CRC/C/SLV/CO/3-4
Economic exploitation including child labour
76.
The Committee notes the adoption of the the National Plan for the Eradication of the
Worst Forms of Child Labour (2006-2009) and welcomes the State party’s goals aimed at
eradicating the worst forms of child labour in El Salvador by 2015 and all forms of child
labour by 2020. It also notes the various measures (national plans, cooperative actions with
IPEC-ILO and UNICEF) undertaken by the State party to eradicate the worst forms of child
labour, including the establishment of the National Commission for the Eradication of the
Worst Forms of Child Labour. However, the Committee is concerned that many children
are still forced to work in hazardous conditions and drop out of school for that reason, and
that especially girls are often employed informally in domestic work under very difficult
and degrading conditions.
77.
The Committee recommends that the State party:
(a)
Define and determine hazardous work in national legislation, and in
accordance with international standards; and ensure that children are never exposed
to such work or to any of the worst forms of child labour;
(b)
Continue strengthening measures to combat economic exploitation of
children, including as domestic workers. To this end, the State party should increase
the frequency of inspections to detect the exposure of children to the so-called 3D jobs,
namely dangerous, degrading or dirty jobs;
(c)
Ensure that national legislation on minimum age for admission to
employment conform to applicable international standards;
(d)
Work towards its goals to eradicate the worst forms of child labour in El
Salvador by 2015 and all forms of child labour by 2020. In this respect, it encourages
the State party to continue seeking technical assistance from ILO-IPEC, UNICEF as
well as relevant NGOs partners.
Children in street situations
78.
The Committee notes the information from the State party’s delegation that there is
currently a restructuring, including in terms of human and financial resources, of the Centre
of Social Integration for Children and Adolescents (Centro Infantil de Integración Social
para la Niñez y la Adolescencia), which deals with children in street situations. The
Committee is concerned at:
(a)
The paucity of human resources available to the Centre so far, also in
consideration of the increase in the number of children working or living in the street;
(b)
(“maras”);
The increased vulnerability of street children to recruitment by youth gangs
(c)
The lack of information and research on the scope, nature and causes of this
phenomenon, which makes difficult the adoption of effective preventive and protective
policies.
79.
The Committee recommends that the State party:
(a)
Collect data on the number of children in street situations throughout
the country; and study the root causes of this serious situation, including with respect
to the living conditions of children in street situations;
(b)
Set up a national and comprehensive policy to prevent children from
living and working in the street, with strong emphasis on education, and on preventive
strategies at local and community level;
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