Cablegate: Yemen: 2009 Child Labor and Forced Labor Updates

VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHYN #0225 0370609
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 060609Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY SANAA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3712
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
INFO RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SANAA 000225

SIPDIS

DEPT OF LABOR FOR OCFT TINA MCCARTER
DEPT OF STATE FOR NEA/ARP AMACDONALD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB EIND ETRD PHUM SOCI YM
SUBJECT: YEMEN: 2009 CHILD LABOR AND FORCED LABOR UPDATES

REF: A. STATE 131997
B. 09 SANAA 104

1. This cable provides updates on the child and forced labor
situation in the Republic of Yemen, as per REF A. Hard copy
source materials for 2009 have been pouched to the Department
of Labor Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor and Human
Trafficking (OCFT). POC is Roland McKay: mckayrd@state.gov,
Tel: 967 1 755 2152, and Fax: 967 1 303 182.

2. Post has no evidence of child or forced labor being used
in the production of goods in Yemen. EmbOffs spoke to local
and international child labor-oriented NGOs, as well as the
Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, and found no reports of
such labor being used in the very limited Yemeni
manufacturing sector.

3. The child labor situation in Yemen has not changed
significantly since January 2009; many of the challenges
mentioned in REF B remain true today. Deputy Minister for
Social Affairs and Labor Shaif al-Sagheer told EconOff on
January 26 that the Parliament had still not passed a draft
"Child Law" that would give enforcement teeth to existing
legislation. As of late January 2010, the lack of child
labor inspectors (REF B) remained a significant obstacle in
the ROYG's ability to combat child labor effectively.
SECHE

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