Child Labor and Forced Labor Reports
Rwanda
Moderate Advancement
In 2021, Rwanda made moderate advancement in efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. Rwanda finalized a new national action plan to combat human trafficking and launched a new hotline for the public to report child abuse, including child labor. Furthermore, the Isange One Stop Centers that provide services to human trafficking victims inaugurated the first child-safe space to provide care to child victims of trafficking. However, children in Rwanda are subjected to the worst forms of child labor, including in forced domestic work. Children also perform dangerous tasks in mining, including carrying heavy loads. Reports indicate that government officials have detained children subjected to commercial sexual exploitation and forced street begging in transit centers intended for individuals demonstrating so-called deviant behaviors, in which children often experience physical abuse. The number of labor inspectors does not meet the International Labor Organization's technical advice for the size of Rwanda's workforce. Finally, social programs do not address all relevant sectors in which child labor is present.
Children in Rwanda are subjected to the worst forms of child labor, including in forced domestic work. Children also perform dangerous tasks in mining, including carrying heavy loads. (1-3) Table 1 provides key indicators on children's work and education in Rwanda.
|
Children |
Age |
Percent |
|---|---|---|
|
Working (% and population) |
6 to 14 |
5.4 (156,522) |
|
Working children by sector |
6 to 14 |
|
|
Agriculture |
78.9 |
|
|
Industry |
3.2 |
|
|
Services |
17.9 |
|
|
Attending School (%) |
6 to 14 |
89.4 |
|
Combining Work and School (%) |
7 to 14 |
4.9 |
|
Primary Completion Rate (%) |
97.4 |
Source for primary completion: Data from 2019, published by UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2022. (4)
Source for all other data: International Labor Organization's analysis of statistics from Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey (EICV-5), 2016–2017. (2)
Based on a review of available information, Table 2 provides an overview of children's work by sector and activity.
|
Sector/Industry |
Activity |
|---|---|
|
Agriculture |
Forestry activities (5) |
|
Production of sugarcane, rice, bananas, beans, coffee, manioc, pineapples, and potatoes, including carrying heavy loads† and wielding machetes (6,7) |
|
|
Production of tea, including applying fertilizers,† carrying heavy loads,† planting, plucking tea leaves, and weeding (6,8,9) |
|
|
Fishing† (10) |
|
|
Herding cattle and caring for pigs, sheep, goats, and chickens (6,11) |
|
|
Industry |
Construction,† including laying and making bricks (1,5,6,12) |
|
Mining† tantalum ore (coltan) and quarrying (1,5,6,13,14) |
|
|
Producing charcoal (6) |
|
|
Services |
Domestic work† (5,6,12,15,16) |
|
Repair and cleaning of motorcycles and motor vehicles (5,17) |
|
|
Street work, including collecting scrap metal,† carrying heavy loads as porters,† begging, and small-scale vending (6,17-19) |
|
|
Categorical Worst Forms of Child Labor‡ |
Commercial sexual exploitation, sometimes as a result of human trafficking (16,17,20) |
|
Forced labor in agricultural work, mining, domestic work, and begging (11,12,15,21) |
† Determined by national law or regulation as hazardous and, as such, relevant to Article 3(d) of ILO C. 182.
‡ Child labor understood as the worst forms of child labor per se under Article 3(a)–(c) of ILO C. 182.
Rwanda is a source and transit country for child trafficking victims, primarily those from Rwanda and neighboring countries trafficked to Saudi Arabia, Uganda, Kenya, and elsewhere in East Africa, the Middle East, and East Asia. (11,20,22,23) Within Rwanda, young girls are forced into domestic servitude and commercial sexual exploitation, and boys are exploited in forced labor in the agricultural and industrial sectors, including on plantations and in mines. (16,22-25) Children between ages 13 and 18 are often trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation in hotels, at times with the cooperation of hotel owners. Reports indicate an increase in domestic human trafficking, possibly due to the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on cross-border travel. (20) Homeless and orphaned children, children with disabilities, and girls are at particular risk of being trafficked. (20)
The government identified street begging as a growing problem in the country, noting that some families were renting out their children to individuals who would collect earnings from the children and pay a percentage to the families. (9,11,20) The closure of schools due to the pandemic may have contributed to an increase in forced begging, and children who begged typically worked almost 11 hours per day and were at risk of not returning to school. (9,20)
National data show that approximately 3.6 percent of all children in Rwanda are engaged in child labor, primarily in the agriculture and services sectors. (10,26) In a survey of working children between ages 5 and 17 from 11 districts in the country, Rwanda's National Commission for Human Rights reported in 2020 that more than half of the respondents indicated that they performed some type of hazardous labor, including carrying heavy loads, working in construction and brick kilns, and mining. (3,9)
Officials have indicated that children in mining often drop out of school and work in abandoned artisanal mines with their parents. (9,27) During the reporting period, police in the Musanze district of Northern Province indicated that hundreds of children had dropped out of school and many had begun working in the sugarcane and brick-making industries. (7) Poverty was identified as the key factor contributing to child labor, which in turn led to an increased incidence of children dropping out of school. (3,9)
Although the Ministry of Education established a policy that provides free basic education for 12 years, of which the first 9 are compulsory, in practice, the costs of uniforms, school supplies, and unofficial school fees may preclude some families from sending their children to school. (25,27,28) Furthermore, children with disabilities face particular difficulties accessing education due to stigma and because schools lack the capacity to accommodate special needs. (9,20,27,29)
Rwanda has ratified all key international conventions concerning child labor (Table 3).
