United States Department of Labor

Territories and Non-IndependentCountries

There is limited information regarding the extent and natureof child labor and the quality and provision of education in non-independent countries and territories eligible for GSP, AGOA and CBTPA benefits. These countries and territories generally are not eligible to become members of the ILO, and ILO Convention 138 and ILO Convention 182 do not apply to any of them.[4797]

Anguilla (territory of the United Kingdom)

Statistics on the number of working children under the age of 15 in Anguilla are unavailable. Information is unavailable on the incidence and nature of child labor. The Government of Anguilla has yet to establish an independent mechanism to review complaints from children concerning violations of their rights under the Convention on the Rights of the child.[4798]Primary education is compulsory from the ages of 5 to 11 years.[4799] In 1998, the gross primary enrollment rate was 100.7 percent, and the net primary enrollment rate was 98.9 percent.[4800] According to the population Census 2001 there was a small number of children not attending school below the age of 15 years due to severe physical/mental disabilities.  There is a drive by the Special Needs Department in the Ministry of Education to provide opportunities for these children to attend schools where possible.[4801] While enrollment rates indicate a level of commitment to education, they do not always reflect children’s participation in school.[4802] The Government of Anguilla has collaborated with UNESCO and the OECS to developan Education for All plan that aims to raise educational achievement levels, improve access to quality special education services, provide human resource training for teachers and education managers, promote curriculum standardization, and increase the emphasis on social education and the involvement of teachers in educational planning.[4803]

British Virgin Islands (territory of the United Kingdom)

Statistics on the number of working children under the age of 15 in the British Virgin Islands are unavailable, but children reportedly work occasionally during the afternoons and on weekends in family-owned businesses, supermarkets and hotels.[4804] Under the Education Ordinance, children must attend school until the age of 14.[4805] The Labor Standards set the minimum age for employment at 14 years.[4806] The government has set up a Complaints Commission to handle complaints of violations of children’s rights.[4807]

Cook Islands (self-governing state in free association with New Zealand)

Statistics on the number of working children under the age of 15 in the Cook Islands are unavailable, but children are reported to assist with domestic chores, help with family agricultural activities, work as performers on a part-time basis in cultural dance groups, and work in shops.[4808] Education is compulsory and free[4809]for children between the ages of 5 and 15 years.[4810]In 1996-1997, education expenditure was 3.2 percent of GDP.[4811] That same year, the primary gross enrollment rate was 111.4 percent, and the primary net enrollment rate was 98.3 percent.[4812] While enrollment rates indicate a level of commitment to education, they do not always reflect children’s participation in school.[4813]

The Industrial and Labor Ordinance of 1964 prohibits the employment of children under the age of 16 between the hours of 6 p.m. and 7 a.m. and on Sundays and holidays.[4814] Children under the age of 18 may not work in dangerous occupations, unless they have been trained to handle dangerous machinery.[4815] The Labor and Consumer Affairs Division of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is responsible for monitoring the implementation of child labor laws.[4816]

Falkland Islands (territory of the United Kingdom)

Statistics on the number of children working under the age of 14 are unavailable. According to the Government of the Falkland Islands, in2002 there were no children below compulsory school age working full time and there have been no recent cases involving the commercial sexual exploitation of children.[4817] Children are most commonly employed as babysitters, or in other part-time employment that generally occurs on Saturdays and on school holidays.[4818]Education is free and compulsory from 5 years of age until the end of the academic year when a child reaches 16 years of age.[4819] In 2002, the government reported that all children between the ages of 5 and 16in the Falkland Islands were enrolled in the education system.[4820] While enrollment rates indicate a level of commitment to education, they do not always reflect children’s participation in school.[4821]

The Employment of Children Ordinance prohibits the employment of children under the age of 14; however, children of compulsory schooling age cannot work during school hours, before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. on any day, for more than two hours on a school day or on Sundays.[4822] The Employment of Women, Young Persons and Children Ordinance of 1967 prohibits children under the age of 18 from working in industrial establishments.[4823] The sale, trafficking and abduction of children under the age of 16 years is anoffense in the Falkland Islands; the sale, trafficking and abduction ofchildren between the ages of 16 and 18 years is prohibited under the UnitedKingdom’s Sexual Offences Act of 1956.[4824] The government is not currently implementing any policies or programs to address child labor, as this is not perceived to be a problem, because of the100 percent school enrollment rate and the restrictions on employment in the Children’s Ordinance.[4825] The government has yet to establish an independent mechanism to review complaints from children concerning violations of their rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.[4826]

Gibraltar (territory of the United Kingdom)

According to the Government of Gibraltar, there were no reports of child prostitution in Gibraltar in the period from 1998-2003.[4827] Other statistics on the number of working children under the age of 15 in Gibraltar are unavailable. Information is also unavailable on the incidence and nature of child labor. Education is free and compulsory between the ages of 4 and 15.[4828] Procuration of a girl under 18 years of age, permitting a girl under 13 years of age to use premises for intercourse, and causing or encouraging prostitution of a girl under 16 years of age are illegal.[4829] Slavery, servitude and forced labor are prohibited under the Gibraltar Constitution Order of 1969.[4830] The Convention on the Rights of the Child has not yet been extended to include Gibraltar.[4831]

Montserrat (territory of the United Kingdom)

Statistics on the number of working children under the age of 15 in Montserrat are unavailable. Information is also unavailable on the incidence and nature of child labor. The government has yet to establish an independent mechanism to review complaints from children concerning violations of their rights under the Convention on the Rights of the child.[4832] Education is compulsory for children between the ages of 5 and 16, and free up to the age of 17.[4833] The incidence of truancy and the number of drop-outs from school is increasing.[4834]The Government of Montserrat developed an Education in the Country Policy Plan for 1998-2002 in conjunction with the United Kingdom. Under this plan, the government is supporting initiatives in the areas of curriculum development, student assessment and evaluation, professional development for teachers, post-secondary education expansion, and educational infrastructure and information technology. [4835]

