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ZNR UUUUU ZZH
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FM AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7625
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEAWJB/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 14 LUSAKA 000075 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PASS TO DOL/ILAB FOR LEYLA STROTKAMP, RACHEL RIGBY AND TINA 
MCCARTER, STATE FOR DRL/ILCSR SMORGAN AND TDANG, G/TIP 
LCDEBACA, AND AF/S LAYLWARD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB EIND ETRD KTIP PHUM SOCI USAID PGOV ZA
SUBJECT: ZAMBIA:  CHILD LABOR COMMON WITH SOME FORCED LABOR 
-- BUT INFORMATION SCARCE 
 
REF: A. STATE 131997 
     ¶B. 08 LUSAKA 573 
     ¶C. 09 LUSAKA 0032 
 
------- 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1.  (U) This cable responds to ref A request for information 
on the use of forced labor and/or exploitive child labor in 
the production of goods per the Trafficking Victims 
Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA).  It describes 
exploitive and hazardous child labor for Zambia per the Trade 
and Development Act (TDA).  Although monitoring is difficult 
and information is limited, child labor appears to be 
somewhat common in Zambia and occurs mainly in smallholder 
farming and sharecropping, small-scale mining and quarrying, 
and in service industries.  Information on forced labor 
remains scarce and inconclusive.  It is unclear whether this 
labor endangers the children or prevents them from attending 
school.  Although it occurs, forced labor is not linked to 
the production of any particular good. 
 
¶2.  (U) Following passage of the 2008 Anti-Human Trafficking 
Act and 2009 National Plan of Action against Human 
Trafficking, Zambia has taken concrete steps to combat human 
trafficking, including trafficking of children for forced 
labor.  Similarly, the Zambian government finalized a draft 
Child Labor Policy, launched a National Plan of Action for 
the Youth to help eliminate the worst forms of child labor, 
and worked with the International Labor Organization (ILO) on 
a "Time Bound" Program to promote child labor awareness to 
prevent child labor.  Still, limited resources remain a 
stumbling block to progress.  End Summary. 
 
--------------- 
TASKING 1/TVPRA 
--------------- 
 
¶3.  (U) The following goods meet USDOL's definition of goods 
produced using forced labor and/or exploitive child labor. 
Goods are listed in the same narrative by sector because they 
generally vary by type of production rather than by good. 
 
1A. Good:  Smallholder farming and sharecropping 
 
1B. Type of exploitation:  Exploitive child labor 
 
1C. Sources of information/years:  Interviews conducted in 
2010 with representatives from the International Labor 
Organization (ILO), UNICEF, Zambia Federation of Employers, 
Zambia Chamber of Mines, Federation of Small Scale Mining 
Association of Zambia, and Gemstones and Allied Workers Union 
of Zambia; 2005 Central Statistical Office Labor Force 
Survey; 2009 ILO/UNICEF/World Bank report "Understanding 
Children's Work in Zambia: An Inter Agency Research 
Cooperation Project"; 2008 ILO-IPEC working papers 1 and 2 of 
the "Handbook for District Child Labor Committees:  Zambia 
Time Bound Program (TBP) Project Community Action"; 2008 
UNICEF report "Zambia: Situation Analysis of Children and 
Women"; 2009 UNICEF Zambia report "We Can Do It: Accelerated 
Child Survival and Development in Zambia";  2007-11 ILO 
Zambia report on the Decent Work Country Program; 2008 ILO 
report, "Investigating forced Labor and trafficking:  Do they 
exist in Zambia? Special Action Program to Combat Forced 
Labor"; 2007 ILO-IPEC report, "The Nature and Extent of Child 
Trafficking in Zambia: A Working Paper"; January 2010 
ILO/Zambia Federation of Employers report, "Dissemination 
Workshop on the Impact of the Global Economic Crisis on 
Business and Employment in Zambia." 
 
1D. Narrative description:  Sources listed in paragraph 3, 
section 1C indicated that child labor is used by smallholder 
farmers and sharecroppers to produce tobacco, maize, cotton, 
coffee, tea, and charcoal; raise livestock; and fishing. 
Estimates of the extent of the problem are unknown, and 
information on the prevalence of child labor in these goods 
is limited.  Although the sources indicated that child labor 
occurs most frequently in growing cotton, tobacco, and maize, 
they have so far failed to provide specifics.  ILO estimated 
that almost 96 percent of economically active children work 
in agriculture, and the ILO and other sources indicated that 
it occurs throughout Zambia.  They stated that children work 
for their families or non-family members on farms or as 
sharecroppers.  They noted that many children working for 
 
LUSAKA 00000075  002 OF 014 
 
 
their families worked in environments that harmed their 
health or development, prejudicing their attendance at 
school.  Family obligations supersede debt arrangements. 
Most work for parents, although orphans and other children 
work for other relatives.  Boys and girls perform a variety 
of work up to age 18, including plowing, sowing, weeding, 
harvesting, and transporting water and supplies.  Children 
engaged in fishing face the additional risk of drowning or 
falling ill to water-borne diseases.  In addition, children 
who produce charcoal operate baking ovens.  Most are exposed 
to hazards such as fertilizers and pesticides, unsafe working 
environments, heavy lifting, and repetitive movements, among 
other worst forms of hazardous labor.  Many work long hours 
using basic tools and no protective gear for food and/or 
modest remuneration. 
 
Most operations that employ child labor sell their products 
in local markets.  It is important to note that the Zambia 
Federation of Employers works with many medium- and 
large-scale agricultural operations to ensure that their 
operations are free from child labor.  Moreover, not all 
small-scale operations use child labor.  The scope of the 
problem will remain unknown until the ILO completes a 
proposed study on child labor in Zambian agriculture. 
 