|
Convention |
Ratification |
|---|---|
|
ILO C. 138, Minimum Age |
✓ |
|
ILO C. 182, Worst Forms of Child Labor |
✓ |
|
UN CRC |
✓ |
|
UN CRC Optional Protocol on Armed Conflict |
✓ |
|
UN CRC Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography |
✓ |
|
Palermo Protocol on Trafficking in Persons |
✓ |
The government has established laws and regulations related to child labor (Table 4). However, gaps exist in Rwanda's legal framework to adequately protect children from the worst forms of child labor, including the difference in the minimum age for work and the compulsory age for education.
|
Standard |
Meets International Standards |
Age |
Legislation |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Minimum Age for Work |
Yes |
16 |
Article 5 of the Labor Law; Article 2, 3, and 7-9 of the Ministerial Instruction Relating to Prevention and Fight Against Child Labor (30,31) |
|
Minimum Age for Hazardous Work |
Yes |
18 |
Article 6 of the Labor Law (30) |
|
Identification of Hazardous Occupations or Activities Prohibited for Children |
Yes |
Article 6 of the Labor Law; Articles 4–6 of the Ministerial Order Determining the List of Worst Forms of Child Labor; Kigali City Guidelines 2012-02; Articles 7–9 of the Ministerial Instruction Relating to the Prevention and Fight against Child Labor (30-32) |
|
|
Prohibition of Forced Labor |
Yes |
Articles 3.25 and 7 of the Labor Law; Article 178 of the Penal Code; Article 51 of the Law Relating to the Rights and Protection of the Child; Article 9 of the Ministerial Instruction Relating to Prevention and Fight against Child Labor (30,31,33,34) |
|
|
Prohibition of Child Trafficking |
Yes |
Articles 3.4, 3.6, 3.7, and 18–20 of the Law on Prevention, Suppression, and Punishment of Trafficking in Persons; Article 28 of the Law on Prevention and Punishment of Gender-Based Violence; Articles 225, 251, and 259–262 of the Penal Code; Article 51 of the Law Relating to the Rights and Protection of the Child; Article 31 of the Law Relating to the Protection of the Child; Article 9 of the Ministerial Instruction Relating to Prevention and Fight against Child Labor (31,33-37) |
|
|
Prohibition of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children |
Yes |
Articles 3.2 and 24 of the Law on Prevention, Suppression, and Punishment of Trafficking in Persons; Articles 190, 211, and 260 of the Penal Code; Article 51 of the Law Relating to the Rights and Protection of the Child; Articles 34 and 35 of the Law Relating to the Protection of the Child; Article 9 of the Ministerial Instruction Relating to Prevention and Fight against Child Labor (31,33,34,36,37) |
|
|
Prohibition of Using Children in Illicit Activities |
Yes |
Article 220 of the Penal Code; Article 51 of the Law Relating to the Rights and Protection of the Child; Article 9 of the Ministerial Instruction Relating to Prevention and Fight against Child Labor; Article 263 of the Law Determining Offenses and Penalties in General (31,33,34,38) |
|
|
Minimum Age for Voluntary State Military Recruitment |
Yes |
18 |
Article 5 of Presidential Order 72/01 Establishing Army General Statutes; Article 7 of Presidential Order 32/01 Establishing Rwanda Defense Forces Special Statute; Article 50 of the Law Relating to the Rights and Protection of the Child (33,39,40) |
|
Prohibition of Compulsory Recruitment of Children by (State) Military |
N/A* |
Article 5 of Presidential Order 72/01 Establishing Army General Statutes; Articles 99(8) and 100(2) of the Law Determining Offenses and Penalties in General (38,39) |
|
|
Prohibition of Military Recruitment by Non-state Armed Groups |
Yes |
Article 221 of the Penal Code (34) |
|
|
Compulsory Education Age |
No |
12 |
Article 47 of the Law Relating to the Rights and Protection of the Child; Articles 55–58 of the Law Determining the Organization of Education (33,41) |
|
Free Public Education |
No |
Article 47 of the Law Relating to the Rights and Protection of the Child; Articles 55–58 of the Law Determining the Organization of Education (33,41) |
* Country has no conscription (33,39,40)
The 2020 Law Determining the Organization of Education stipulates that primary education is free and compulsory through the first 6 years of schooling, but the law does not provide for free and compulsory secondary education. (9,41) Although Rwanda has adopted policies separate from the education law to implement fee-free 12 years basic education and compulsory education through age 15, the national education law does not provide for free basic education through the first 9 years of schooling and states that education is compulsory only up to age 12. (26,41,42) The Law Determining the Organization of Education also establishes English as the primary language of instruction, which may create a barrier to education for children whose first language is not English. (41) Furthermore, the age up to which education is compulsory makes children between ages 12 and 16 vulnerable to child labor because they are not legally required to attend school but are not legally permitted to work.
