VZCZCXYZ0011
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAS #1784/01 3461512
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 121512Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY ALGIERS
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4993

UNCLAS ALGIERS 001784 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DOL/ILAB FOR TINA MCCARTER; DRL/IL FOR TU DANG 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB EIND ETRD PHUM SOCI AG
SUBJECT: ALGERIA: WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOR 
 
REF: SECSTATE 149662 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY:  The absence of reliable statistics makes it 
difficult to assess the extent of child labor in Algeria, 
especially the worst forms of child labor.  The information 
provided in this cable is drawn from the Algerian labor code, 
the Algerian constitution and press reports.  Post was unable 
to obtain meetings with Algerian government officials who 
work on this issue.  END SUMMARY 
 
¶2. (U) Per reftel paragraph 9, the following information 
concerning the worst forms of child labor in Algeria is 
provided: 
 
A) LAWS AND REGULATIONS PROSCRIBING THE WORST FORMS OF CHILD 
LABOR 
 
What laws have been promulgated on child labor, such as 
minimum age(s) for employment or hazardous forms of work? Are 
there exceptions to the minimum age law? 
 
Response:  Under Article 15 of Algerian labor law 90-11 
(April 1990), the minimum age for employment is 16, except 
for apprentice positions.  In order to be an apprentice, 
minors must have the permission of a legal guardian.  Under 
no circumstances, according to the law, may minors 
participate in dangerous, unhealthy or harmful work, or in 
work that is considered inappropriate because of social and 
religious considerations.  Article 28 of the Algerian labor 
law prohibits night work for youths under the age of 19. 
Under Article 192 of Ordinance No. 75-31 (April 1975), in 
cases of fixed-term temporary jobs, under-aged workers are 
required to request permission to work from the Ministry of 
Labor and Social Welfare. 
 
What laws have been promulgated on the worst forms of child 
labor, such as forced child labor and trafficking or child 
prostitution and pornography? 
 
Response:  The worst forms of child labor are subject to 
prosecution under different legal statutes.  The penal code 
prohibits compulsory child labor, including forced or bonded 
labor.  Ordinance 75-47 (June 1975) and Law No. 82-04 
(February 1982) prohibit corruption and debauchery of anyone 
younger than age 19, while Articles 343 and 344 of the penal 
code prohibit the use or recruitment of minors in 
prostitution.  In addition, the laws against immigration, 
prostitution, and forced labor may be used to enforce 
anti-trafficking standards.  There is no law specifically 
prohibiting trafficking in persons. 
 
What is the country's minimum age for military recruitment? 
 
Response:  Law No. 89-19 (December 12, 1989) establishes 18 
as the minimum age at which males must register for military 
service.  Law No. 74-103 (November 15, 1974) establishes 19 
as the earliest age that males can be called up for military 
service. 
 
If the country has ratified Convention 182, has it developed 
a list of occupations considered to be worst forms of child 
labor, as called for in article 4 of the Convention? 
 
Response:  According to the ILO website, Algeria ratified 
Convention 182 (Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention) on 
February 9, 2001.  Algeria's law does not define the worst 
forms of child labor and hazardous work.  Article 11 of 1987 
Law No. 88-07 stipulates that the employer should make sure 
that the work given to minors does not require efforts that 
exceed their capabilities. 
 
B) REGULATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF 
PROSCRIPTIONS AGAINST THE WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOR 
 
What legal remedies are available to government agencies that 
enforce child labor laws (criminal penalties, civil fines, 
court orders), and are they adequate to punish and deter 
violations? 
 
Response:  Article 140 of the labor code's penal disposition 
provides for civil fines between USD 14 and USD 28 against 
the recruitment and hiring of a young person who is not of 
working age.  In cases of a repeat offense, a sentence of 15 
days to 2 months imprisonment and a fine of USD 28 to USD 55 
can be assessed. 
 
To what extent are complaints investigated and violations 
addressed? 
 
Response:  Post has no information from the Algerian 
government on the extent to which complaints are investigated 
and violations are addressed. 
 
What level of resources does the government devote to 
investigating child labor cases throughout the country?  How 
many inspectors does the government employ to address child 
labor issues?  How many child labor investigations have been 
conducted over the past year?  How many have resulted in 
fines, penalties, or convictions? 
 
Response:  The Ministry of Labor is responsible for 
investigating child labor cases throughout the country as 
part of its responsibilities to enforce minimum age laws. 
Algeria has labor inspectors, but post was unable to verify 
the number.  However, we can confirm that there is no single 
inspector who is specifically charged with enforcing child 
labor laws.  Most labor inspectors are concentrated in the 
larger cities, while most child labor is found in rural areas. 
 
Has the government provided awareness raising and/or training 
activities for officials charged with enforcing child labor 
laws? 
 
Response:  On December 9, the Ministry of Justice announced 
that work on a draft law had been finalized on the protection 
of children.  The draft law includes the creation of a new 
position:  National Delegate for the Protection of Children. 
Further, the Ministry of Justice organized training sessions 
for judges aimed at protecting young people.  The initial 
training sessions included 25 judges, but the program will be 
expanded in 2008 to cover the country. 
 