1E. Prevalence:  Unknown 
 
1F. GRZ/Industry/NGO efforts to combat:  The Ministry of 
Labour and Social Services (MLSS) has co-sponsored the 
three-year, ILO-funded "Time Bound Program" with the ILO and 
ZFE to promote employer awareness and prevention of child 
labor in agriculture, livestock, fishing and other 
industries.  The program is set to end in 2010.  The MLSS 
also conducts labor inspections and takes action in cases of 
labor abuse but does not specifically conduct child labor 
inspections.  Tobacco companies in Zambia have worked 
successfully to address the problem through their "End Child 
Labor in Tobacco" campaign.  Some cotton producers, notably 
U.S. Dunavant Cotton, have taken steps to raise awareness of 
child labor in cotton production.  However, sources noted 
that these efforts have not significantly reduced or 
eliminated child labor in these industries. 
 
1A. Good:  Small-scale mining and quarrying 
 
1B. Type of exploitation:   Exploitive child labor 
 
1C. Sources of information/years:  See paragraph 3, section 
1C. 
 
1D. Narrative description:   Sources listed in paragraph 3, 
section 1C indicated that child labor is used in the legal 
and illegal small-scale mining of gemstones, particularly 
emeralds and amethysts, and of metals, including copper, 
lead, iron ore and zinc.  Child labor is also used to quarry 
rock.  Sources have so far failed to provide estimates of the 
extent of the problem but noted that it occurs throughout 
Zambia.  They stated that most mining operations employing 
child labor involve scavenging and rudimentary mine drilling 
at abandoned mines and mining dump sites.  Sources did not 
provide specific information on ages, gender, or ethnic 
backgrounds of the children.  Most work for their parents 
based on family obligation and became involved by joining 
family operations established by miners laid off from their 
jobs.  Child mine workers are exposed to hazards such as 
chemicals, unsafe working environments, heavy lifting, and 
repetitive movements, among other worst forms of hazardous 
labor.  Many work long hours using basic tools and no 
protective gear for food and/or modest remuneration. 
 
These operations typically sell gemstones to smugglers who 
smuggle the gems clandestinely out of the country.  Metals 
are typically sold to foreigners who own local businesses. 
Quarried rock is sold in local markets.  It is important to 
note that all medium- and large-scale mining operations are 
certified by the Zambia Chamber of Mines to be free of child 
labor and that not all small-scale operations use child 
labor.  The scope of the problem will remain unknown until 
the ILO and ZFE conclude proposed studies on child labor in 
Zambian small-scale mining. 
 
1E. Prevalence:  Unknown 
 
1F. GRZ/Industry/NGO efforts to combat:  The Ministry of 
Labor and Social Services (MLSS) has co-sponsored the 
 
LUSAKA 00000075  003 OF 014 
 
 
three-year, ILO-funded "Time Bound Program" with the ILO and 
ZFE to promote employer awareness and prevention of child 
labor in mining and other industries.  The program is set to 
end in 2010.  The MLSS also conducts labor inspections and 
takes action in cases of labor abuse but does not 
specifically conduct child labor inspections.  In January 
2009, the Zambian government (GRZ) closed operations at the 
Chinese Collum Coal Mine (CCCM) in Sinazongwe, Southern 
Province, after two fatal mine accidents caused by poor mine 
safety conditions.  The mine reopened the next month after 
the mine owners complied with the required safety rules. 
However, sources noted that these efforts have not 
significantly reduced or eliminated child labor in the mining 
sector. 
 
------------- 
TASKING 2/TDA 
------------- 
 
¶4.  This section responds to ref A request for information on 
the use of exploitive child labor in the production of goods 
per the Trade and Development Act (TDA).  It excludes 
information previously submitted in ref C.  According to the 
February 2008 study "Understanding Children's Work in Zambia" 
study funded by the ILO, UNICEF and the World Bank, over 1.2 
million Zambian children between the ages of 5 and 14 years 
old, or 39 percent, engaged in economic activity.  The study 
also estimated that an additional 156,000 children between 
the ages of 5 and 17 years worked in the worst forms of child 
labor. 
 
¶5.  (U) Post's responses to questions 2A-2G: 
 
2A. Prevalence and distribution of exploitive child labor: 
This occurs in prostitution, domestic service, selling goods, 
serving in bars, providing hospitality, working on 
construction sites, and begging.  The GRZ's Central 
Statistical Office conducted a Labor Force Survey in 2008-09 
and collected data on exploitive child labor.  It has drafted 
a preliminary report that it plans to release in 2010.  Until 
then, estimates of the prevalence of exploitive child labor 
in these activities remain unavailable. 
 
2B. Laws and regulations:   No new laws or regulations were 
enacted in the past year, and there were no improvements in 
the legal and regulatory framework.  The Minister of Labour 
and Social Security (MLSS) prepared the draft Child Labour 
Policy and Statutory Instrument on the Hazardous Forms of 
Child Labour last year; these are currently under review by 
the Ministry of Justice.  The statutory instrument will 
permit the GRZ to implement the provisions of the 2004 
amendment of the Employment of Young Persons and Children's 
Act, including a list of occupations considered to be the 
worst forms of child labor compliant with ILO Convention 182. 
 The list includes excavation/drilling; stone crushing; block 
and brick making; roofing; building; painting; tour guiding; 
selling/serving in bars; animal herding; fishing; working in 
tobacco and cotton fields; spraying pesticides; herbicides 
and fertilizer application; handling farm machinery; and 
processing in industries. 
 