The government has established institutional mechanisms for the enforcement of laws and regulations on child labor (Table 5). However, gaps exist within the operations of enforcement agencies that may hinder adequate enforcement of their child labor laws.
|
Organization/Agency |
Role |
|---|---|
|
Ministry of Public Service and Labor (MIFOTRA) |
Enforces labor laws, including laws on child labor, in coordination with other government entities at the national and district level. (27) In partnership with the Ministry of Education, reintegrates children withdrawn from child labor with their families and enrolls them in school. Mobilizes other ministries and agencies providing social services, including the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion, the National Child Development Agency, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Local Government, to take an active role in child labor law enforcement. (1,9) |
|
Rwandan National Police (RNP) |
Through the Child Protection Unit and Anti-Trafficking Unit, enforce criminal laws related to the worst forms of child labor and operate a free hotline to report incidents of gender-based violence and child abuse, including child labor. (1,24,29) It is unknown how many calls to the hotline, if any, were related to child labor. (43) |
|
Rwanda Investigation Bureau |
Conducts investigations into criminal matters, including child labor. In the case of the Directorate for Anti-Gender-Based Violence, assists victims of the worst forms of child labor through anti-gender-based violence officers at each of the country’s 78 police stations. (1) |
|
National Public Prosecution Authority (NPPA) |
Prosecutes violations of labor laws, including laws on child labor. (1) Through its Anti-Gender-Based Violence unit, dedicates 12 prosecutors to work with an additional 60 prosecutors trained in handling relevant cases at the district level. (44) |
|
Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration |
Receives referrals for human trafficking cases and employs an anti-trafficking specialist. Trains border and immigration officials to identify potential human trafficking victims and to verify that children transported across the border are traveling with the permission of their parents or guardians. (1) |
Labor Law Enforcement
In 2021, labor law enforcement agencies in Rwanda took actions to address child labor (Table 6). However, gaps exist within the operations of the Ministry of Public Service and Labor (MIFOTRA) that may hinder adequate labor law enforcement, including insufficient allocation of human resources.
|
Overview of Labor Law Enforcement |
2020 |
2021 |
|---|---|---|
|
Labor Inspectorate Funding |
$257,000 (9) |
$166,705 (27) |
|
Number of Labor Inspectors |
36 (9) |
37 (27) |
|
Mechanism to Assess Civil Penalties |
Yes (30,45) |
Yes (30,45) |
|
Initial Training for New Labor Inspectors |
Yes (9) |
Yes (27) |
|
Training on New Laws Related to Child Labor |
Yes (9) |
N/A |
|
Refresher Courses Provided |
Yes (9) |
Yes (27) |
|
Number of Labor Inspections Conducted |
8,712 (9) |
9,432 (27) |
|
Number Conducted at Worksite |
8,712 (9) |
9,432 (27) |
|
Number of Child Labor Violations Found |
624 (46) |
253 (43) |
|
Number of Child Labor Violations for Which Penalties Were Imposed |
6 (9) |
8 (27) |
|
Number of Child Labor Penalties Imposed that Were Collected |
6 (9) |
8 (27) |
|
Routine Inspections Conducted |
Yes (9) |
Yes (27) |
|
Routine Inspections Targeted |
Yes (9) |
Yes (27) |
|
Unannounced Inspections Permitted |
Yes (47) |
Yes (47) |
|
Unannounced Inspections Conducted |
Yes (9) |
Yes (27) |
|
Complaint Mechanism Exists |
Yes (9) |
Yes (27) |
|
Reciprocal Referral Mechanism Exists Between Labor Authorities and Social Services |
Yes (9) |
Yes (27) |
Rwanda again significantly increased the number of labor inspections it conducted over the previous year as part of its effort to improve the efficiency of its public servants while using fewer resources. MIFOTRA indicated it has implemented a strategy of targeted planning and increased cooperation with Child Labor Steering Committees at the village level. (27) MIFOTRA also noted that despite budget cuts due to pandemic-related challenges, inspectors were among the few civil servants to receive vehicle and transportation allowances as well as other resources, in what the ministry highlighted as evidence of the prioritization of the labor inspectorate. (27) Of the inspections conducted during the reporting period, 720 specifically targeted child labor, and MIFOTRA reported removing 253 children from child labor situations. Inspectors receive at a minimum quarterly trainings on various labor-related topics, and in 2021 three new inspectors received initial training that included topics on child labor elimination. (27)
The number of labor inspectors is likely insufficient for the size of Rwanda's workforce, which includes approximately 4 million workers. According to the ILO's technical advice of a ratio approaching 1 inspector for every 40,000 workers in less developed economies, Rwanda would need to employ about 107 labor inspectors. (48) Despite MIFOTRA’s indication that the labor inspectorate was sufficiently funded, research finds that limited resources, lack of personnel, high workloads, and insufficient training may limit labor inspectors' ability to enforce child labor laws and perform onsite inspections. (4,9,20,27) Reports indicate that officials at the local level had difficulty identifying characteristics of child trafficking and child labor. (11,44)
Criminal Law Enforcement
In 2021, criminal law enforcement agencies in Rwanda took actions to address child labor (Table 7). However, gaps exist within the operations of the Rwandan National Police that may hinder adequate criminal law enforcement, including inadequate victim screening and identification.
