VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHPL #0759/01 3531244
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 191244Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY PORT LOUIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2857
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
INFO RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0273

UNCLAS PORT LOUIS 000759 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DOL/ILAB FOR TINA MACCARTER 
 
DRL/IL FOR TU DANG 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB EIND ETRD PHUM SOCI MP
 
SUBJECT: MAURITIUS: UPDATE ON WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOR 
 
REF: STATE 184972 
 
¶1. Post has compiled the following information on child labor in 
Mauritius in response to questions posed in reftel. 
 
//CHILD LABOR LAWS AND REGULATIONS// 
 
¶2. On November 21, 2006, the Government of Mauritius (GOM) amended 
the Labor Act to raise the minimum employment age from 15 to 16 
years in line with the ILO Minimum Age Convention 1973 (Convention 
No. 138).  There are no exceptions to the minimum age law. 
 
¶3. The Occupational Safety and Health Act 2005, which has not yet 
been enacted, prohibits an employer from employing a young person 
(above 16 but who not yet 18) in any activity involving: (a) work 
with explosives; (b) exposure to ionizing radiation; (c) work with 
heavy metals, including lead and mercury; (d) work in factory and 
construction sector; (e) work with, or exposure to, any form of 
asbestos; (f) exposure to benzene or other harmful organic solvent; 
(g) exposure to aromatic amines; (h) exposure to prescribed noise or 
vibration; (i) work in compressed air or in confined spaces; and (j) 
any work which is harmful to health and safety of that person.  In 
addition, the Labor Act stipulates that "no person shall employ or 
continue to employ a young person on work which is harmful to 
health, dangerous, or otherwise unsuitable for a young person." 
 
 
//ENFORCEMENT AND INVESTIGATIONS// 
 
¶4. The Ministry of Labor, Industrial Relations and Employment is 
responsible for the implementation and enforcement of child labor 
laws.  Under the Ombudsperson for Children Act 2003, the 
Ombudsperson for Children is also empowered to initiate an 
investigation whenever the Ombudsperson considers that there is, has 
been, or is likely to be a violation of the rights of a child, 
including cases relating to child labor.  In addition, for the 
purposes of an investigation under this Act, the Ombudsperson for 
Children may enter the premises where it is suspected that a child 
is in employment. 
 
¶5. The penalties for employing a child under the Labor Act are a 
fine of no more than approximately USD 65 (2,000 rupees) and a term 
of imprisonment not to exceed one year.  Under the law, certain acts 
compromising the health, security, or morality of a child are 
crimes, although the GOM was unable to enforce complete compliance 
with the law.  Private voluntary organizations claimed that child 
abuse was more widespread than was acknowledged publicly.  The 
state-funded National Children's Council and the Ministry of Women's 
Rights, Family Welfare, and Child Development administered most 
government programs.  Both provided counseling, investigated reports 
of child abuse, and took remedial action to protect affected 
children.  According to the Ombudsperson for Children, the fact that 
there are virtually no cases of child labor in Mauritius is evidence 
of greater awareness on the part of the public of the legal 
implications of such practices. 
 
¶6. The Ministry of Labor employs 37 inspectors to investigate all 
reports of labor abuses, including those of child labor. 
 
¶7. There is no specific budget allocation with regard to child 
labor.  Officers of the Ministry of Labor monitor child labor during 
normal routine labor inspections; the program is included in the 
Ministry of Labor's budget.  The Ministry of Labor conducted 2,178 
child labor inspections during the period between October 21, 2005 
to October 20, 2006.  In one case, where child employment was 
detected, the employer was warned.  In another case, criminal action 
is being initiated against the employer. 
 
¶8. The GOM provides regular training to officers concerned with 
labor inspection issues, including child labor. 
 
//SOCIAL PROGRAMS AND SCHOOLING// 
 
¶9. In 2005, the GOM made education compulsory until the age of 16 
years.  Also, through the Education Priority Zone (ZEP) project, the 
Ministry of Education is making efforts to improve the school 
environment in less-developed areas.  The ZEP programs are based on 
the premise that positive reinforcement is required to create 
favorable learning conditions for children living in less-developed 
regions.  In addition, the GOM provides preparatory courses for 
primary school drop-outs at prevocational training centers. 
 
