Selected Child Labor Measures Adopted by Governments
| Ratified Convention 138 03/17/1993 |
X |
| Ratified Convention 182 09/16/2002 |
X |
| ILO-IPEC Member |
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| National Plan for Children |
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| National Child Labor Action Plan |
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| Sector Action Plan |
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Incidence and Nature of Child Labor
Statistics on the number of working children under the age of 15 years in Antigua and Barbuda are unavailable,[206] and there is limited information on the incidence and nature of child labor in the country. Children over 12 years old engage in part-time employment, particularly during summer holidays, generally with parental consent and with the right to utilize their earnings independently.[207] According to the World Bank, children are becoming involved in commercial sexual exploitation in order to pay for basic needs, such as school fees and food.[208]
According to the 1973 Education Act, education is compulsory and free for children between the ages of 5 and 16 years. Thirty of the 55 primary schools in Antigua and Barbuda are public schools where schooling is free. The government provides free textbooks and schooling supplies to private schools through the Board of Education.[209]
Recent primary school enrollment and attendance statistics are not available for Antigua and Barbuda. According to the government, most children enjoy access to primary education. However, there are no nationally available statistics detailing the total population of children for Antigua and Barbuda.[210]
Child Labor Laws and Enforcement
The Labor Code, Division E of 1975, sets the minimum age for employment at 14 years. The provisions also establish that children under 16 years cannot work more than 8 hours in a 24-hour time period or during school hours.[211] Children between the ages of 14 and 18 years must obtain a medical examination prior to employment.[212] The Constitution prohibits slavery and forced labor.[213]
The Sexual Offences Act of 1995 increased the age of consent in Antigua and Barbuda from 14 to 16 years of age. The Sexual Offences Act also prohibits prostitution, including child prostitution and makes the offense punishable with a sentence of up to 15 years imprisonment.[214] There is no comprehensive law prohibiting trafficking in persons; however, existing laws on prostitution and labor provide a legal framework to prosecute individuals for trafficking offenses.[215] The Offences Against the Person Act offers some protection to children who are sold, trafficked, or abducted.[216] The Act dictates penalties for child stealing when the child is under 14 years[217]and makes it an offense to abduct a girl under 16 years without the consent of her parents.[218] The Act makes no provision for boys with respect to abduction.[219] UN officials expressed concern over the growing problem of substance abuse among children and the lack of specific legislation prohibiting children from using, selling, and trafficking controlled substances.[220]
The Ministry of Labor, which is required to conduct periodic inspections of workplaces, effectively enforced laws prohibiting child labor, according to the U.S. Department of State.[221] The police and social welfare departments investigate the criminal and social aspects of child labor. There is an Inspectorate in the Labor Commissioner’s Office that handles exploitive child labor matters.[222]
Current Government Policies and Programs to Eliminate the Worst Forms of Child Labor
In 2004, the World Bank, in partnership with CARICOM and other international donor organizations, launched a regional HIV/AIDS prevention project in Antigua and Barbuda. This project contains a component focused on the prevention of HIV transmission among young people. It will provide support to orphans, increase access to HIV/AIDS prevention and services for out of school youth, integrate HIV/AIDS information into reproductive health programs, and promote peer counseling for youth, parents, and teachers. The first phase of this project is expected to end in 2007.[223]
The government developed an initiative, the Health and Family Life Education Project, to improve the education of children in schools through additional material in the curriculum and organizing peer counseling and parenting workshops.[224]
In 2003, the House passed the Child Care and Protection Act, which seeks to establish a specific agency within the government to address child welfare issues, including at-risk, abused, neglected, HIV/AIDS positive, or disabled children.[225]
The Ministry of Sports and Youth Empowerment offers the Youth Skills Training Programme for out of school youth and youth unable to regularly attend school. This program provides them with vocational skills training and transportation subsidies.[226]
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