Selected Child Labor Measures Adopted by Governments
| Ratified Convention 138 6/2/1977 |
X |
| Ratified Convention 182 8/3/2001 |
X |
| Ratified Convention 182 3/23/2001 |
X |
| National Plan for Children |
X |
| National Child Labor Action Plan |
X |
| Sector Action Plan (Commercial Sexual Exploitation) |
X |
Incidence and Nature of Child Labor
The ILO estimated that less than 1 percent of children ages 10 to 14 years were working in Uruguay in 2002.[4124] The recent economic crisis in Uruguay, however, has reportedly led to an increase in the incidence of children working in the informal sector.[4125] The majority of child work occurs in the informal sector, where children work in agriculture, street vending, garbage collection, and begging.[4126] Children also reportedly engage in prostitution. In 2002, the state government of Maldonado reported that sex tourism and child prostitution had increased in a number of locations in the state. There are also reports of child prostitution in rural areas with high unemployment rates.[4127] Several types of prostitution have been reported, including of very poor and homeless children around factories and in slums, in downtown bars and pubs, on the street, and through pimps.[4128]
Kindergarten, primary, and secondary education are free and compulsory, and the government provides free education through the undergraduate level.[4129] In 2001, the gross primary enrollment rate was 108.3 percent (109.3 percent for boys, 107.1 percent for girls), and the net primary enrollment rate was 89.5 percent (89.3 percent for boys, 89.8 percent for girls).[4130] 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 Uruguay. As of 2000, 88.6 percent of children who started primary school were likely to reach grade 5.[4131]
Child Labor Laws and Enforcement
The Children’s Code sets the minimum age for employment at 15 years, and at 18 years for hazardous work.[4132] Workers under 18 years must undergo a physical exam in order to identify job-related physical harm, and children between 15 and 18 years may not work more than 6 hours per day or 36 hours per week. Violations of child labor laws are punishable by a fine of up to 2,000 “Readjustable Units,” which are calculated based on cost of living. Repeat offenders may be imprisoned, and parents of working children may be subject to fines, imprisonment, or possible limitation or revocation of guardianship.[4133]
Forced or bonded labor, including by children, is prohibited by the Constitution.[4134] The Commercial or Noncommercial Sexual Violence Against Children, Adolescents, and the Handicapped law addresses pornography, prostitution, and trafficking involving minors. The production, facilitation, or dissemination of child pornography is punishable by 6 months to 6 years of incarceration. Prison terms for trafficking children in or out of the country or contributing to the prostitution of a child range from 2 to 12 years.[4135] Additionally, prostituting a child for profit is punishable by a minimum jail sentence of 4 years.[4136]
The Adolescent Labor Division of the National Institute for Adolescents and Children (INAU) bears primary responsibility for implementing policies to prevent and regulate child labor and to provide training on child labor issues.[4137] INAU works with the Ministry of Labor to investigate complaints of child labor, and the Ministry of the Interior to prosecute cases.[4138] However, the U.S. Department of State reported that the lack of resources and concentration of child work in the informal sector make enforcement difficult.[4139] Responsibility for investigating trafficking cases lies primarily with the Ministry of the Interior.[4140]
Current Government Policies and Programs to Eliminate the Worst Forms of Child Labor
The Government of Uruguay, with support from the World Bank, is implementing a project to improve the equity, quality, and efficiency of preschool and primary education.[4141] The government is also participating in an IDB-funded program that includes initiatives to address child labor, reduce school attrition, and improve children’s performance in school.[4142]
The government is working with ILO-IPEC, other MERCOSUR governments, and the Government of Chile to implement a 2002-2004 regional plan to combat child labor.[4143] The plan’s objectives include developing public capacity to prevent and eradicate child labor, and strengthening information systems on child labor.[4144] The National Committee for the Eradication of Child Labor (CETI) has a National Action Plan for 2003-2005 to combat child labor. The plan includes measures such as awareness raising, the strengthening of legal protections, reintegration and retention of working children in school, and the development of alternative income generation for families of working children.[4145] The issue of child labor has been incorporated into the teacher training curriculum as part of the country’s National Action Plan to combat child labor.[4146] UNICEF is implementing a project on children’s and adolescents’ rights that includes a component on child labor.[4147]
The Interdepartmental Commission for the Prevention and Protection of Children Against Sexual Exploitation, along with INAU, has a national plan of action against commercial sexual exploitation of children that includes education programs.[4148] In addition, INAU maintains shelters for at-risk children, operates a confidential hotline for child victims of domestic abuse, and cooperates with an NGO to provide food vouchers to parents of street children who are sent to school.[4149] INAU also offers various services for adolescents, such as work training and safety programs, and educational and placement services.[4150]
The government provides parents of working children with monthly payments in exchange for regular class attendance by their children, and offers free lunch to needy children in public schools.[4151]
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