The country's legal and regulatory framework was inadequate 
to address exploitative child labor, and there has been 
little progress since 2006 to improve it.  Post noted that 
the MLSS has been more active this year than in the past in 
working with the Ministry of Justice to implement at the 
Child Labor Policy and statutory instrument.  Presently, 
children who are engaged in exploitive child labor can be 
abused by their parents or guardians by carrying out tasks 
that endanger their health and welfare or violate their right 
to attend school.  For instance, the child may carry 
abnormally heavy loads or sell goods or beg to earn money, 
preventing them from attending school.  Examples of 
indicators of an inadequate regulatory framework include 
instances in which children have been found working without 
pay because the sector in which they were working is exempted 
from minimum age laws.  ILO noted that one of the most 
underreported areas of child labor involved cases in which 
boys were exploited as prostitutes.  Social taboos on 
homosexuality and laws that exclusively prohibit female 
prostitution have left these boys particularly vulnerable to 
child labor abuses. 
 
The 2002 Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), the 2005-10 
Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP), and the 2006 National 
 
LUSAKA 00000075  004 OF 014 
 
 
Employment and Labor Market Policy (NELMP) address child 
labor issues.  The PRSP aims to improve access to and quality 
of education for children at all levels.  The FNDP calls for 
the eradication of the worst forms of child labor through 
various measures such as awareness raising, legislative 
reform, and better information for targeting.  The NELMP 
makes specific reference to child labor, proposing 
interventions for eliminating child labor in agriculture, 
education and health.  It further emphasizes the provision of 
education and skills to children and young persons in order 
to prepare them for decent, productive work. 
 
The GRZ's National Child Policy (NCP) is a framework that 
provides core guidelines for improving the welfare and 
quality of life of children and for protecting their survival 
and developmental rights.   The NCP aims to consolidate all 
existing and proposed legislation into one comprehensive 
statute, and to update laws and incorporate the provisions of 
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. 
 
The government's National Youth Policy (NYP) is a framework 
that provides core guidelines to coordinate, monitor, and 
evaluate extracurricular youth activities that serve as 
alternatives to work.  Last year the GRZ launched the 
National Plan of Action for the Youth to implement the NYP 
and eliminate the worst forms of child labor.  The NPA 
specifies priority interventions and supports improved 
coordination of interventions against worst forms. 
 
2C. Institutions and mechanisms for enforcement: 
 
2C, Section I: Hazardous child labor 
 
¶1.  What agencies were responsible for the enforcement of 
laws relating to hazardous child/forced child labor? 
 
The Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MLSS) is the 
primary government agency responsible for the implementation 
and enforcement of child labor laws and regulations.  Other 
agencies and units responsible for enforcing laws related to 
hazardous child labor include: 
 
-- Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MLSS) Child Labour 
Unit; 
-- Joint ZPS and Ministry of Youth, Sport and Child 
Development (MSYCD) Child Protection Unit; 
-- Zambia Police Service (ZPS) Victim Support Unit (VSU); 
-- Ministry of Justice; 
-- Ministry of Community Development and Social Services 
(MCDSS) Child Protection Unit (different from the MSYCD CPU); 
-- MCDSS District Street Children Committee; 
-- MSYCD Directorate of Child Affairs; and 
-- Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) (in drug-related cases). 
 
The MLSS Child Labour Unit (CLU) works with District Child 
Labor Committees (DCLCs) in 16 of Zambia's 72 districts to 
combat child labor.  The purpose of the DCLCs is to increase 
local awareness of child labor laws and the harmful effects 
of child labor as well as to mobilize communities against the 
worst forms of child labor.  The CLU plans to establish DCLCs 
in all districts. 
 
¶2. If multiple agencies were responsible for enforcement, 
were there mechanisms for exchanging information? Assess 
their effectiveness. 
 
Although GRZ agencies have mechanisms to exchange 
information, they did not effectively do so in some cases 
because of overlapping responsibilities and inadequate 
communication channels.  The CLU coordinates efforts by the 
MLSS and other agencies to identify and enforce child labor 
violations.  The joint ZPS-MSYCD Child Protection Unit (CPU) 
coordinates efforts by police and youth and community 
development officials to identify and remove vulnerable 
children from the streets.  The CPU also works with the MCDSS 
District Street Children Committee to place victims of child 
labor with families, in foster care, or in children's homes 
and with prosecutors from the Ministry of Justice to 
investigate and prosecute child labor cases.  The CPU was 
fully operational last year but lacked adequate resources to 
enhance efforts to identify and remove children from child 
labor situations. 
 
¶3. Did Zambia maintain a mechanism for making complaints 
about hazardous and forced child labor violations?  If so, 
 
LUSAKA 00000075  005 OF 014 
 
 
how many complaints were received in the reporting period? 
 
The country does not maintain a centralized mechanism for 
making complaints about hazardous child labor violations. 
Complainants may submit complaints to any of the 
agencies/units listed in 2C, Section I, 1.  Each of these 
agencies maintains a central phone number complainants may 
use.  The VSU indicated that in 2008 it received 2,885 
complaints related to defilement, neglect, desertion, and 
trafficking of children.  No other relevant statistics were 
available in the reporting period. 
 
¶4. What amount of funding was provided to agencies 
responsible for inspections?  Was this amount adequate?  Did 
inspectors have sufficient office facilities, transportation, 
fuel, and other necessities to carry out inspections? 
 
Last year's total MLSS budget was USD 3.7 million, or 0.001 
percent of the total GRZ budget.  The Ministry allocated USD 
116,000 of USD 157,000 budgeted to its Child Labour Unit, a 
decrease from USD 191,000 in 2008.  The MLSS indicated that 
it had inadequate funding for inspections.  Inspectors lacked 
transportation and other resources needed to conduct regular 
inspections and, for the most part, focused on the formal 
sector, where there were few, if any, problems with child 
labor. 
 
