Vi) Children. The Government is equally concerned with the rights and welfare of children and numerous laws address children issues directly. The Kingdom of Swaziland is a State party to the Convention on the. Rights of the Child and its initial report is almost ready for submission to the Committee on the Rights of Child, the implementing body of the Convention. vii) People with Disabilities Although there are presently no laws that protect the rights of the disabled, the Ministries concerned with their welfare continue to call for equal treatment of the disabled. A bill giving preferential treatment to disabled persons for building access and other needs, is now in its final stages and is to be tabled to Parliament soon. viii) The Right to Organize and Bargain Collectively. The Industrial Relations Act 1996 provides for the above and outlaws anti-union discrimination. Collective bargaining is widespread and more than 80% of the formal private sector is unionised. Employers are obliged to allow representatives of legally recognized union to conduct union activities on company premises. Unresolved disputes are referred to the Labour Commissioner and the Industrial Court if necessary. ix Prohibition of forced Labour The law prohibits forced Labour and it is not known to occur. The status of child labour practices and minimum age for employment is covered by the Employment Act of 1980 which prohibits the hiring of a child below the age of 15 years in an industrial undertaking, except in cases where only family members are employed in a firm, or in technical work at schools. Legislation also limits the number of hours that could be put in on school days and limits children's work hours to 6 per day or 33 per week. 7

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