|
Overview of Criminal Law Enforcement |
2020 |
2021 |
|---|---|---|
|
Initial Training for New Criminal Investigators |
Yes (9) |
Yes (27) |
|
Training on New Laws Related to the Worst Forms of Child Labor |
Yes (9) |
N/A |
|
Refresher Courses Provided |
Yes (9) |
Yes (27) |
|
Number of Investigations |
6 (9) |
8 (27) |
|
Number of Violations Found |
6 (9) |
19 (43) |
|
Number of Prosecutions Initiated |
6 (9) |
8 (27) |
|
Number of Convictions |
0 (9) |
0 (27) |
|
Imposed Penalties for Violations Related to the Worst Forms of Child Labor |
Yes (9) |
Yes (27) |
|
Reciprocal Referral Mechanism Exists Between Criminal Authorities and Social Services |
Yes (9) |
Yes (27) |
The government identified 19 child victims of child trafficking and forced child labor in 2021. (23) In a notable case during the reporting period, the Rwanda Investigation Bureau arrested folk singer Francois Nsengiyumva and charged him with defiling a 13-year-old girl and forcing her to work for him. (27,49) Although the alleged victim herself had reported Nsengiyumva to the authorities, he was released from custody 2 months later by the Nyagatare High Court, which found that the claims against him were baseless. (50,51)
The government has acknowledged detaining thousands of street children in accordance with a 2017 law establishing a National Rehabilitation Service to address “deviant behavior” and the accompanying 2018 Ministerial Order, which defines deviant behavior to include prostitution, begging, and informal street vending. (52,53) Under the purview of these laws, authorities may detain children for exhibiting deviant behavior and place children in a transit center before transferring them to a rehabilitation center or reintegrating them into the community. (20,23,24,27) The government maintains that the purpose of the laws and the transit centers is to rescue children from the street and to provide them with life skills before reuniting them with their families. (54) However, since some types of child labor are included in the 2018 Ministerial Order definition of "deviant behavior," children engaged in commercial sexual exploitation, forced begging, and street vending may be penalized for their engagement in child labor. (23,53) Sources report that children subjected to commercial sexual exploitation and forced street begging have been detained in the transit centers, in part due to inadequate screening by law enforcement officials to identify victims of human trafficking. (20,23,55) Research indicates that children placed in the primary transit center located in Kigali, also known as Gikondo, faced overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, insufficient food or water, and physical abuse. (29,52,56) Rehabilitation services at the centers were limited, and children were detained for prolonged periods at transit centers before they were referred to a rehabilitation facility or released back into the street. (20,57,58)
Despite government efforts to combat trafficking in persons, agencies lack a centralized database to share among law enforcement agencies, hindering coordination efforts. (23)
The government has established mechanisms to coordinate its efforts to address child labor (Table 8). However, gaps exist that hinder the effective coordination of efforts to address child labor, including lack of implementation.
|
Coordinating Body |
Role & Description |
|---|---|
|
Interministerial Steering Committee on Child Labor |
Coordinates government efforts related to the worst forms of child labor, reviews child labor laws, advocates the inclusion of child labor policies in national development plans, oversees the implementation of child labor interventions, and conducts field visits to assess the prevalence of child labor and raise awareness of child labor. (1) As part of the coordination efforts, MIFOTRA completed its annual Compliance Forum across all provinces and the city of Kigali, and held coordinating meetings with the Ministry of Local Government (MINALOC) every 2 weeks during the reporting period. (27) |
|
Interagency Working Group on Human Trafficking |
Enables national-level discussion and coordination of efforts to address human trafficking, including child labor. Includes representatives of the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF), the Ministry of Justice, RNP, and NPPA. (1,9) The working group remained active during the reporting period, though it held fewer meetings than the previous reporting period. (43) |
|
MIGEPROF’s National Child Development Agency |
Replaced the dissolved National Child Commission and the National Early Childhood Development Program in an effort to centralize the implementation of child's rights protection efforts. Monitors, promotes, and advocates for children's rights, and develops action plans to protect children from abuse and exploitation. (1,9,59,60) During the reporting period, partnered with the Rwanda Governance Board to conduct an early child development survey in 13 districts measuring various indicators of child well-being, such as child protection, to inform policy interventions. (61) Also hosted its annual National Children's Summit in 2021 to discuss issues such as school service, family violence, and sexual exploitation of children. (27) |
|
Child Labor Steering Committees |
Monitor incidents of child labor nationwide and implement policies developed by the Interministerial Steering Committee on Child Labor in 30 districts by coordinating with district-level officials in enforcing labor laws and providing social services to child labor victims. (1) In the case of Gender-Based Violence Committees, operate at the district level to raise awareness about gender-based violence and coordinate social services to assist gender-based violence victims. In the case of Child Protection Committees, identify and report cases of child rights violations at the district, sector, and cell levels. (1,16) Since their establishment in 2018, research has since been unable to identify any meaningful activities or efforts from these committees, particularly at the sector and cell levels. (43,46) |
Reports indicate that poor coordination, training, and resource constraints hindered efforts to combat human trafficking and that efforts were focused primarily on transnational rather than domestic human trafficking. (20,44)
The government has established policies related to child labor (Table 9). However, policy gaps exist that hinder efforts to address child labor, including mainstreaming child labor issues into relevant policies.