¶5. How many inspectors did the GRZ employ?  Was the number of 
inspectors adequate? 
 
The MLSS maintained information on labor inspectors but did 
not provide last year's figures.  There were 60 labor 
inspectors nationwide as of 2008, down from 67 in 2007 due to 
deaths and resignations.  There are no specialized child 
labor inspectors in Zambia; the labor inspectorate staff is 
responsible for all labor inspections, including child labor. 
 
¶6. How many inspections involving child labor were carried 
out? If possible, please provide breakdown of 
complaint-driven versus random, GRZ-initiated inspections. 
Were inspections carried out in sectors in which children 
work? Was the number of inspections adequate? 
 
The MLSS maintained information on labor inspections but has 
so far failed to provide last year's figures.  It carried out 
394 inspections in 2008.  All inspections included a child 
labor component.  Both complaint-driven and random, 
GRZ-initiated inspections occurred, although no specific 
breakdown was available.  Inspections were carried out in 
sectors in which children work.  The ILO indicated that the 
number of inspections was not adequate. 
 
¶7. How many children were removed or assisted as a result of 
inspections?  Were these children actually provided or 
referred for services as a result? 
 
The ILO indicated that most children were removed from child 
labor situations as a result of inspections and returned to 
their parents.  If involved, parents were counseled, and no 
further actions were taken against child labor violators. 
 
¶8. How many child labor cases or "prosecutions" were opened? 
 
The MLSS and VSU maintained information on child labor cases 
opened and prosecuted but have so far failed to provide last 
year's figures.  The MLSS Child Labour Unit (CLU) does not 
generally refer cases of child labor for prosecution, in part 
because the absence of the statutory instrument that 
specifically defines the worst forms of child labor makes it 
difficult to prosecute cases.  Rather than formally prosecute 
violations of child labor laws, the CLU has focused its 
efforts on educating the public and raising awareness with 
regard to child labor issues.  When labor inspectors 
discovered violations of child labor laws, they typically 
resolved the problems through mediation and counseling. 
According to the VSU, of the 2,885 child-related cases opened 
in 2008, 171 convictions were obtained.  Of these, 150 were 
related to child defilement, some of which may have been 
perpetrated against victims of exploitive child labor. 
 
¶9. How many child labor cases were closed or resolved? 
 
The MLSS and MCDSS maintained information on child labor 
cases closed or resolved but have so far failed to provide 
last year's figures. 
 
LUSAKA 00000075  006 OF 014 
 
 
 
¶10. How many violations were found or "convictions" reached? 
 
The MLSS and MCDSS maintained information on violations found 
or "convictions" reached but have so far failed to provide 
last year's figures. 
 
¶11. What is the average length of time it took to resolve 
child labor cases? 
 
The MLSS and MCDSS maintained information on the average 
length of time it took to resolve child labor cases but have 
so far failed to provide last year's figures. 
 
¶12. In cases in which violations were found, were penalties 
actually applied, either through fines paid or jail sentence 
served? Did such sentences meet penalties established in the 
law? 
 
Under the Employment of Young Persons and Children's Act, the 
MLSS can bring charges that provide for penalties ranging 
from a fine to imprisonment for violations, although it has 
been difficult to prosecute in the absence of the pending 
statutory instrument.  The Act also permits labor inspectors 
to enter family homesteads and agricultural fields to check 
for child labor violations. 
 
¶13. Did the experience regarding questions 7 through 10 above 
reflect a commitment to combat exploitive child labor? 
 
Although the MLSS was not forthcoming with information on its 
efforts to combat exploitive child labor, the ILO and Zambian 
Federation of Employers indicated that the Ministry is 
committed to fighting it.  MLSS officials assured Post that 
they are working closely this year with the Ministry of 
Justice to finalize the Child Labour Policy and statutory 
instrument. 
 
¶14. Did GRZ offer any training for investigators or others 
responsible for enforcement? If so, what (if any) impact have 
these trainings had? 
 
GRZ training co-sponsored by UNICEF and Regional Legal 
Advisor on child trafficking was administered last year to 
240 police, police prosecutors, local court justices and 
magistrates.  The training helped raise awareness among 
officials who handle child labor cases.  The MLSS continued 
to provide awareness raising and training activities for 
inspectors charged with enforcing child labor laws. 
 
2C, Section II: Forced Child Labor 
 
¶1.  What agencies were responsible for the enforcement of 
laws relating to forced child labor? 
 
See response in 2C, Section I, 1.  In addition to exploitive 
child labor, GRZ agencies also enforced laws relating to 
forced child labor. 
 
¶2. If multiple agencies were responsible for enforcement, 
were there mechanisms for exchanging information?  Assess 
their effectiveness. 
 
See response in 2C, Section I, 2.  The Victim Support Unit 
(VSU) worked with other agencies to identify victims of 
domestic abuse, including those involved in cases of forced 
labor and trafficking.  The VSU publicly released annual 
statistics on domestic abuse cases. 
 
¶3. Did the country/territory maintain a mechanism for making 
complaints about forced child labor violations?  If so, how 
many complaints were received in the reporting period? 
 
See response in 2C, Section I, 3. 
 
¶4. What amount of funding was provided to agencies 
responsible for inspections?  Was this amount adequate?  Did 
inspectors have sufficient office facilities, transportation, 
fuel, and other necessities to carry out inspections? 
 
See response in 2C, Section I, 4. 
 
¶5. How many inspectors did the GRZ employ?  Was the number of 
inspectors adequate? 
 
 
LUSAKA 00000075  007 OF 014 
 
 
See response in 2C, Section I, 5. 
 
