Business has become one of the evolving thematic areas with significant implications on the rights and welfare of children on the continent. This is mainly the result of continued growth of trade, manufacturing and investment in Africa. There are various aspects of business that present negative implications on children’s rights and welfare.  These include, the lack of employment conditions within business enterprises which assist working parents and caregivers in fulfilling their responsibilities to children in their care; the challenges of economic exploitation and hazardous work conditions for children; lack of functioning labour inspection and enforcement systems in most African States; limited measures taken by States to promote the physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration of children who have experienced various forms of violence, neglect, exploitation, or abuse including economic exploitation; lack of strict process of due diligence and an effective monitoring system; and the difficulties in obtaining remedy for abuses that occur in the context of transnational business operations.

To guarantee protection of the rights of children in the realm of business it is important to ensure that States have adequate legal and institutional frameworks to respect, protect and fulfill children’s rights, and to provide remedies in case of violations in the context of business activities and operations. Moreover, all business have responsibilities in respecting and supporting children’s rights, putting in place appropriate policy commitment and due diligence process to addressing potential and actual impacts on children’s rights and welfare. The responsibilities of States and business actors should be guided by the rights outlined by the African Children’s Charter, and other international instruments, such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the International Labour Organization’s Convention No. 138 on Minimum Age, and Convention No. 182 on Worst Forms of Child Labour.

Cognizant of the above-mentioned issues and the need for a child rights -based response to the challenges in business practices, the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child decided to establish a Working Group on Children’s Rights and Business during its 35^th Ordinary Session, held virtually from 31 August to 08 September 2020. The aim of the Working Group is to promote the integration of a child rights-based approach to business practices with a view to addressing business-related child rights challenges in Africa. The Working Group is composed of four Members of the ACERWC and four external experts.

Since its establishment, the Working Group has carried out a number of activities such as conducting a continental study on children’s rights and business which is ongoing through the support of Expertise France. The Working Group has also undertaken other activities to guide States on the measures that should be undertaken to ensure child protection in business including the passing of a resolution on the promotion and protection of children’s rights in the digital sphere, issuance of a statement on the World Day against Child Labor, and development of a draft ToR on child rights due diligence in the agricultural sector in Africa. Further, some members of the Working Group have attended some events on human rights and business which include the Africa Business and Human Rights Forum (Ghana), International workshop on enhancing cooperation between the United Nations and Regional Mechanisms for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (Geneva), and the Dialogue on National Action Plans on business and human rights in Southern Africa (Mozambique). Since its establishment, the Working Group has conducted three meetings and as per its SOPs, it holds two meetings every year before the Session of the ACERWC.  Whilst noting progress, there are some activities of the Working Group that need to be further implemented, in line with the Working Group’s mandate.

In this regard, the ACERWC through the support of Expertise France would like to hire a qualified individual consultant to assist the undertakings of the Working Group on Children’s Rights and Business in Africa.