d. Status of Child Labor Practices and Minimum Age for Employment

The statutory minimum age for employment is 18 years. There is no effective
compulsory education, and because of limited secondary school openings, most
children complete formal education by age 14 and then begin work. Employee
labor cards, which include a person's age, are registered with the Labor
Commissioner, but enforcement inspections rarely take place. Child labor
protection does not extend to youth performing customary chores on family
farms or engaged in petty trading. In rural areas, most children assisted
their families in farming and housework. In urban areas, many children worked
as street vendors or taxi and bus assistants. The tourist industry has
stimulated a low level of child prostitution (see Section 5).

On November 8, the National Assembly approved ILO Convention 182 on the worst
forms of child labor; however, as of year's end, the Government had not
completed formal ratification procedures. The Department of State for Labor
is responsible for implementing the terms of the convention.

The law does not prohibit specifically forced or bonded labor by children;
however, such practices are not known to occur (see Section 6.c.).

e. Acceptable Conditions of Work

Minimum wages and working hours are established by law through six joint
industrial councils: Commerce; Artisans; Transport; Port Operations;
Agriculture; and Fisheries. Labor, management, and the Government are
represented on these councils. The lowest minimum wage is about $0.80 (12
Dalasis) per day for unskilled labor. This minimum wage is not sufficient to
provide a decent standard of living for a worker and family. Only 20 percent
of the labor force, essentially those workers in the formal economic sector,
are covered by the minimum wage law. The majority of workers are employed
privately or are self-employed, often in agriculture. Most citizens do not
live on a single worker's earnings, but they share resources within extended
families.

The basic legal workweek is 48 hours within a period not to exceed 6
consecutive days. A 30-minute lunch break is mandated. Nationwide, the
workweek includes 4 8-hour workdays and 2 4-hour workdays (Friday and
Saturday). Government employees are entitled to 1 month of paid annual leave
after 1 year of service. Private sector employees receive between 14 and 30
days of paid annual leave, depending on length of service.

The Labor Act specifies safety equipment that an employer must provide to
employees working in designated occupations. The Factory Act authorizes the
Ministry of Labor to regulate factory health and safety, accident prevention,
and dangerous trades, and the Ministry is authorized to appoint inspectors to
ensure compliance with safety standards. Enforcement was inconsistent due to
insufficient and inadequately trained staff. Workers may demand protective
equipment and clothing for hazardous workplaces and have recourse to the
Labor Department. Workers may refuse to work in dangerous situations without
risking loss of employment.

f. Trafficking in Persons

The law prohibits trafficking in persons, and there were no reports that
persons were trafficked to, from, through, or within the country.

[End.]





Hamjatta - Kanteh
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