¶6. How many inspections involving child labor were carried 
out? If possible, please provide breakdown of 
complaint-driven versus random, GRZ-initiated inspections. 
Were inspections carried out in sectors in which children 
work? Was the number of inspections adequate? 
 
See response in 2C, Section I, 6. 
 
¶7. How many children were removed/assisted as a result of 
inspections?  Were these children actually provided or 
referred for services as a result? 
 
See response in 2C, Section I, 7. 
 
¶8. How many child labor cases or "prosecutions" were opened? 
 
See response in 2C, Section I, 8. 
 
¶9. How many child labor cases were closed or resolved? 
 
See response in 2C, Section I, 9. 
 
¶10. How many violations were found or "convictions" reached? 
 
See response in 2C, Section I, 10. 
 
¶11. What is the average length of time it took to resolve 
child labor cases? 
 
See response in 2C, Section I, 11. 
 
¶12. In cases in which violations were found, were penalties 
actually applied, either through fines paid or jail sentence 
served? Did such sentences meet penalties established in the 
law? 
 
See response in 2C, Section I, 12. 
 
¶13. Did the experience regarding questions 7 through 10 above 
reflect a commitment to combat exploitive child labor? 
 
See response in 2C, Section I, 13. 
 
¶14. Did GRZ offer any training for investigators or others 
responsible for enforcement? If so, what (if any) impact have 
these trainings had? 
 
See response in 2C, Section I, 14. 
 
2D. Institutional Mechanisms For Effective Enforcement- Child 
Trafficking, Commercial Sexual Exploitation Of Children 
(CSEC), Use Of Children In Illicit Activities: 
 
2D, Section I: Child Trafficking 
 
¶1.  Did Zambia have agencies or personnel dedicated to 
enforcement of child trafficking? How many 
investigators/social workers/dedicated police officers did 
the government employ to conduct investigations? If there 
were no dedicated agencies or personnel, provide an estimate 
of the number of people who were responsible for such 
investigations.  Was the number of investigators adequate? 
 
The Victims Support Unit (VSU) and Ministry of Sports, Youth 
and Child Development (MSYCD) Child Protection Unit (CPU) are 
the primary GRZ organizations responsible for enforcement of 
child trafficking.  These units work with prosecutors from 
the Ministry of Justice to investigate and prosecute child 
trafficking cases.  VSU and CPU employees coordinate 
investigations.  The VSU and CPU have so far failed to 
provide information regarding the number of investigators, 
social workers, or dedicated police officers who conduct 
investigations.  As is the case with all GRZ entities, the 
VSU and CPU often lack sufficient resources such as fuel to 
conduct investigations.  VSU is a member of the newly-formed 
Anti-Trafficking Secretariat and cooperates closely with 
international organizations such as the International 
Organization for Migration (IOM) on a training plan for 
officers.  The Ministry of Home Affairs, which is the GRZ 
body responsible for coordinating anti-trafficking efforts in 
Zambia, has expressed interest in specialized investigative 
skills training for police and immigration. 
 
 
LUSAKA 00000075  008 OF 014 
 
 
¶2. How much funding was provided to agencies responsible for 
investigating child trafficking? Was this amount adequate? 
Did investigators have sufficient office facilities, 
transportation, fuel, and other necessities to carry out 
investigations? 
 
Last year's total VSU budget was USD 37,000.  The total MSYCD 
budget was USD 5.08 million, or 0.0015 percent of the total 
GRZ budget.  The Ministry allocated 13.5 percent of its 
budget, USD 685,000, to its Child Protection Unit.  VSU and 
CPU noted that their investigators did not have sufficient 
office facilities, transportation, fuel, and other 
necessities to carry out investigations. 
 
 ¶3. Did Zambia maintain a hotline or other mechanism for 
reporting child trafficking/CSEC/use of children in illicit 
activities violations?  If so, how many complaints were 
received in the reporting period? 
 
The country does not maintain a hotline or centralized 
mechanism for reporting child trafficking, CSEC, and the use 
of children in illicit activities violations.  The IOM 
operates a general anti-trafficking hotline, and Post has 
seen posters prominently displayed at border crossings and 
GRZ offices.  Complainants may also submit complaints to any 
of the agencies/units listed in 2C, Section I, 1.  Each of 
these agencies maintains a central phone number complainants 
may use.  Zambian officials referred 33 cases of human 
trafficking or potential human trafficking to IOM last year, 
and 26 of these cases involved children under the age of 18. 
No other relevant statistics were available in the reporting 
period.  However, VSU is finalizing a policy whereby officers 
must collect information on trafficking as a reportable 
offense and report demographic data such as country of origin 
and age.  The GRZ's Inter-Ministerial Committee on Human 
Trafficking is also working with IOM to improve general data 
collection. 
 
 ¶4. How many investigations were opened in regard to child 
trafficking/CSEC/use of children in illicit activities?  Was 
the number of investigations adequate? 
 
The CPU and VSU investigations were opened in regard to child 
trafficking/CSEC/use of children in illicit activities, but 
they have so far failed to provide last year's figures.  A 
human trafficking case recorded by the VSU in 2008 before the 
passage of the Anti-Human Trafficking Act was withdrawn 
before reaching trial.  Subsequently, there have been two 
convictions under the Act, both related to the sale of 
children.  Insufficient information is available to determine 
whether the number of investigations was adequate.  The GRZ's 
new Anti-Trafficking Secretariat worked closely with the 
international community and local NGOs to operationalize its 
October 2009 National Plan of Action. 
 
¶5. How many children were rescued as a result? 
 
