Worst Forms of Child Labour Report 2005
Belarus

MEET A CHILD
Tatiana is amongst the very rare lucky few... a 15 year old Belarusian girl; she landed a job in Holland as a waitress through an agent. Two days before she was to leave, she met a friend who had heard that girls are taken to other European countries under false promises of job and are forced into prostitution. Scared of this, Tatiana refused to go with the agent.  A few months later, the agent was caught red-handed...
TOTAL POPULATION              9,800,000
CHILD POPULATION               1,568,000

Population Reference Bureau -2004

   

TOTAL CHILD LABOUR

The law establishes 16 as the minimum age for employment. With the written consent of one parent (or legal guardian), a 14 year old child may conclude a labor contract. The Prosecutor General's office reportedly enforces this law effectively.

 

State of World's Children 2005, UNICEF
   

ECONOMICALLY ACTIVE POPULATION

For the year 2010, there are estimated to be 5,595,000 economically active people with no child of the age group 10-14 being economically active.

 

ILO, Bureau of Statistics, Economically Active Population
   
GENDER RATIO

1136 females for 1000 males

 

CIA, factbook-2005 (Fig is an estimate for 2005)
   

CHILDREN OUT OF SCHOOL

In 2001, 26,900 primary school going children aged 6-9 were out of school

 

UNESCO's EFA Global Monitoring Report 2005
   

PROGRESS ON PRIMARY EDUCATION MDG

With an EDI of 0.969, progress towards achieving education for all by 2015 is high

 

UNESCO's EFA Global Monitoring Report 2005
   

CHILD SLAVERY

The Constitution prohibits forced or compulsory labor, including by children, except in cases when the work or service to be performed is fixed by a court's decision or in accordance with the law on states of emergency or martial law; however, there were some reports that such practices occurred.

 

US Dept. of State, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices- 2004, February 2005
   
CHILD TRAFFICKING

Belarus is primarily a source country for women and children trafficked to Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Japan for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor. Approximately one-fifth of the victims IOM assisted in 2004 were trafficked for labor exploitation. Belarus borders with Russia and Ukraine remained porous, allowing for the easy movement of people.

 

US Dept. of State, Trafficking in Persons Report 2005

 
   

CHILD PROSTITUTION & PRONOGRAPHY

According to the research of the Belorussian Association of UNESCO Clubs which has been conducted in 4 cities (Minsk, Grodno, Vitebsk and Brest), 18.5% of prostitutes are girls aged 16-18.

ECPAT CSEC Database,
http://www.ecpat.net/eng/
Ecpat_inter/projects/monitoring/
online_database/index.asp
   
CHILDREN USED IN CRIME

No Confirmed Data

 
   
CHILD SOLDIERS

Under the constitution (Article 57) and the Law on Military Duty and Military Service of July 2003, men are liable for conscription from the age of 18 to 27. At 14 they are registered as potential draftees. Conscription is for 18 months, or 12 months for graduates of higher education. College students may defer and exemptions in specified circumstances are permitted.

 

CSUCS, Global Report on Child Soldiers, 2004
Belarus reported to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child that, under its Rights of the Child Act, “children may not be incited to participate in military activities or in armed conflicts, war and violence” or join “armed formations”. However, the report also stated that “in wartime, the President of the Republic may lower the age of conscription CSUCS, Global Report on Child Soldiers, 2004

CHILD LABOUR IN UNORGANISED SECTOR

No Confirmed Data

 

 
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