MATTHIAS THORNS

Main Counsellor, International Organisation of Employers, Geneva

Résumé

Les Etats sont responsables de l’application des droits humains. Néanmoins, beaucoup d’Etats ne remplissent pas leurs obligations internationales concernant les droits de l’enfant, tel que l’illustre la question des pires formes de travail des enfants. Les enfants sont particuli- èrement affectés par le travail forcé dans plusieurs contextes, dont celui du travail domestique, de mendicité forcée, du recrutement forcé auprès de l’armée nationale ou auprès de groupes armés illégaux. Ainsi, dans la plupart des cas, les entreprises n’ont pas de contact direct ou de relation avec ces enfants. De plus, ces enfants sont difficilement identifiables par les ent- reprises puisqu’ils ne sont d’aucune façon enregistrés. Malgré cette situation, les compagnies s’engagent dans la lutte contre les pires formes de travail des enfants pour un bon nombre de raisons, dont des raisons économiques. L’auteur présente le monde des affaires comme ne faisant pas partie du problème mais de la solution et comme nécessitant d’être pleinement impliqué et considéré dans le développement et la mise en œuvre de politiques, programmes, initiatives ayant rapport aux droits de l’enfant. Des commentaires critiques ont été édictés sur la première proposition d’Observation générale proposée par le Comité des Droits de l’enfant à propos des obligations des Etats parties envers le secteur des affaires et sur ses impacts sur les droits de l’enfant.

Zusammenfassung

Die Staaten sind für die Implementierung der Menschenrechte verantwortlich. Trotzdem erfüllen viele Staaten ihre internationalen Verpflichtungen betreffend Kinderrechte nicht, wie es die Frage der schlimmsten Formen der Kinderarbeit zeigt. Kinder sind von der Zwangsarbeit in verschiedenen Zusammenhängen besonders betroffen, darunter Hausarbeit, Zwangsbettelei, Zwangsrekrutierung in die nationale Armee oder durch illegale bewaffnete Gruppen. In den meisten Fällen haben die Unternehmen keinen direkten Kontakt zu den Kindern. Ausserdem ist es für die Unternehmen schwierig, die Kinder auszumachen, da sie nirgends registriert sind. Trotzdem engagieren sich die Unternehmen aus diversen Gründen für die Bekämpfung der schlimmsten Formen der Kinderarbeit, unter anderem aus wirtschaftlichen. Nach dem Autor ist die Geschäftswelt nicht Teil des Problems, sondern der Lösung. Sie muss laut ihm in die Entwicklung und Implementierung von Massnahmen, Programmen und Initiativen

rund um die Kinderrechte einbezogen und berücksichtigt werden. Über den ersten Vorschlag des allgemeinen Kommentars des Komitees für Kinderrechte wurden kritische Kommentare erlassen. Sie betrafen die Verpflichtungen der Vertragsstaaten gegenüber der Geschäftswelt und deren Auswirkungen auf die Kinderrechte.

Resumen

Los Estados son responsables de la implementación de los derechos humanos. Sin embargo, muchos Estados no cumplen sus obligaciones relativas a los Derechos del niño, el ejemplo más claro son las peores formas de trabajo infantil. Los niños son especialmente afectados por el trabajo forzado en diferentes contextos, como el trabajo doméstico, la mendicidad for- zada, el reclutamiento forzado ante el ejército nacional o ante grupos armados ilegales. Por lo tanto, en la mayoría de los casos, las empresas no tienen contacto directo o relación con estos niños. Además, estos niño son identificados difícilmente por las empresas, porque no están registrados de ninguna manera. A pesar de esta situación, las empresas se comprometen en la lucha contra las peores formas de trabajo infantil por un buen número de razones, sobre todo económicas. El autor presenta el mundo de los negocios como una solución y no un problema y que necesita estar plenamente implicado y considerado en el desarrollo y la implementación de las políticas, los programas e iniciativas que tengan relación con los derechos del niño. Se decretaron algunos comentarios críticos sobre la primera proposición de la Observación General propuesta por el Comité Sobre los Derechos del Niño, a propósito de las obligaciones de los Estados partes hacia el sector empresarial y sobre el impacto sobre los derechos del niño.

Summary

States are responsible for the implementation of human rights. However, many states do not fulfil their international obligations with regard to child rights, like is illustrated on the question of the worst forms of child labour. Children are particularly affected by forced labour in the context of domestic work, forced begging and forced recruitment to national armed forces or illegal armed groups. Thus, in the vast majority of cases, companies have no direct contact or societal relationship with these children. Moreover, these children are very difficult for companies to identify and to have contact with, since they are not registered in any way. Despite this situation, companies engage in combating the worst forms of child labour for a number of reasons, including economic reasons. The author presents business as being not part of the problem but part of the solution and as needing to be fully and closely involved in the development and implementation of policies, programmes and initiatives with regard to Child Rights. Critical comments are made on the first draft of the General Comment made by Committee on the Rights of the Child on States’ Obligations towards business sector and its impacts on children rights.

CONTEXT

Human rights covenants are conventions under international law and therefore agreements between states. This means that in the very first instance states are responsible for implemen- tation of human rights. The promulgation of human rights does not automatically create valid law, which has to be framed by individual states. States must implement their self-imposed obligation in national legislation. This is especially true for the rights of the Child. When you look at the Convention on the Rights of the Child for instance, the vast majority of the provisions, as for instance the right for registration, family reunification, the issue of adoption as well as meeting the needs of disabled children, are rights states have to transpose through rules in the areas of family law, social law…

The real world, however, looks very different. Too many states do not fulfil their interna- tional obligations with regard to child rights. This becomes exemplary clear on the question of the worst forms of child labour. Although 175 states have ratified ILO Convention 182, which requires that

“each member which ratifies this Convention shall take immediate and effective measures to secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour”,

according to the ILO more than 115 million children around the world work under condi- tions which fall into the worst forms of child labour.

According to the ILO, most of these work in the informal economy, domestic work and agriculture. Around 5.7 million children are in forced and bonded labour. Children are parti- cularly affected by forced labour in the context of domestic work, forced begging and forced recruitment to national armed forces or illegal armed groups. Thus, in the vast majority of cases, companies have no direct contact or societal relationship with these children. Moreover, these children are very difficult for companies to identify and to have contact with, since they are not registered in any way.

Despite this situation, companies are very actively engaged in combating the worst forms of child labour. They do this not only for ethical reasons. There are also strong economic rea- sons: cases of child labour in the supply chain can lead to an enormous loss of reputation for a company, even if the company has no knowledge of and cannot influence the situation – as is usually the case. Moreover, in the medium term, children who do not go to school have no value as skilled workers on the labour market. Lastly, in the long term, child labour undermines the development of societies, which limits the business activity of companies.