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs and VSU, the three 
children involved in the two convictions under the Act were 
rescued.  In addition, three Zambian children were rescued by 
Zambian immigration officials who intercepted a vehicle 
transporting them to Namibia, where they were allegedly 
destined for farm labor.  As a result of GRZ cooperation with 
the IOM, 26 children were rescued from trafficking last year. 
 
 
¶6. How many arrests were made or other kinds of prosecutions 
carried out? 
 
The GRZ secured two convictions of Zambian men who had sold 
their children to Tanzanian individuals.  There are nine 
other cases pending under the 2008 Anti-Human Trafficking 
Act, many of which involve minors.  One case was reportely 
withdrawn for lack of evidence.  A Namibian immigration 
official was changed under Zambian law with human trafficking 
offenses for attempting to transport four Zambian youths to 
Namibia, allegedly for farm labor.  He was convicted under 
the Zambian Immigration Act but later released. 
 
¶7. How many cases were closed or resolved? 
 
Due to current lack of reliable data-collection capability, 
the CPU and VSU have so far failed to confirm how many cases 
were closed or resolved last year. 
 
 
LUSAKA 00000075  009 OF 014 
 
 
¶8. How many convictions? 
 
See response in 2D, Section I, 6. 
 
¶9. Did sentences imposed meet standards established in the 
legal framework? 
 
Under 2008 Anti-Human Trafficking Act, those convicted of 
human trafficking can receive up to 25 years to life 
imprisonment.  Sentencing of the two individuals convicted of 
trafficking remained pending in the High Court at year's end. 
 Although the Act provided prosecutors with a statutory 
instrument to impose sentences that meet standards 
established in the legal framework, they lacked necessary 
training.  Such training is a key priority for the Ministry 
of Home Affairs. 
 
¶10. Were sentences imposed actually served? 
 
See response in 2D, Section I, 9. 
 
¶11. What is the average length of time it takes to resolve 
cases of child trafficking? 
 
The CPU and VSU have so far failed to confirm the average 
length of time it took to resolve cases of child trafficking 
last year. 
 
¶12. Did the GRZ offer any training for investigators or 
others responsible for enforcement of child trafficking? 
 
See response in 2C, Section I, 14. 
 
¶13. If Zambia experienced armed conflict during the reporting 
period or in the recent past involving the use of child 
soldiers, what actions were taken to penalize those 
responsible? Were these actions adequate or meaningful given 
the situation? 
 
Zambia did not experience armed conflict over the past five 
years, and there was no known or suspected use of child 
soldiers. 
 
2D, Section II: Commercial Sex Exploitation Of Children (CSEC) 
 
¶1. Did Zambia have agencies or personnel dedicated to 
enforcement of child CSEC activities? How many 
investigators/social workers/dedicated police officers did 
the government employ to conduct investigations? If there 
were no dedicated agencies or personnel, provide an estimate 
of the number of people who were responsible for such 
investigations.  Was the number of investigators adequate? 
 
See response in 2D, Section I, 1.  Information on CSEC in 
Zambia is generally unavailable, and unless otherwise noted, 
the responses are the same as indicated in 2D, Section I on 
child trafficking. 
 
¶2. How much funding was provided to agencies responsible for 
investigating child CSEC? Was this amount adequate? Did 
investigators have sufficient office facilities, 
transportation, fuel, and other necessities to carry out 
investigations? 
 
See response in 2D, Section I, 2. 
 
¶3. Did Zambia maintain a hotline or other mechanism for 
reporting child CSEC violations?  If so, how many complaints 
were received in the reporting period? 
 
See response in 2D, Section I, 3. 
 
¶4. How many investigations were opened in regard to child 
CSEC?  Was the number of investigations adequate? 
 
See response in 2D, Section I, 4. 
 
¶5. How many children were rescued as a result? 
 
See response in 2D, Section I, 5. 
 
¶6. How many arrests were made or other kinds of prosecutions 
carried out? 
 
See response in 2D, Section I, 6. 
 
LUSAKA 00000075  010 OF 014 
 
 
 
¶7. How many cases were closed or resolved? 
 
See response in 2D, Section I, 7. 
 
¶8. How many convictions? 
 
See response in 2D, Section I, 8. 
 
¶9. Did sentences imposed meet standards established in the 
legal framework? 
 
See response in 2D, Section I, 9.  The 2008 Anti-Human 
Trafficking Act provides penalties up to 25 years for 
individuals convicted of engaging in CSEC. 
 
¶10. Were sentences imposed actually served? 
 
See response in 2D, Section I, 10. 
 
¶11. What is the average length of time it takes to resolve 
cases of child CSEC? 
 
See response in 2D, Section I, 11. 
 
¶12. Did the GRZ offer any training for investigators or 
others responsible for enforcement of child CSEC? 
 
GRZ training provided to police, police prosecutors, local 
court justices and magistrates on child trafficking but did 
not specifically focus on CSEC.  See also response in 2C, 
Section I, 14. 
 
¶13. If Zambia experienced armed conflict during the reporting 
period or in the recent past involving the use of child 
soldiers, what actions were taken to penalize those 
responsible? Were these actions adequate or meaningful given 
the situation? 
 
See response in 2D, Section I, 13. 
 
2D, Section III: Use of Children in Illicit Activities 
 
¶1. Did Zambia have agencies or personnel dedicated to 
enforcement of the use of children in illicit activities? How 
many investigators/social workers/dedicated police officers 
did the government employ to conduct investigations? If there 
were no dedicated agencies or personnel, provide an estimate 
of the number of people who were responsible for such 
investigations.  Was the number of investigators adequate? 
 
