In the upcoming months, the Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH) will highlight the challenges associated with child labor and the crucial need to effectively address them through enforcing laws, ensuring access to education, and providing economic support to families to alleviate poverty-related disruptions that force children into labor.
The ongoing economic crisis in Lebanon is a significant factor behind the growing issue of child labor, as families often resort to having their children work to afford basic needs. With poverty indicators on the rise and food insecurity posing a threat to many families, UNICEF reports an 16% increase in the number of families sending their children to work by late 2023.
Child labor in Lebanon poses serious risks to the health and well-being of children, as they are often exposed to unsuitable working conditions for their age, such as working on the streets, construction sites, and in agricultural fields. This violates Article 1 of Decree No. 8987, issued by the Lebanese Government in 2012, which prohibits children under the age of eighteen from engaging in certain professions and from undertaking physically hazardous work. Furthermore, child labor contradicts provisions of Lebanese labor law, specifically those related to safeguarding children from harsh conditions and risks such as abduction, traffic accidents, and verbal and physical abuse.
In 2023, 26% of children were deprived of education due to economic and security challenges, forcing them into the workforce. This situation incentivizes employers to exploit them with minimal pay, as children are often unable to assert their rights, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and harmful work conditions, in violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
CLDH emphasizes the need for authorities to develop a strategy to reduce child labor and prevent children’s involvement in activities that subject them to exploitation and infringes upon their rights. Additionally, a framework should be established for enforcing Decree No. 8987, along with pertinent legal provisions and international obligations, to prohibit actions that endanger children.
