† Determined by national law or regulation as hazardous and, as such, relevant to Article 3(d) of ILO C. 182.
‡ Child labor understood as the worst forms of child labor per se under Article 3(a)–(c) of ILO C. 182.

Children at Higher Risk

Children of parents who have migrated abroad seeking work, particularly girls, are especially vulnerable to commercial sexual exploitation and may be targeted by traffickers. NGOs report that more than 85 percent of children trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation are the children of migrants. In addition, within the Kyrgyz Republic, children whose parents have migrated abroad for work have been identified engaging in child labor in markets. Children from rural and low-income families and those in the child welfare system, including orphans, are also at higher risk of being subjected to trafficking. There are no shelters specifically for child survivors of trafficking, meaning they are sometimes placed in orphanages where they may be at higher risk of re-victimization. Additionally, the practice of "bride kidnapping" puts girls at higher risk of forced marriage and possible subsequent forced labor or trafficking into commercial sexual exploitation.

Barriers to Education Access

In the Kyrgyz Republic, documentation requirements for school registration continue to prevent some children from enrolling in schools, particularly children whose parents are labor migrants. Some children who have either migrated to the Kyrgyz Republic with their parents or were left behind when their parents migrated to other countries or other areas of the Kyrgyz Republic for work cannot access their birth certificates or guardianship documents, which are required for school enrollment. Children living in rural areas and those with disabilities, especially girls, also have difficulty accessing education. In rare cases, some parents prevent children from attending school for religious reasons or require older children to miss school to care for their younger siblings. Children living in state institutions or orphanages are more likely to leave school due to violence or the need to earn money.

‡ Age calculated based on available information

The Kyrgyz Republic's labor law governing the minimum age for work is not in compliance with international standards because according to Article 6 of the Labor Code, protections granted in the Labor Code, such as the minimum age for employment, are not extended to children engaged in non-contractual employment. Restrictions on the number of hours that children under age 18 may work are also not enforced for children engaged in non-contractual employment. In addition, as the minimum age for work stated in the Labor Code is lower than the compulsory education age, children may be encouraged to leave school before the completion of compulsory education. Further, the government does not have a list of permitted light work activities. Finally, although Articles 166–168 of the Criminal Code of the Kyrgyz Republic criminalize involving a minor in commercial sexual exploitation, no law clearly criminalizes the users (clients) of prostitution involving children.

In 2023, approximately 50 labor inspectors conducted 1,155 inspections between January and October, finding an unknown number of child labor violations. It is also unknown how many investigations into suspected cases of the worst forms of child labor were conducted, prosecutions were initiated, or perpetrators were convicted.

Legislative barriers prevent labor inspectors in the Kyrgyz Republic from performing unannounced, onsite inspections. In addition, a series of government moratoriums on labor inspections, including a moratorium that was in effect from January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023, continue to impede the authority of labor inspectors in the Kyrgyz Republic, and it is not clear how many inspections were performed onsite. Though the MOIA is authorized to conduct unannounced raids, in practice these investigations often require coordination across several government ministries and are frequently announced in advance. Labor inspectors are also often reluctant to impose penalties or refer cases for criminal prosecution, instead preferring to recommend remediation of observed violations. Sources also indicate that there are fewer than 50 labor inspectors employed by the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, and that staffing and resources are inadequate to monitor labor conditions or to detect violations, including of child labor laws, especially in remote, rural areas. While the government generally respects workers' rights to form and join trade unions, most unions fall under the umbrella of the government-affiliated Federation of Trade Unions. The law does not protect workers from retaliation for striking, nor does it include workers in domestic service. Migrant workers and workers employed by foreign companies (notably, Chinese-owned mining companies) may also have their rights curtailed. These factors have created an environment that limits unions' independence and ability to advocate effectively for workers' rights, including reporting child labor.

For information about USDOL’s projects to address child labor around the world, visit https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/ilab-project-page-search
† Program is funded by the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic.
‡ The government had other social programs that may have included the goal of eliminating or preventing child labor.

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