Information on the use of children in Illicit Activities in 
Zambia is generally unavailable, and unless otherwise noted, 
responses are the same as indicated in 2D, Section I on child 
trafficking.  In addition to the agencies listed in 2D, 
Section I, 1, the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) is 
involved with cases dealing with narcotics trafficking.  The 
DEC refers cases where children are involved to the Child 
Protection Unit to assist child victims. 
 
¶2. How much funding was provided to agencies responsible for 
investigating child trafficking/CSEC/use of children in 
illicit activities? Was this amount adequate? Did 
investigators have sufficient office facilities, 
transportation, fuel, and other necessities to carry out 
investigations? 
 
See response in 2D, Section I, 2. 
 
¶3. Did Zambia maintain a hotline or other mechanism for 
reporting the use of children in illicit activities 
violations?  If so, how many complaints were received in the 
reporting period? 
 
See response in 2D, Section I, 3. 
 
¶4. How many investigations were opened in regard to the use 
of children in illicit activities?  Was the number of 
investigations adequate? 
 
See response in 2D, Section I, 4. 
 
¶5. How many children were rescued as a result? 
 
See response in 2D, Section I, 5. 
 
LUSAKA 00000075  011 OF 014 
 
 
 
¶6. How many arrests were made or other kinds of prosecutions 
carried out? 
 
See response in 2D, Section I, 6. 
 
¶7. How many cases were closed or resolved? 
 
See response in 2D, Section I, 7. 
 
¶8. How many convictions? 
 
See response in 2D, Section I, 8. 
 
¶9. Did sentences imposed meet standards established in the 
legal framework? 
 
See response in 2D, Section I, 9.  The 2008 Anti-Human 
Trafficking Act provides penalties up to 25 years for 
individuals convicted of using children in illicit activities. 
 
¶10. Were sentences imposed actually served? 
 
See response in 2D, Section I, 10. 
 
¶11. What is the average length of time it takes to resolve 
cases of use of children in illicit activities? 
 
See response in 2D, Section I, 11. 
 
¶12. Did the GRZ offer any training for investigators or 
others responsible for enforcement of use of children in 
illicit activities? 
 
GRZ provided training to police, police prosecutors, local 
court justices and magistrates on child trafficking but did 
not specifically focus on use of children in illicit 
activities.  See also response in 2C, Section I, 14. 
 
¶13. If Zambia experienced armed conflict during the reporting 
period or in the recent past involving the use of child 
soldiers, what actions were taken to penalize those 
responsible? Were these actions adequate or meaningful given 
the situation? 
 
See response in 2D, Section I, 13. 
 
2E. Government Policies on Child Labor: 
 
¶1.  Did the GRZ have a policy or plan that specifically 
addresses exploitive child labor? 
 
Yes.  Zambia has a draft Child Labor Policy under review at 
the Ministry of Justice.  Until it is approved by Parliament, 
the GRZ will continue to rely on a patchwork of national 
plans and policy papers with specific provisions addressing 
exploitive child labor, including the 2002 Poverty Reduction 
Strategy Paper (PRSP), the 2005-10 Fifth National Development 
Plan (FNDP), the 2006 National Employment and Labor Market 
Policy (NELMP) address child labor issues, the National Child 
Policy (NCP), National Youth Policy (NYP), and the National 
Plan of Action for the Youth.  See response in Section 2B. 
 
¶2.  Did Zambia incorporate exploitive child labor 
specifically as an issue to be addressed in poverty 
reduction, development, educational or other social policies? 
 
Yes.  References to exploitive child labor are included in 
the 2002 Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), the Fifth 
National Development Plan (FNDP), and the National Employment 
and Labor Market Policy (NELMP).  See response in Section 2B. 
 
¶3.  Did the GRZ provide funding to the plans described above? 
 
Yes.  The amount is difficult to calculate because the 
government breaks down budget allocations by sector rather 
than policy or plan.  It is probable that the amount was 
insufficient to carry out the planned activities. 
 
¶4.  Did the government provide non-monetary support to child 
labor plans? 
 
Yes.  The GRZ provided non-monetary support to child labor 
plans and programs, including considering child labor 
policies, endorsing child labor plans and programs, 
 
LUSAKA 00000075  012.2 OF 014 
 
 
coordinating agency involvement in combating child labor, and 
lending some administrative support to partner organizations. 
 
¶5. Provide any additional information about the status and 
effectiveness of the GRZ's policies or plans during the 
reporting period in regard to exploitive child labor. 
 
The effectiveness of the GRZ's exploitive child labor 
policies is uncertain.  The GRZ has made some progress on 
implementing policies and programs, particularly on 
finalizing the draft Child Labor Policy.  The GRZ's primary 
partners in combating child labor, UNICEF, ILO, and the 
Zambia Federation of Employers, recognized that the GRZ has 
been supportive in joint programs such as the Time Bound 
Program.  They noted that it has taken steps to eliminate 
child labor. 
 
Nevertheless, the Central Statistical Office's 2005 Labor 
Force Survey indicated an estimated 1.25 million children 
were engaged in some form of economic activity and over 
895,000 were involved in child labor.  The ILO noted that 
this is a steep increase from earlier estimates.  The 2009 
Labor Force Survey due for publication this year will help 
determine whether the problem of child labor is increasing -- 
in spite of the GRZ's efforts to combat it. 
 
¶6. Did the GRZ participate in any commissions or task forces 
regarding exploitive child labor?  Was the commission active 
and/or effective? 
 
No.  However, the MLSS coordinated efforts to fight 
exploitive child labor with the ILO, UNICEF, and business 
organizations such as the Chamber of Mines and Zambia 
Federation of Employers. 
 
¶7. Did the GRZ sign a bilateral, regional or international 
agreement to combat trafficking? 
 
