Report on Convention no 182 concerning worst forms of child labour, 1999

NORWAY

R E P O R T

for the period ending 31 May 2003, in accordance with article 22 of the Constitution of the International Labour Organisation, from the Government of Norway, on the measures taken to give effect to the provisions of the

Convention no 182 concerning worst forms of child labour, 1999

ratification of which was registered on 19 November 2000.

I

Working Environment Act

The government presented in Proposition to the Odelsting no. 62 (2002-2003) a Bill regarding a penal provision specifically prohibiting human trafficking. The Bill is based on the definition of human trafficking in Article 5 of the protocol on trade in persons of the United Nations Convention against cross-border organised crime. It deals with human trafficking for prostitution or other sexual purposes, forced labour, war service in foreign countries or for the removal of human body parts. The text also expressly states that where a person under the age of 18 is exploited for any of the above purposes, the perpetrator shall be liable to punishment regardless of what means are used to bring the victim into the situation. Serious human trafficking is punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment. Trading in persons below the age of 18 is an element that qualifies as serious trafficking. The Storting passed the Bill on 17 June.

On the same date the Storting also passed an amendment to the General Civil Penal Code section 204 whereby the term “child” is now defined in terms of age in relation to child pornography. The amendment means that all persons under the age of 18 are regarded as children under the legislation on child pornography.

In the sphere of labour law the requirements of the Convention are met by the Act relating to Worker Protection and Working Environment (Working Environment Act, No. 4 of 4 February 1977) and by the regulations on employment of children and young people (No. 551 of 30 April 1998). In the Working Environment Act the type of employment addressed by the Convention is primarily regulated by chapter IX on employment of children and young people.

Both Chapter IX of the Working Environment Act and the regulations on employment of children and young people have been revised since the previous report. The previous report covered the period ending on 31 May 2002. The amendments are exclusively of a technical nature and entail no change in substance. The purpose of the revision was to make the rules easier to grasp and more user friendly.

The amendments took effect on 1 January 2003. Two copies of the Working Environment Act Chapter IX and the regulations are enclosed.

No other changes with a bearing on the Convention have taken place, and reference is made to earlier reporting.

II

Article 6:

• As mentioned in the previous report, the Nordic-Baltic campaign concluded with a seminar in Riga in November 2002.
• The Norwegian government has, through Norway’s first action plan against trafficking in women, initiated measures to protect and assist the victims, prevent human trafficking and apprehend the ringleaders. The action plan spans three years (2003-2005). The Ministry of Justice and Police is responsible for coordinating and implementing the action plan.

III - V

Reference is made to previous report.

VI

This report will be communicated to the Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry, the Confederation of Trade Unions in Norway, the Confederation of Vocational Unions, the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities and the Confederation of Norwegian Commercial and Service Enterprises.

Oslo, September 2003

Enclosures:

1 Working Environment Act, chapter IX

2 Regulations on employment of children and young people