C) WHETHER THERE ARE SOCIAL PROGRAMS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO 
PREVENT AND WITHDRAW CHILDREN FROM THE WORST FORMS OF CHILD 
LABOR 
 
What initiatives has the government supported to prevent 
children from entering exploitative work situations, to 
withdraw children engaged in such labor, and to advocate on 
behalf of children involved in such employment and their 
families?  These initiatives could include cash transfer 
programs that specifically target families with working 
children to enable children to leave work and enter school, 
establishment of shelters for child trafficking victims, or 
other programs.  Since the focus of the report is on 
government efforts, reporting is requested on initiatives 
carried out either by the government or by NGOs, but with 
government support.  (If possible, please provide information 
on funding levels for such initiatives.) 
 
Response:  The Ministry of National Education and the 
Ministry of Vocational Training worked together to open 
training centers to absorb students who were no longer 
eligible to remain in the education system.  At the beginning 
of the school year, the Ministry of National Solidarity 
provided 3,000 dinar (approximately USD 46) or packages of 
school supplies to needy families.  The government continues 
to work with UNICEF on programs to promote access to 
universal education, child protection and economic growth. 
As part of this effort, the government has implemented a 
national plan for economic development that aims at improving 
the situation of women and children, especially in rural 
provinces, where girls face barriers to education.  Since 
2004 and in collaboration with the Ministry of National 
Education, the Ministry of Labor has worked to inform 
children and parents about labor legislation, including 
organizing presentations at schools. 
 
NGOs have also been active.  In 2007, Algerian NGO CIDDEF 
provided computer literacy courses and daycare for needy 
children.  Algerian NGO Iqraa carried out programs in rural 
areas to sensitize parents to the importance of educating 
daughters.  Algerian NGO El-Irsh ad wa-Islah bought school 
supplies for children and provided free math and language 
tutoring. 
 
D)  DOES THE COUNTRY HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE POLICY AIMED AT THE 
ELIMINATION OF THE WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOR? 
 
Does the country have a comprehensive policy or national 
program of action on child labor or specific forms of child 
labor?  Does the country incorporate child labor specifically 
as an issue to be addressed in poverty reduction, 
development, educational or other social policies or 
programs, such as Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers, etc.  If 
so, to what degree has the country implemented the policy 
and/or program of action and achieved its goals and 
objectives? 
 
Response:  There is no national program of action on child 
labor. 
 
Is education free in law and in practice?  Is education 
compulsory in law and in practice?  Please note that although 
many anti-poverty programs may have indirect impacts on child 
labor, the TDA (Trade and Development Act) calls for 
governments to take specific actions to address the problem, 
and thus the TDA report focuses on efforts that name child 
labor as an explicit objective, target group, or condition 
for participation in government policies and programs. 
 
Response:  Under a 1976 law and under Article 53 of the 
constitution, education in Algeria is free and attendance at 
school is compulsory between the ages of 6 and 16. 
 
E)  IS THE COUNTRY MAKING CONTINUAL PROGRESS TOWARD 
ELIMINATING THE WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOR? 
 
Although some countries will not collect such information, 
Posts are requested to ask national statistical offices when 
appropriate for any recent child labor data sets.  Access to 
the actual data rather than reports based on the data will 
enable DOL to include better quality and more 
internationally-comparable information on rates of child 
labor in the TDA report.  DOL requests that such datasets be 
forwarded to the email or address provided in para 8; posts 
need not conduct any analysis of the data.  Please note that 
DOL uses UNESCO Institute of Statistics data 
http://stats.uis.unesco.org/) for information on primary 
education, and so such data is not being requested of posts. 
 
Response:  Post was unable to obtain official government 
statistics on child labor.  In a November 2007 press 
conference, Algerian NGO FOREM claimed that there are more 
than 1 million child workers in Algeria, with 500,000 below 
age 16, and with 300,000 having never attended school.  FOREM 
asserted that there are between 20,000 and 30,000 street 
children in Algeria.  The source of FOREM's data was a study 
conducted by the NGO in 13 wilayas (provinces). The 
organization also maintains that there are no reliable 
official statistics on child labor in Algeria. 
 
Please provide information on industries where child labor 
occurs as well as specific tasks in which children are 
involved and goods they produce, if available.  Please also 
provide information on age and gender of working children, 
disaggregated by industry/work activity/good, if possible. 
 
Response:  According to FOREM, the majority of children 
involved in child labor work in construction, agriculture and 
small handicraft workshops.  We do not have reliable 
information on the age and gender distribution of these 
children. 
 
To what extent are children working in slavery or practices 
similar to slavery, such as debt bondage, serfdom, and forced 
or compulsory labor?  Please indicate industries where this 
occurs and, if applicable, specific goods that such children 
produce. 
 
Response:  Post is unaware of children working under 
slave-like conditions. 
 
To what extent are children trafficked to work? Are children 
trafficked for commercial sex or for labor exploitation?  If 
labor-related, what specific industries or for the production 
of what specific goods are children known to be trafficked? 
Are they trafficked across national borders or within the 
country (specify source, destination and transit 
countries/regions/communities, if possible). 
 
Response:  According to one local NGO, there is some internal 
trafficking of children for work as domestic servants.  This 
are no reliable information or statistics on the extent of 
the problem. 
FORD