Brussels, 11 June 2007: The ITUC released a new report today on core labour standards in the Central African Republic. This report coincides with the country’s trade policy review at the WTO and reveals shortcomings in the application and effective enforcement of core labour standards in the country. The report supports the long-standing demands of the ILO for the Central African Republic to comply with the international standards on freedom of association, collective bargaining, discrimination, child and forced labour.

The report states that many violations take place on a regular basis in the country, mainly regarding the exercise of the right to strike, wage negotiations and anti-union discrimination. The new ITUC survey adds that discrimination towards women and minorities, mainly Pygmies, persists in the Central African Republic and highlights that child labour and trafficking of people are a common practice in the country. In that regard, the means of the government to tackle child labour in the country are wholly insufficient, given the degree of child work throughout the country. Trafficking is common both within the country and towards neighboring countries.

The report finishes with a number of recommendations and conclusions addressed to the government of the Central African Republic in an attempt to redress the situation of non-compliance with ILO core labour standards and aiming at encouraging and promoting effective policies that tackle the main labour and social difficulties the country faces today.

To read the full report, please click here

Founded on 1 November 2006, the ITUC represents 168 million workers in 153 countries and territories and has 304 national affiliates.

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