¶10. The GOM placed strong emphasis on the health and welfare of 
children and displayed a commitment to expand educational 
opportunities for children.  The Office of the Ombudsperson for 
Children ensured that the rights, needs, and interests of children 
were given full consideration by government, private authorities, 
individuals, and associations. 
 
¶11. The GOM is aware of the need to facilitate and promote 
children's access to schooling at all levels.  In this context, the 
Ministry of Education and Human Resources is in the process of 
designing a curriculum which aims to "put children first." 
Curriculum reforms are at the heart of the GOM's educational 
program.  The Ministry of Education initiated a "National Debate on 
Curriculum Reforms" in November 2005.  The recommendations made have 
been published in a document entitled "Empowering the Nation's 
Children - Towards a Quality Curriculum".  The GOM program provides 
for a comprehensive review of the curriculum at pre-primary, 
primary, and secondary levels, in light of worldwide developments 
and in keeping with the needs of the country.  One of the goals of 
the reform program is to promote equity and social justice by 
providing opportunities for every child based on his/her needs, 
interests, and potential. 
 
¶12. The Industrial and Vocational Training Board, which operates 
under the Ministry of Education and Human Resources, provides a wide 
range of vocational training programs to older children through a 
number of regional training centers/institutions.  Courses currently 
being offered include agriculture, construction, hotel and tourism, 
engineering, electronics, textile, printing, jewelry, furniture 
making, design, and information technology. 
 
¶13. In 2005, the Education Act increased the age of free, universal, 
and compulsory education from age 12 to age 16. Authorities treated 
girls and boys equally at the primary, secondary, and post-secondary 
levels.  The majority of children finished secondary education. 
More than 90 percent of primary students attended school. 
 
¶14. With the exception of private schools, education is free, 
including books for primary school children, and transportation. 
Supplies and uniforms are not free. 
 
//NATIONAL PROGRAM OF ACTION// 
 
¶15. The GOM is committed to enforcing legislation related to child 
labor.  Mauritius considers that one of the achievements in recent 
years in the field of the promotion and protection of children's 
rights in general was the establishment of the Office of the 
Ombudsperson for Children.  The Ombudsperson has the duty of 
investigating violations of the rights of children and advising the 
GOM on a number of child-related issues.  The Ombudsperson also has 
the power to carry out its own investigations and/or make 
recommendations in cases dealing with children. 
 
¶16. In line with the ILO Minimum Age Convention (No. 138), the Labor 
Act was amended to raise the minimum employment age from 15 to 16 
years. 
 
//CHILD LABOR SITUATION// 
 
¶17. Compulsory education and the increase in the minimum employment 
age are important measures which have been taken by the GOM in the 
fight against child labor.  According to the Ministry of Labor and 
the Ombudsperson for Children, the child labor situation is not a 
concern in Mauritius, although children have been known to work in 
bakeries, gas stations, and shops.  The Ombudsperson believes that 
in Rodrigues, a dependency of Mauritius, there may be some cases 
where children work as domestic servants for third-party homes, on 
farms, or in shops.[h1]  (Note: Post was not able to substantiate 
this claim and official statistics on the issue are not available. 
End note.)  In its 2005 Report, which is available at 
http://oco.gov.mu, the Ombudsperson for Children cites poverty, 
exploitation by unscrupulous adults, vulnerability, and social and 
cultural attitudes, as the main reasons as to why children work. 
One area where the Ombudsperson for Children has expressed some 
concern is the employment of children in advertising.  According to 
the Ombudsperson, there is a need to ensure that children who are 
involved in advertising are not exploited as far as their rights are 
concerned.  The Ombudsperson has submitted proposals to the Ministry 
of Women's Rights, Child Development and Family Welfare and to the 
State Law Office in this regard. 
 
CABRERA 
 
[h1]Is there any current data backing this up?  Although it was in a 
previous HRR, I was unable to verify it.