|
Policy |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Strategic Plan for the Integrated Child Rights Policy 2019–2024 |
Aims to improve coordination and implementation issues in child protection, including strategies to address child labor. Focuses on key areas of identity and nationality; family and alternative care; health, survival, and standard of living; education; protection; justice; and participation. (62) Research was unable to determine whether activities were undertaken to implement this policy during the reporting period. |
|
Anti-Human Trafficking Action Plan† |
Finalized in 2021 based on analysis of the 2019 anti-human trafficking national action plan, focuses efforts on trafficking prevention, victim protection and assistance, prosecution, and strategic partnerships with various stakeholders. (23,65) |
|
Rwanda Urban Development Project Labor Management Procedure |
Lays out specific responsibilities for MINALOC to monitor and enforce child labor laws at the local level. Mandates that appointed local authorities conduct inspections, enforce child labor laws for rural development projects, and field child labor complaints from Grievance Redress Committees established at local worksites. (9,66) Research was unable to determine whether activities were undertaken to implement this policy during the reporting period. |
† Policy was approved during the reporting period.
‡ The government has other policies that may have addressed child labor issues or had an impact on child labor. (63,64)
Rwanda adopted a new National Social Protection Policy in 2020 that aims to assist families living in poverty and includes measures to ensure access to education for children and to provide livelihood development. Although the plan acknowledges that poverty is a root cause of child labor, the prevention and elimination of child labor are not integrated into the policy. (67)
In 2021, the government funded and participated in programs that include the goal of preventing child labor (Table 10). However, gaps exist in these social programs, including the inadequate efforts to address child labor in all sectors.
|
Program |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Programs to Combat Child Labor and Raise Awareness† |
Include MIGEPROF's campaign to teach parents and community leaders to recognize risk factors for human trafficking and to identify victims; and the Friends of the Family Program (Inshuti Z'Umuryango), which trains volunteers to prevent and respond to child protection issues and establishes monitoring committees at various levels to combat child labor. (1) While the Friends of the Family Program remained active during the reporting period, research was unable to identify activities undertaken to address child labor specifically. |
|
Victim Assistance Programs† |
Musanze Child Rehabilitation Center in Northern Province assists children separated from armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (27,29) Gitagata Center provides education, vocational training, and psychosocial support, and aims to reunite former street children with their families. Isange One Stop Centers located in 44 hospitals and district capitals assist victims of gender-based violence and human trafficking. (1,68) The government continued to fund the rehabilitation and Isange One Stop Centers during the reporting period. (27) In 2021, the government inaugurated its first child-friendly space within an Isange One Stop Center to provide specialized services to child trafficking victims. (23) |
|
It Takes Every Rwandan to End Child Exploitation |
Advocacy campaign against child labor and sexual abuse of children supported by MIGEPROF and World Vision Rwanda. (1,69) During the reporting period, the program launched a new campaign in the Nyagatare district of Eastern Province that aims to work with children and communities to educate them about children's rights and preventing violence against children. The campaign also seeks to simplify referral mechanisms to report incidents. (70) Also in 2021, World Vision partnered with the Rwanda Extractive Industry Worker's Union to launch a new hotline to enable the public to report child abuses, including child labor. (71) |
|
Strengthening Social Protection Project (2017–2021) |
An $80 million World Bank-funded project in support of the Vision 2020 Umurenge Program that aimed to deliver cash transfers and improve social safety nets. (72) Research was unable to determine whether activities were undertaken to implement the program during the reporting period. |
† Program is funded by the Government of Rwanda.
‡ The government had other social programs that may have included the goal of eliminating or preventing child labor. (73)
Although Rwanda has programs that target child labor, research did not identify sufficient programming to address the extent of child labor in the agriculture and mining sectors, in which child labor is prevalent.
