The National Commission for the Gradual and Progressive Eradication of Child Labor (CONETI) of Honduras approved a key amendment to Article 8 of the Regulation on Child Labor during its first regular session of the year, held on Wednesday, May 6 in Tegucigalpa, according to a press release by the International Labour Organization (ILO). The session was chaired by Juan Carlos Rodríguez Molina, Undersecretary of State for Labour and Social Security. It reaffirmed the commitment of the government and social sectors to combating child labour. The reform expands and updates the list of hazardous jobs for adolescent workers. It marks a milestone in the country’s labour regulations.
The meeting was characterized by inclusive and participatory social dialogue, gathering representatives from 10 government ministries. The employer sector was represented by the Honduran Council of Private Enterprise (COHEP). The labor movement was represented by the Unitary Confederation of Workers of Honduras (CUTH) and the Honduran Professional Association for Teacher Development (COLPROSUMAH). Civil society was represented by the Network of Institutions for Children’s Rights (COIPRODEN). The session was also supported by the National Human Rights Commissioner (CONADEH) and the European Union Delegation in Honduras.
The approved amendment classifies hazardous jobs according to two specific criteria: by nature and by condition. The list had not been updated for 10 years, an obligation that Honduras must fulfil as an ILO member state under Article 4 of the ILO Convention on the Worst Forms of Child Labour, 1999 (No. 182). The reform aligns with international ILO standards and follows 14 months of dialogue, discussion, and consensus-building. Hazardous work by condition (Article 8A) now expands the regulation of physical, chemical, and biological risks. It also incorporates psychosocial factors such as exposure on social media and ergonomic risks with a gender-sensitive approach.
The new definition of hazardous work goes beyond physical harm, prioritizing mental health, well-being, access to education, and the comprehensive development of adolescents. This regulatory advancement was made possible thanks to technical assistance from the CLEAR Supply Chains Project: Ending Child Labor in Supply Chains. The project is co-financed by the European Union and implemented by the ILO as lead agency, alongside UNICEF, FAO, and ITC. It seeks to address the root causes of child labor in supply chains through a cluster-based approach. CONETI was described as the ideal space for social dialogue, where government, employers, workers, and civil society organizations join efforts to prevent and eradicate child labour.
With this approval, Honduras strengthens its legal framework on child labour. The country takes a leading role in protecting the rights of adolescent workers. The reform aims to ensure that the education and development of adolescents are not compromised by hazardous work environments. It modernizes a regulation that had remained unchanged for a decade. Further information on the initiative is available through the ILO CLEAR Supply Chains project page.
