Mauritania's+Position+Paper

This page is been created by Marta Martinez

Commettee: International Labor Organitation. Topic: Child Labour Country:Mauritania

In the year 2000,the ILO(International Labour Office) projects that there will be 68.000 chil labour, 34.000 girls and 34.000 boys. Between the ages of 10-14, representing the 22.10% of this age group. In 1995, there were more child labour 71.000 children's, 35.000 girls and 36.000 boys between the ages of 10-14, representing 23.97% of this age group.

In Mauritania, children frequently work with their families in activities such as farming, herding and fishing. Childrens do a lot of diferent informal activities like as driving donkey carts to deliver water, street vending and domestic work. They also work in small family businesses, construction and as auto mechanics. In addition, girls from remote areas of the country work as unpaid domestic servants in urban households, and Mauritanian boys living with Koranic teachers are forced to beg, in some regions for more than 12 hours a day without adequate food and shelter provisions. In remote areas of the country where the economy continues to rely on traditional labor and barter arrangements,such as the practice of slavery and indentured servitude that have historically been utilized in Saharan communities, children continued to be exploited slave-like practices and actual slavery itself. Mauritania is also a source and destination country for trafficking in children for forced labor. Mauritania is also a source and destination country for trafficking in children for forced labor. Young girls are trafficked to Mali and within Mauritania to serve as domestic servants. Mauritanian boys trafficked within the country are often forced to work as beggars as part of their religious instruction through the Koranic schools.

The law sets the minimum age for employment at 14 years unless the child has not yet completed the 9 years of compulsory education in which case the minimum working age may be raised. At 12 years, children may perform light work in establishments where their family members are employed, provided that they have the Minister of Labor’s authorization and maintain their schooling. However, 12-year-olds may not work more than 2 hours a day, with the total combined hours of school and work not to exceed 7 hours a day, and the work must not be harmful to their normal development. Children under 14 may not work on Fridays or public holidays, and children under 16 are prohibited from night work. The law also bans children under 18 years from work that is beyond their strength or is likely to harm their safety, health, or morals. Employers must maintain a registry of employed youths under 18, including hours worked.2740 Violation of Mauritania’s child labor laws may result in a prison sentence of 15 days to 1 month and a fine.

Mauritania work with diferent's ONGs like Save the children and UNICEF: ·Mauritania is working with Save the children in four important objects: -Protection and prevention of sexual violence in Mauritania: The project is aimed at prevention and care of child victims of sexual violence in Mauritania. -Action, education and participation in Mauritania: This project aims to meet the needs of children in extreme difficulty in Nouakchott and Nouadhibou. -Prevention and response to violence: This project is developed in Mauritania with the aim of preventing violence against children. -Promotion of the Rights of the Talibés: The project tries to act opposite to the violation of rights that the talibés suffer, children religious beggars of Nouakchott, Mauritania.

Mauritania is one of the country where a lot of child labour.The problem is that Mauritania have enough money to stop the child labour. I think the solution of Child labour is to save money to the ONGs to makes schools to the children that are working.

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