Observers indicate that despite efforts to protect and assist victims of human trafficking, the country's shelter system was focused on short-term needs, with few resources for individuals needing long-term support. (22,25) In addition, service providers lacked sufficient training to properly identify victims of human trafficking. (20,22)
Based on the reporting above, suggested actions are identified that would advance the elimination of child labor in Rwanda (Table 11).
|
Area |
Suggested Action |
Year(s) Suggested |
|---|---|---|
|
Legal Framework |
Establish by law compulsory education up to the age of 15 and free basic public education. |
2020 – 2021 |
|
Ensure that the age up to which education is compulsory is the same as the minimum age for work. |
2020 – 2021 |
|
|
Enforcement |
Report the number of complaints received by the Rwandan National Police's hotline that relate to child labor. |
2013 – 2021 |
|
Increase the number of inspectors to meet the ILO’s technical advice. |
2009 – 2021 |
|
|
Ensure that the labor inspectorate has sufficient resources, personnel, and training to enforce child labor laws. |
2017 – 2021 |
|
|
Cease the practice of detaining and physically abusing children who work on the street and ensure that children in detention receive adequate screening and services, and are not subjected to abuse or unhealthy detention conditions. |
2018 – 2021 |
|
|
Improve ability of law enforcement agencies to share data relevant to the worst forms of child labor. |
2021 |
|
|
Coordination |
Ensure that all coordinating bodies are able to carry out their intended mandates. |
2019 – 2021 |
|
Ensure that coordinating bodies receive adequate resources and are able to combat both domestic and transnational human trafficking. |
2019 – 2021 |
|
|
Government Policies |
Ensure that actions are taken to implement the Strategic Plan for the Integrated Child Rights Policy. |
2019 – 2021 |
|
Integrate child labor elimination and prevention strategies into the National Social Protection Strategy. |
2011 – 2021 |
|
|
Social Programs |
Ensure that activities are undertaken to implement social programs during the reporting period and make information about implementation measures publicly available. |
2020 – 2021 |
|
Remove barriers to education, such as language barriers for non-English speakers, costs for uniforms and school supplies, and unofficial school fees, and ensure access for children with disabilities. |
2010 – 2021 |
|
|
Expand existing social programs to address all relevant sectors of child labor, including agriculture and mining. |
2017 – 2021 |
|
|
Expand services for human trafficking victims, including programs for long-term care in shelters. |
2019 – 2021 |
|
|
Ensure that service providers are properly trained to identify victims of human trafficking. |
2019 – 2021 |
- U.S. Embassy- Kigali. Reporting. February 7, 2019.
- ILO. Analysis of Child Economic Activity and School Attendance Statistics from National Household or Child Labor Surveys. Original data from Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey (EICV-5), 2016–2017. Analysis received March 2022. Please see “Children's Work and Education Statistics: Sources and Definitions” in the Reference Materials section of this report.
- Government of Rwanda. Analysis of Child Labor and Its Impact on Child Rights in Rwanda. National Commission for Human Rights. May 2020.
http://www.cndp.org.rw/fileadmin/user_upload/Child_Labor_Survey_Report.pdf - UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes (%). Accessed March 3, 2022. For more information, please see “Children's Work and Education Statistics: Sources and Definitions” in the Reference Materials section of this report.
http://data.uis.unesco.org/ - National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda. Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey (EICV) 2013/2014 Thematic Report: Economic Activity. March 2016.
http://www.statistics.gov.rw/publication/eicv-4-thematic-report-economic-activity - Rwanda Extractive Industry Workers Union. Rapid Assessment Report on Rwanda Child Labor. October 1, 2020.
https://rewu.org.rw/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/2020.-10.-01-Rapid-Assessment-Report-on-child-labor-in-Rwanda.pdf - Government of Rwanda. Parents urged to send children to school. Musanze: Rwanda National Police. May 11, 2021.
https://police.gov.rw/media-archives/news-detail/news/musanze-parents-urged-to-send-children-to-school/ - Winrock International. Baseline Prevalence Study on Child Labor in Tea Growing Areas in Rwanda. Published in 2016. Source on file.
- U.S. Embassy- Kigali. Reporting. January 21, 2021.
- National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda. The Fifth Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey EICV5 2016/17: Economic Activity. December 2018.
http://www.statistics.gov.rw/publication/eicv5thematic-reporteconomic-activity-thematic-reportpdf - U.S. Embassy- Kigali. Reporting. February 12, 2021.
- Kantengwa, Sharon. How is Rwanda faring in the fight against child labour? The New Times, June 16, 2017.
http://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/read/214331/ - Okello, James. Police Warns Over Child Labour. newsofrwand.com, April 10, 2016. Source on file.
- Government of Rwanda. The duo arrested over illegal mining, child labour. Rwanda National Police. June 11, 2021.
https://www.police.gov.rw/media-archives/news-detail/news/rulindo-the-duo-arrested-over-illegal-mining-child-labour/ - Nkurunziza, Michel. Is there hope for mistreated domestic workers? Rwanda Focus. July 2, 2016.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201607040487.html - ILO Committee of Experts. Individual Direct Request concerning Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) Rwanda (ratification: 2000). Published: 2018.
https://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=1000:13100:0::NO:13100:P13100_COMMENT_ID:3331386:NO - U.S. Embassy- Kigali. Reporting. January 19, 2018.
- Agaba, Dennis. Kigali's Market Children Dream of Going Back to School [analysis]. Kigali: The New Times, s.n., May 17, 2015. Source on file.
