployment at 15 years, with exceptions for children employed part time inlight work that is not harmful to their health, morals or education.[3918] However, the Employment Act stipulates that any child under the age of 15 isprohibited from working. Children ages 16 to 18 are considered as adults inthe labor market and there are no special protections for this age group.[3919] Violations of the minimum age regulation are punishable by a fine of SCR 6,000(USD 1,169.59).[3920] An amendment to the Employment of Young Persons and Children Act of 1981specifically prohibits children under 18 from working in hotels, restaurantsand shops.[3921] Forced or bonded labor is prohibited by law.[3922] Article 138(b) of the Penal Code prohibits the procuring of any woman or girlfor purposes of prostitution.[3923] The Ministry of Employment and Social Services enforces child labor laws andinvestigates claims of child labor abuses.[3924]
In 2002, there were no reported cases of child laborrequiring investigation by the Ministry of Employment and Social Services, noknown cases of forced or bonded labor by children, and no reports oftrafficking in persons to, from, or within the country.[3925] A Family Tribunal composed of 18 members hears and decides all cases relatingto the care and custody of children, save paternity cases.[3926] Only 41 cases of child sex abuse were reported in 2002, and there are concernsthat police investigations into charges of abuse are inadequate.[3927]
The Government of Seychelles ratified ILO Convention 138 onMarch 7, 2000, and ILO Convention 182 on September 28, 1999.[3928]
[3911]UNESCO, Education for All 2000 Assessment: Country Reports- Seychelles, prepared by Education Planning Division of Resource Planning and Project Development, pursuant to UN General Assembly Resolution 52/84, 2000; available from http://www2.unesco.org/wef/countryreports/seychelles/contents.html.
[3912]U.S. Department of State, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices- 2002: Seychelles, Washington, D.C., March 31, 2003, Section 5; available from http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2002/18224.htm.
[3913]Government of Seychelles Ministry of Social Affairs and Manpower Development, "Seychelles- Putting Children First," African Newsletter on Occupational Health and Safety, August 2000; available from http://www.ttl.fi/Internet/English/Information/Electronic+journals/African+Newsletter/2000-02/06.htm. See also ATLAS Seychelles Ltd., The Historical Perspective of NCC, [online] [cited July 3, 2003]; available from http://www.seychelles.net/ncc/about.htm.
[3914]U.S. Department of State, Country Reports- 2002: Seychelles, Sections 6c and 6d.
[3915]UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, Consideration of Reports Submitted by States Parties Under Article 44 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child: Initial Reports of States Parties due in 1995: Seychelles, CRC/C/3/Add.64, United Nations, January 2002, 83; available from http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/(Symbol)/CRC.C.3.Add.64.En?OpenDocument. See also U.S. Department of State, Country Reports- 2002: Seychelles, Section 5.
[3916]UNESCO, Education for All: Year 2000 Assessment [CD-ROM], Paris, 2000.
[3917]For a more detailed discussion on the relationship between education statistics and work, see the preface to this report.
[3918]UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, Consideration of Reports: Initial Reports: Seychelles, 12, 108.
[3919]Ibid., 108.
[3920]U.S. Department of State, Country Reports- 2002: Seychelles, Section 6d. See also FXConverter, [online] [cited September 2, 2003]; available from http://www.carosta.de/frames/convert.htm.
[3921]ILO, Seychelles: Children and Young Persons, [cited July 31, 2003]; available from http://natlex.ilo.org/Scripts/natlexcgi.exe?lang=E&doc=query&ctry=SYC&llx=12.01.
[3922]U.S. Department of State, Country Reports- 2002: Seychelles, Section 6c.
[3923]The Protection Project, "Seychelles," in Human Rights Report on Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children: A Country-by-Country Report on a Contemporary Form of Slavery, 2002; available from http://209.190.246.239/ver2/cr/Seychelles.pdf.
[3924]U.S. Department of State, Country Reports- 2002: Seychelles, Section 6d.
[3925]Ibid., Sections 6c, 6d, and 6f.
[3926]Ibid., Section 5.
[3927]Ibid.
[3928]ILO, Ratifications by Country, in ILOLEX, [database online] [cited July 31, 2003]; available from http://www.ilo.org/ilolex/english/newratframeE.htm.
