Uzbekistan, Tashkent, April 12 / Trend D. Azizov /
Uzbekistan consistently implements international commitments to implement Conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in the prevention and prohibition of forced child labor, provision of legal mechanisms to protect children's rights at work ratified by the republic, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Republic Batyr Alimuhamedov said at a news briefing on Thursday.
He recalled that, to date, Uzbekistan has ratified 13 ILO Conventions, including Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment, Convention concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour.
In order to implement the ILO Conventions, the Government of Uzbekistan adopted a national action plan, providing for measures to prevent forced child labor in all its forms and manifestations, as well as coordination of the activities of ministries, agencies and public authorities on the ground in that direction.
Under the plan regulatory framework is improving, monitoring conducted and extensive advocacy carried out.
In particular, in December 2009 the Senate of Uzbekistan has approved amendments to the Code of administrative responsibility, providing for the responsibility of individuals, including parents, for the use of minors in jobs with poor conditions, which may harm the health or safety of minors, as well as reinforce the responsibility of employers for violations of labor legislation and labor protection of minors.
At the same time changes were made to Labor Code and the Law "On Guarantees of the Rights of the Child." The provisions of this Act fix the requirements of ILO conventions "On the minimum age of employment".
In addition, children's rights are enshrined in the state program of health care reform, the law "On education", the national program for training staff, nationwide program of school education, and in such large-scale state social programs as "Healthy generation", "Mother and Child", "Year of family", "Year of Health", "Year of social protection", "Year of Youth" and "Year of Development and Improvement".
In order to further implement ratified ILO conventions, improve legislation and take additional measures to prevent forced or compulsory labor, as well as eliminate the worst forms of child labor, the Cabinet of Ministers in March passed a resolution "On additional measures for implementation in 2012-2013 of the Convention on forced Labour and the Convention on the Prohibition and immediate Action for the elimination of the Worst forms of Child Labour ratified by Uzbekistan", which indicates the strong commitment of the country's leadership to implementation of international obligations to protect children's rights.