DOMINICAN REPUBLIC UPDATE ON WORST FORMS OF CHILD

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANTO DOMINGO 004145 SIPDIS DOL/ILAB FOR TINA MCCARTER; DRL/IL FOR LAUREN HOLT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ELAB ETRD PHUM SOCI DR SUBJECT: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC UPDATE ON WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOR REF: A. (A) STATE 143552 ¶B. (B) 04 SANTO DOMINGO 04809 ¶1. This cable is in response to ref A request for an update on worst forms of child labor in the Dominican Republic. The 2004 Child Labor Information Update from Santo Domingo (ref B) remains current, with the following additional information. ¶2. On October 17, 2004, the new Code for Protection of Minors, Law 136-03 (Codigo para el Sistema de Proteccion y los Derechos Fundamentales de los Ninos, Ninas y Adolescentes, Ley 136-03) was implemented. The Code recognizes the National Council for Children and Adolescents (CONANI) as a non-cabinet, decentralized public agency to coordinate public policy, to protect children's human rights, and to administer the Code. The law stipulates that CONANI is to receive at least 2 percent of the national budget and that a minimum of 5 percent of municipal government budgets must be devoted to projects to benefit children. The Code contains strengthened provisions against the problem areas of child abuse, including physical and emotional mistreatment, sexual exploitation, and child labor. The Code provides for a penalty of between 3 and 10 years incarceration and a fine of 10 to 30 times the minimum wage for persons, companies or institutions found guilty of child sexual exploitation, and for a penalty of between 20 and 30 years incarceration and a fine of 100 to 150 times the minimum wage for persons, companies or institutions found guilty of commercialization of children and adolescents. ¶3. A National Plan of Action (NPA) to combat the worst forms of child labor is being completed. As part of the design process, bilateral and group consultations have been carried out with seven sectors including: protection institutions (Attorney General Office, Office of the First Lady, National Childhood Council - CONANI),service providing institutions (Ministries of Education, and Health),institutions working in the rural sector (Ministry of Agriculture, Banco Agrcola, PROMIPYMES),and data collection and statistic offices (Central Bank, National Office of Plan - ONAPLAN). The Plan should be launched in the forthcoming months. ¶4. On April 1, 2005 ILO-IPEC officially launched two programs to be implemented in the rice-growing area (Provinces Duarte and Maria Trinidad Sanchez) by Caritas and 
the Instituto de Desarrollo de la Economia Asociativa (IDEAC). Numerous representatives from local and central authorities participated in the launch. Representatives from the Ministries of Labor, Education, Heath, Women, two District Attorneys, two Governors and two members of Parliament were present. Labor Attache of the US Embassy also participated in the event. The program, developed with Caritas, focuses on the implementation of four components: awareness raising/social mobilization, investigation, capacity building and direct services to children, including education, health and legal support. The program aims at withdrawing 2,100 children engaged in hazardous activities in the rice sector, preventing 4,620 children from work and supporting 1,050 families. A total of twenty seven communities will be targeted. In addition, a separate program developed with the Instituto de Desarrollo de la Economia Asociativa (IDEAC),implements the income-generating component. This program aims at supporting 1,050 families through training activities on formulation of income generative mini-projects, guidance and counseling on saving practices, facilitation of access to micro-credit schemes. Three hundred of these families who demonstrate best skills and capacities will receive additional support to start up their own businesses. ¶5. From April 27-28, 2005, Secretary of Labor staff, in particular labor inspectors and local representatives, participated in a training workshop on child labor and labor inspection. The Child Labor Unit, the Direction of Industrial Health and Safety, the Employment Unit, the Labor Inspection Unit and the Statistics Unit of the Ministry of Labor jointly organized the workshop. ¶6. On May 6, 2005 a program against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of children in Las Terrenas by the Fundacion Azucar was officially launched. The program provides education, health services and legal support to beneficiaries. In total, 100 children at risk or victims of child sexual exploitation and fifty families will benefit from the program interventions. ¶7. The NGO FLASCO, the Secretary of Labor, and ILO-IPEC carried out a baseline survey on child labor exploitation and trafficking in the western border province of San Juan de la Maguana. A stakeholders, meeting was organized to share its results and identify possible lines of intervention. The Ministry of Labor coordinated the meeting that took place at the Governor,s Office on the third of June. Almost ninety persons representing all key sectors were present. The event received strong political support with the participation of the Governor of the Province of San Juan, the President of the Appeals Court and the Under Secretary of Labor responsible for child labor issues. The NGO Plan International was identified to implement an Action Program to remove and prevent exploitative child labor in crop plantations in the border area, in which the majority of working children are Haitians who live illegally in the country. A technical workshop was organized June 22nd to elaborate a strategy of intervention. Activities are planned to start in the forthcoming weeks. ¶8. COMMENT: The Dominican Republic continues to make progress in eliminating the worst forms of child labor. According to the Under Secretary of Labor in charge of the Child Labor Unit, 25,000 children have been removed from working in areas of agriculture in the last year under the current administration. However, widespread poverty continues to lead children to drop out of school and join exploitative work conditions in order to contribute to the family welfare. The Ministry of Education and Ministry of Labor have both provided significant support in eliminating child labor but it will be a difficult task if more resources are not devoted toward the cause. KUBISKE