† 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.

Children at Higher Risk

In Timor-Leste, traffickers exploit some children from rural areas and the capital, Dili, in domestic work, commercial sexual exploitation, or other forms of forced labor. Of these children, those identifying as LGBTQIA+ are particularly vulnerable to commercial sexual exploitation. In addition, some rural families send children to live with relatives in Dili for school, work, or both; however, there are reports that some of those children are forced to work, including as street vendors, to earn their keep. Although data is limited, it is reported that children are sometimes directed to work on family farms against their wishes to pay off family debt.

Barriers to Education Access

Research indicates that pregnant girls are sometimes not permitted to continue their education at school and therefore drop out. Those wishing to re-enroll in school face hurdles doing so, including difficulty receiving necessary school documents or transferring schools. While there are indications that a policy mandating pregnant girls be allowed to attend and re-enroll in school is in development, research was unable to determine the draft policy's status in 2023. In addition, other barriers to education access in Timor-Leste include inadequate school facilities, a limited number of teachers, inadequate teacher training, and long distances to school, especially in rural areas. Children with disabilities are also often unable to attend school due to accessibility challenges. Further, students need birth records to enroll in school, and birth registrations are sometimes unavailable in rural areas. Although public education is free, families of students must pay for school uniforms and supplies, costs that can restrict access to school, particularly for children from poor and rural areas.

Although Timor-Leste has adopted the List of Hazardous and Prohibited Activities to Children Under the Age of 18, it is uncertain how this law will interact with the Labor Code, which sets the minimum age for hazardous work at age 17 and does not meet international standards. The Labor Code also does not specify which activities qualify as light work. In addition, the Penal Code fails to criminalize the use of a child for prostitution and is limited to children under the age of 17, thus not meeting the international standard on the prohibition of commercial sexual exploitation of children and using children in illicit actvities. Finally, the minimum age for work of 15 is lower than the compulsory education age of 16, which may encourage children to leave school before the completion of compulsory education.

In 2023, 26 labor inspectors conducted 1,932 worksite inspections, finding 0 child labor violations. It is unknown whether investigations into suspected cases of the worst forms of child labor were conducted, prosecutions were initiated, or perpetrators were convicted.

For information about USDOL’s projects to address child labor around the world, visit https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/ilab-project-page-search
† Program is funded by the Government of Timor-Leste.

Download the 2023 Bibliography