Relevant Legislation
The Child Law (Law No. 9/93)1
Types of Work Prohibited
Article 65 stipulates:
Whoever commits any of the following acts shall, on conviction be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 6 months or with fine which may extend to kyats 1000 or with both:
(a) employing or permitting a child to perform work which is hazardous to the life of the child or which may cause disease to the child or which is harmful to the child’s moral character;
(b) […] employing or permitting the child to work in the business which trades in alcohol.
Article 66 further provides:
Whoever commits any of the following acts shall, on conviction be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 2 years or with fine which may extend to kyats 10,000 or with both:
(a) neglecting knowingly that a girl under his guardianship, who has not attained the age of 16 is earning a livelihood by prostitution;
(c) employing a child to beg for his personal benefit; failing to prevent a child under his guardianship from begging; making use of the child in any manner in his livelihood of begging;
(f) using the child in pornographic cinema, video, television photography.
Additional Protective Measures
Article 24 states:
(a) Every child has -
(i) the right to engage in work in accordance with law and of his own volition;
(ii) the right to hours of employment, rest and leisure and other reliefs prescribed by law;
(b) The Ministry of Labour shall protect and safeguard in accordance with law to ensure safety of children employees at the place of work and prevention of infringement and loss of their rights.
Article 52 provides that an officer in charge of a prison will not (‘in respect of a child or youth who has been sentenced to imprisonment’) employ him in rigorous labour.
Endnotes
1 The Child Law (Law No. 9/93), 1993, unofficial translation available at http://www.ilo. org/dyn/natlex/natlex_browse.country?p_lang=en&p_country=MMR (accessed 28/09/11).