- Dushimimana, Marie Anne. How Can We Keep Our Children Off Streets? All Africa, November 9, 2017.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201711090172.html - U.S. Department of State. 2021 Trafficking in Persons Report: Rwanda. Washington, D.C., June 2021.
https://www.state.gov/reports/2021-trafficking-in-persons-report/rwanda/ - U.S. Department of State. Trafficking in Persons Report- 2019: Rwanda. Washington, D.C., June 20, 2019.
https://www.state.gov/reports/2019-trafficking-in-persons-report-2/rwanda/ - International Organization for Migration. In Rwanda, Research on Understanding Human Trafficking Validated. August 2, 2019.
https://www.iom.int/news/rwanda-research-understanding-human-trafficking-validated - U.S. Embassy--Kigali. Reporting. February 14, 2022.
- U.S. Department of State. Trafficking in Persons Report- 2020: Rwanda. Washington, D.C., June 16, 2020.
https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-trafficking-in-persons-report/rwanda/ - U.S. Embassy- Kigali. Reporting. February 14, 2020.
- U.S. Embassy- Kigali. Reporting. January 15, 2020
- US Embassy Kigali. Reporting. January 14, 2022.
- U.S. Department of State. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices- 2021 Rwanda. Washington, D.C., March 30, 2022.
https://www.state.gov/reports/2021-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/rwanda/ - U.S. Department of State. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices- 2020: Rwanda. Washington, D.C., March 30, 2021.
https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/rwanda/ - Government of Rwanda. Law regulating Labour in Rwanda, N° 66/2018. Enacted: August 30, 2018. Source on file.
- Ministry of Public Service and Labour. Ministerial Instructions No. 01/2017 Relating to Prevention and Fight Against Child Labour. Enacted November 11, 2017. Source on file.
- Government of Rwanda. Instructions of the Council of the City of Kigali City N°02 establishing mechanisms of prevention and fight against illegal child labour in Kigali City. Enacted; April 29, 2012. Source on file.
- Government of Rwanda. Law N°54/2011 relating to the rights and the protection of the child. Enacted: June 25, 2012. Source on file.
- Government of Rwanda. Organic Law N°01/2012 Instituting the Penal Code. Enacted: May 2, 2012.
https://www.unodc.org/res/cld/document/rwa/1999/penal-code-of-rwanda_html/Penal_Code_of_Rwanda.pdf - Government of Rwanda. Law N°59 on prevention and punishment of gender-based violence. Enacted: September 10, 2008. Source on file.
- Government of Rwanda. Law Nº 51/2018 of 13/08/2018 Relating to the Prevention, Suppression and Punishment of Trafficking in Persons and Exploitation of Others. Enacted: August 13, 2018.
https://rwandalii.africanlii.org/sites/default/files/gazette/OG+no+39+of+24+9+18+1.pdf - Government of Rwanda. Law N°71/2018 relating to the protection of the child. Enacted: August 31, 2018.
https://rwandalii.africanlii.org/sites/default/files/gazette/OG+no+37+bis+of+10-09-2018.pdf - Government of Rwanda. Law N°68/2018 determining offences and penalties in general. Enacted: August 30, 2018.
https://rwandalii.africanlii.org/sites/default/files/gazette/OG+no+Special+of+27-09-2018.pdf - Government of Rwanda. Presidential Order N°72/01 Establishing Army General Statutes. July 8, 2002. Source on file.
- Government of Rwanda. Presidential Order N°32/01 Establishing Rwanda Defence Forces Special Statute. Enacted: September 3, 2012.
http://www.rlrc.gov.rw/fileadmin/user_upload/Laws/Laws/RWA LAWS PUBLISHED IN 2012/RWA 2012 PO N0 32-01-2012 RWANDA DEFENSE FORCES SPECIAL STATUTE -- OG N0 36 OF 03 SEPT. 2012.pdf - Government of Rwanda. Law No. 010-2021 of 16-02-2021, determining the organization of education. February 16, 2021. Source on file.
- Government of Rwanda. Education Sector Strategic Plan 2018-2024. Ministry of Education. Accessed April 5, 2022. Source on file.
- U.S. Embassy- Kigali. Official communication to USDOL official. June 23, 2022.
- U.S. Embassy- Kigali. Reporting. March 1, 2019.
- Government of Rwanda. Information Requested on Labour Inspection and Child Labour. Ministry of Public Service and Labour. February 7, 2020. Source on file.
- U.S. Embassy- Kigali. Official e-mail communication to USDOL official. July 1, 2021.
- Government of Rwanda. N. 001 19.20. Ministerial Order Relating to Labour Inspection. March 17, 2020. Source on file.