Niue (self-governing state in free association with NewZealand)

Statistics on the number of working children under the age of 15 in Niue are unavailable. Information is also unavailable on the incidence and nature of child labor. Education is compulsory from 5 to 16 years of age.[4836] While enrollment rates indicate a level of commitment to education, they do not always reflect children’s participation in school.[4837] The Government of Niue has collaborated with UNESCO to develop an Education for All plan to improve learning achievements and provide better educational opportunities for children with special needs.[4838]

Pitcairn Islands (territory of the United Kingdom)

In 2002, the Government of Pitcairn Islands reported that there were no working children in the territory.[4839] Children under the age of 15 are prohibited from engaging in paid government work.[4840] Education is free and compulsory between the ages of 5 and 15.[4841] The net primary school enrollment rate in 2002 was 100 percent.[4842] While enrollment rates indicate a level of commitment to education, they do not always reflect children’s participation in school.[4843] Under Section 23, Part V of the Summary Offences Ordinance, a parent or guardian who does not ensure the regular attendance of their child at school can be fined up to NZD 25 (USD 16.04).[4844]

Saint Helena (territory of the United Kingdom)

In 2000, the Government of St. Helena reported that there were no working children in the territory.[4845] The minimum age for employment is 15 years.[4846] Education is free and compulsory between the ages of 5 and 15.[4847]

Tokelau

Statistics on the number of working children under the age of 15 in Tokelau are unavailable. Informationis also unavailable on the incidence and nature of child labor. Education is compulsory for 12 years.[4848]

Turks and Caicos Islands (territory of the United Kingdom)

Statistics on the number of working children under the age of 15 in the Turks and Caicos Islands are unavailable. Information is also unavailable on the incidence and nature of child labor. Nine years of basic education is provided by the government to children between the ages of 6 and 14.[4849] In 1999, the gross primary enrollment rate was 113.1 percent, and the net primary enrollment rate was 112.7 percent.[4850] While enrollment rates indicate a level of commitment to education, they do not always reflect children’s participation in school.[4851]

West Bank and Gaza Strip

The West Bank and Gaza Strip is an associated member ofILO-IPEC.[4852] During January through March 2003, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics estimated that less than 1 percent of children ages 10 to 14 were working in the Palestinian territories.[4853] Children work on family farms, in family shops and as urban street vendors. Some children also work in small manufacturing enterprises, such as shoe and textile factories.[4854] There are also reports that children and adolescents have been enrolled in military-style camps and have participated in Palestinian armed groups.[4855]

Education is compulsory through grade nine.[4856] The gross enrollment rate in basic education was 96.8 percent in 1999-2000[4857]and the net enrollment rate in 1998-1999 was 90.9 percent.[4858] Although gross and net enrollment rates are high, many girls marry early and do not complete the mandatory level of schooling, and in rural areas and refugee camps, boys often drop out of school early to help support their families.[4859] Closures limited children’s and teachers’ access to schooling in 2002, andstudent learning was reported to be negatively affected by the violent security situation.[4860] The violence resulted in the cancellation of classes in areas under curfew,[4861]delays in school construction and sharp declines in teaching time due to problems with teacher attendance.[4862] School dropout rates also rose for the first time in ten years.[4863] In 2001, the government agreed to build 245 new classrooms in East Jerusalem within 4 years to alleviate problems of overcrowding.[4864] However, no funds were budgeted for the construction in 2001. In 2002, the budget included funds for 60 new classrooms.[4865]

Under a new Labor Code that was passed in 2002, the minimum age for work is 15 years, but there are restrictions on the employment of children between the ages of 15 and 18, including prohibitions against nightwork, work under conditions of hard labor and/or jobs that require them to travel outside their domicile.[4866] The Palestinian Authority is responsible for enforcing the area’s labor laws;however, with only 40 labor inspectors for an estimated 65,000 enterprises, the Authority has limited capacity to enforce labor laws.[4867] There is no law specifically prohibiting trafficking in persons, but no trafficking incidents have been reported.[4868]

The Palestinian Authority is working with the ILO and UNICEF to improve child labor law enforcement, and to conduct a study to determine the extent and nature of child labor in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.[4869] In partnership with the Palestinian National Authority’s Ministry of Educationand Higher Education, UNICEF is conducting a campaign to help 10,000 children return to school.[4870] Assistance includes provision of uniforms and school supplies, teacher training,a media campaign to promote education, and support for alternative education projects.[4871] UNICEF has also supported summer camps aimed at minimizing the impact of disruptions on psycho-social growth and development for 42,000 children ages 6 to 18 years.[4872]

Western Sahara

Statistics on the number of working children under the age of 15 in Western Sahara are unavailable, but reports indicate that the few remaining nomadic children work as shepherds.[4873] Residents of Western Sahara are subject to Moroccan labor laws that set the minimum age for employment at 15 years.[4874] Forced labor is prohibited under Moroccan law.[4875] Education is compulsory for 8 years.[4876] Information regarding government policies and programs to eliminate the worst forms of child labor in Western Sahara is unavailable.

Other Territories and Non-Independent Countries

Information on the incidence and nature of child labor, child labor laws and legislation, and government polices and programs to eliminate the worst forms of child labor is unavailable for the following territories and non-independent countries: British Indian Ocean Territory (territory of the United Kingdom), Christmas Islands (territory of Australia), Cocos (Keeling) Islands (territory of Australia), Heard Island and MacDonald Islands (territory of Australia), Norfolk Island (territory of Australia), and Wallis and Futuna (territory of France).