Selected Child Labor Measures Adopted by Governments
| Ratified Convention 138 9/4/2000 |
X |
| Ratified Convention 182 7/3/2001
| 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
UNICEF estimated that 26.9 percent of children ages 5 to 14 years in the Gambia were working in 2000.[1656] Children in rural areas mainly work on family farms and assist with housework. Many girls in rural areas leave school to work, and some migrate to urban areas seeking domestic or other employment.[1657] Other sectors where children are known to work are carpentry, sewing, masonry, plumbing, tailoring, and mechanics.[1658] In urban areas, children are commonly found working as street vendors or taxi and bus assistants. The number of street children is growing[1659] and has led to increased instances of children begging.[1660] Consequently, their vulnerability to exploitation has been exacerbated.[1661]
According to UNICEF, commercial sexual exploitation of children is on the rise. The problem is most acute in the sex tourism industry, where young children, especially girls, are coerced by Gambian adults offering gifts and promises of a better or “more Western” life style.[1662] Child trafficking is also a problem. As a transit and destination country, the Gambia is a transfer point where children are trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced domestic and commercial labor. Most children are seized from rural areas and moved to urban centers. Many, ultimately, are trafficked to Europe or South America where they are exploited by the pornography industry.[1663]
The Constitution mandates free and compulsory primary education to 8 years of age. However, a lack of resources and educational infrastructure has made implementation difficult.[1664] Consequently, many families are faced with paying school fees or tuition.[1665] In 2001, the gross primary enrollment rate was 78.9 percent and the net primary enrollment rate was 72.9 percent.[1666] Gross and net enrollment ratios are based on the number of students formally registered in primary school and therefore do not necessarily reflect actual school attendance. Recent primary school attendance statistics are not available for the Gambia. As of 1998, 69.2 percent of children who started primary school were likely to reach grade 5.[1667] Approximately 20 percent of school-age children attend Koranic schools, which usually have a restricted curriculum.[1668]
Child Labor Laws and Enforcement
The Gambia’s statutory minimum age for employment is 14 years.[1669] The legal framework governing child labor in the Gambia is limited, and there are no laws that restrict the sectors in which children can work.[1670] Child labor protection does not extend to youths performing traditional chores on family farms or working for petty traders. Employee labor cards list employee ages with the Labor Commissioner, who is authorized to enforce labor laws but performs few enforcement inspections.[1671] The Criminal Code prohibits procuring a girl under 21 years of age for the purposes of prostitution, either within the Gambia or outside of the country.[1672] The Tourism Offenses Act of 2003 carries severe punishments for tourists found guilty of involvement in child prostitution and pornography.[1673]
Current Government Policies and Programs to Eliminate the Worst Forms of Child Labor
The Government of the Gambia began implementing an education initiative in 1998, with USD 15 million in loan support from the World Bank. The project will last until 2005 and is intended to increase the gross enrollment rate to 90 percent, improve educational opportunities for girls,[1674] strengthen basic education curricula, and improve teacher training.[1675] The government continues to fund a countrywide program that pays the school fees for girls enrolled in grades 7 through 12 in public schools.[1676] The program also covers girls attending private schools.[1677] However, enrollment of girls remains low in rural areas where cultural factors and poverty discourage parents from sending them to school.[1678] The President’s Empowerment of Girls Education project in the Banjul, Western and North Bank is also being implemented.[1679] The U.S. Department of Agriculture is working with the government as part of a global effort to provide meals for schoolchildren.[1680]
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