In 2005 Zambia signed the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress 
and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and 
Children and the UN Protocol against the Smuggling of 
Migrants by Land, Sea and Air (also known as the Palermo 
Protocols).  The GRZ codified these into domestic law by 
enacting the 2008 Anti-Human Trafficking Act.  Following 
passage of the Act, the GRZ issues an Anti-Trafficking Policy 
and National Anti-Trafficking Plan of Action.  The GRZ has 
not ratified bilateral agreements but observes 
anti-trafficking protocols established by regional 
organizations to which it belongs, including the African 
Union (AU), Southern African Development Community (SADC), 
and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). 
Because these agreements were codified into domestic law less 
than two years ago, it is not yet possible to determine 
whether they have yielded tangible improvements. 
 
2F. Social Programs to Eliminate or Prevent Child Labor: 
 
¶1.  Did the GRZ implement any programs specifically to 
address the worst forms of child labor? 
 
The Ministry of Community Development and Social Services 
(MCDSS) Child Protection Unit operates two Zambia National 
Service (ZNS) camps to provide skills training to street 
children and other victims of child labor.  Last year the GRZ 
sent approximately 300 boys to a camp in Chipata, Eastern 
Province, and 100 girls to a camp in Kitwe, Copperbelt 
Province.   After graduating from the camps, some went on to 
continue their academic studies under the sponsorship of the 
Ministry of Science, Technology and Vocational Training, 
while the remainder returned to their families. 
 
The MLSS co-sponsored the three-year, ILO-funded "Time Bound 
Program" with the ILO and Zambia Federation of Employers to 
promote employer awareness and prevention of child labor. 
 
¶2.  Did Zambia incorporate child labor specifically as an 
issue to be addressed in poverty reduction, development, 
educational or other social programs, such as conditional 
cash transfer programs or eligibility for school meals? 
 
The MSYCD's Child Protection Unit's "Social Cash Transfer" 
Program co-funded by the UK Department for International 
Development (DFID) and CARE International provided cash 
transfers to up to 10,000 families in Southern Province that 
agreed to send their children to school in place of work. 
 
LUSAKA 00000075  013 OF 014 
 
 
 
¶3.  Did the GRZ provide funding to the programs described 
above? 
 
The ILO noted that the GRZ provided some administrative 
support to the "Social Cash Transfer" Program but that most 
of the program's costs were borne by DFID and CARE.  ILO 
noted that the GRZ wants to increase the number of families 
served to 20,000 but that there was insufficient funding to 
fulfill this objective. 
 
¶4. Did the GRZ provide non-monetary support to child labor 
programs? 
 
See response in 2E, 4. 
 
¶5. Provide any additional information about the status and 
effectiveness of the GRZ's activities during the reporting 
period in relation to the programs described above. 
 
Although GRZ programs such as "Time Bound" and "Social Cash 
Transfer" have been moderately successful in raising 
awareness and addressing child labor, they have not 
noticeably contributed to the elimination of child labor.  In 
addition, the government is heavily dependent on donors to 
continue these programs, making them unsustainable in the 
long term unless the GRZ increases its financial commitment. 
The ZFE stated that the "Time Bound Program" will end this 
year unless the government finds new donor support. 
 
¶6. If the GRZ signed one or more bilateral, regional or 
international agreement/s to combat trafficking, what steps 
did it take to implement such agreement/s? Did the 
agreement/s result in tangible improvements? 
 
See response in 2E, 7.  The GRZ worked proactively with 
international organizations such as the IOM, UNICEF, and ILO 
as well as with local NGOs to implement the October 2009 
National Anti-Trafficking Plan of Action.  It has already 
secured two convictions under the 2008 Anti-Human Trafficking 
Act.  The government committed itself under the National Plan 
of Action to coordinate anti-trafficking efforts with 
neighboring countries and in regional fora such as SADC. 
 
2G. Continual progress: 
 
¶1. Please provide an assessment of whether, overall, the 
government made progress in regard to combating exploitive 
child labor during the reporting period. 
 
Despite good intentions, the GRZ has made little progress in 
regard to combating exploitive child labor during the 
reporting period partly due to committing inadequate 
resources to the problem.  The sectors in which child labor 
is most prevalent -- smallholder farming and sharecropping, 
livestock raising, fishing, small-scale mining and quarrying, 
agriculture, domestic service, prostitution and pornography, 
street vending, and begging -- do not appear to have changed 
over the past year.  Based on the limited information 
available, Post cannot determine whether there has been an 
increase or decrease from previous years in 
inspections/investigations, prosecutions, and convictions. 
Funding for child labor elimination policies and programs has 
remained steady but is set to decrease. 
 
Nevertheless, the government appears to have a renewed 
interest implementing key policies related to child labor - 
the Child Labor Policy and Statutory Instrument on the 
Hazardous Forms of Child Labor.  The Central Statistical 
Office has also completed a draft of the 2009 Labor Force 
Survey and may release it shortly.  Once available, the 
survey will provide a more accurate picture of whether child 
labor is on the increase or going down. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
Multiple sources confirmed that child labor in Zambia is a 
major issue that occurs in many sectors through the country. 
It is also clear that the Zambian government recognizes the 
problem as a priority area for action.  The GRZ has dedicated 
limited budgetary and human resources to programs aimed at 
eradicating the worst forms of child labor and alleviating 
the pressures on families and caretakers that sometimes force 
 
LUSAKA 00000075  014 OF 014 
 
 
them to send children out to work.  Information and 
statistics on child labor referenced in this update are a 
good starting point for additional research and 
investigation, but they are far from precise.  It is 
impossible at this point to make a definitive determination 
about the use of forced or exploitative child labor in the 
production of a particular good in Zambia.  End comment. 
KOPLOVSKY