- ILO Labor Force Statistics (LFS). Population and labour force. Accessed January 25, 2022. Labor force data is government-reported data collected by the ILO. Please see "Labor Law Enforcement: Sources and Definitions" in the Reference Materials section of this report
https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/ - Kagire, Edmund. Singer Francois ‘Gisupusupu’ Nsengiyumva Detained on Suspicion of Defilement, Child Labour. KT Press. June 30, 2021.
https://www.ktpress.rw/2021/06/singer-francois-gisupusupu-nsengiyumva-detained-on-suspicion-of-defilement-child-labour/ - Kawera, Jeannette. Artist Francois Nsengiyumva released. The New Times. August 26, 2021.
https://www.newtimes.co.rw/entertainment/artist-francois-nsengiyumva-released - Sabiiti, Daniel. Singer Nsengiyumva- Igisupusupu Appeals Defilement, Child Labor case. KT Press. August 01, 2021.
https://www.ktpress.rw/2021/08/singer-nsengiyumva-igisupusupu-appeals-defilement-child-labor-case/ - Human Rights Watch. As Long as We Live on the Streets, They Will Beat Us – Rwanda’s Abusive Detention of Children. January 27, 2020.
https://reliefweb.int/report/rwanda/long-we-live-streets-they-will-beat-us-rwanda-s-abusive-detention-children - Government of Rwanda. Law N001 07.01 Ministerial Order determining mission of transit centers. National Rehabilitation Service. April 19. 2018.
https://rwandalii.africanlii.org/sites/default/files/gazette/OG+No.+Special+bis+du+26+April+2018.pdf - Government of Rwanda. Rwanda Rescues and Rehabilitates Street Children. Kigali: MIGEPROF. February 6, 2020. Source on file.
- U.S. Embassy- Kigali. Official e-mail communication to USDOL official. May 18, 2021.
- UN Committee against Torture. Concluding observations on the second periodic report of Rwanda. December 21, 2017: CAT/C/RWA/CO/2.
https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=CAT/C/RWA/CO/2&Lang=en - Human Rights Watch. Rwanda: UN Body Targets Abuse of Street Children. Nairobi. February 14, 2020.
https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/02/14/rwanda-un-body-targets-abuse-street-children# - UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. Concluding Observations on the Combined Fifth and Sixth Periodic Reports of Rwanda. February 10. 2020.
https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CRC/Shared Documents/RWA/CRC_C_RWA_CO_5-6_41514_E.pdf - Ntirenganya, Emmanuel. Rwanda - Children Commission Dissolved. Kigali: The New Times. July 28, 2020.
https://allafrica.com/stories/202007290117.html - Government of Rwanda. Law No. 12-2020 of 28-08-2020 establishing the National Commission for Children.
https://gazettes.africa/archive/rw/2020/rw-government-gazette-dated-2020-09-04-no-Special.pdf - Ntirenganya, Emmanuel. New Scorecard Exposes Challenges in Early Childhood Development. Kigali: The New Times. October 28, 2021.
https://allafrica.com/stories/202110280527.html - Government of Rwanda. Strategic Plan for Integrated Child Rights Policy 2019-2024. National Commission for Children. December 30, 2018. Source on file.
- African Union. Ten Year Action Plan on Eradication of Child Labour, Forced Labour, Human Trafficking, and Modern Slavery in Africa 2020-2030. Addis Ababa. April 6, 2021.
https://www.ilo.org/africa/technical-cooperation/accel-africa/WCMS_778563/lang--en/index.htm - African Union. Launch the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour in Africa and accelerate the implementation of the African Union Ten Year Action Plan. March 31, 2021.
https://au.int/en/newsevents/20210331/launch-international-year-elimination-child-labour-africa-and-accelerate - Government of Rwanda. National Action Plan for Combatting Trafficking in Persons in Rwanda. March 2019. Source on file.
- Government of Rwanda. Rwanda Urban Development Project Labor Management Procedures. May 2020.
https://www.mininfra.gov.rw/fileadmin/user_upload/Mininfra/Documents/Housing_and_Urban_Planning_Docs/RUDP_II_LMP_May_2020_for_Public_Disclosure.pdf - Government of Rwanda. National Social Protection Policy. Ministry of Local Government. June, 2020.
https://nyarugenge.gov.rw/fileadmin/user_upload/REPORT/Approved_Social_Protection_Policy.pdf - U.S. Department of State. Trafficking in Person Report- 2018: Rwanda. Washington, D.C., June 2018.
https://www.state.gov/reports/2018-trafficking-in-persons-report/rwanda/ - World Vision. Rwanda Annual Report 2019 – Our impact update. 2019. Source on file.
- Nkurunziza, Michel. World Vision launches child protection campaign in Eastern Province. The New Times. April 16, 2021.
https://www.newtimes.co.rw/featured/world-vision-launches-child-protection-campaign-eastern-province - Favour, Ester. World Vision Rwanda launches platform to ease reporting child abuse. The New Times. September 08, 2021.
https://www.newtimes.co.rw/featured/featured-world-vision-rwanda-launche-platform-ease-reporting-child-abuse - World Bank. Project Appraisal Document on a Proposed Credit in the Amount of US$80 Million to the Republic of Rwanda for a Strengthening Social Protection Project. November 27, 2017.
http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/761071513825243134/pdf/RWANDA-PAD-11292017.pdf - U.S. Department of Agriculture. Active McGovern-Dole Projects [website]. Accessed March 1, 2019.
https://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/mcgovern-dole-food-education-program/active-mcgovern-dole-projects
your hand? Download ILAB's Sweat & Toil App today!