The Ombudsperson for Children, Mrs Aneeta Ghoorah, held a press conference, today, at the Labourdonnais Waterfront Hotel during which a special report entitled "The Protection of the Rights of Child Artists and Child Athletes", was officially launched. The report was prepared in collaboration with the Law Reform Commission (LRC).
The aim was to inform the public about the report's findings and highlight the need to better protect children who are involved in artistic and sports activities. Also present at the press conference were the Chief Executive Officer of the LRC, Mr Sabir Kadel, and the Secretary of the Ombudsperson for Children's Office, Mrs Lata Jhugroo.
Mrs Ghoorah recalled that the report was the result of extensive collaboration between her office, the Law Reform Commission, and a multidisciplinary Steering Committee. The Committee comprised representatives from the Ministry of Arts and Cultural Heritage, the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sports and Recreation, the Ministry of Labour, Human Resource Development and Training, and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare.
Key concerns identified and listed in the report relate to unclear payment rules for children, no proper protection for their creative rights, lack of mental health support, and unsafe or unregulated working conditions for young artists and athletes. In line with the law, she said, a copy of the report has been presented to the President of the Republic and another one tabled at the National Assembly.
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According to Mrs Ghoorah many children, in sports and the arts, are at risk of being taken advantage of, and the current laws are not strong or clear enough to protect them properly. One growing concern mentioned was the rise of kidfluencers: children who appear in adverts or social media content. "While they are popular and often in the public eye, these children are not always protected from issues like online threats, poor mental health, missing out on school, or unfair use of their money and image," said Mrs Ghoorah.
Furthermore the Ombudsperson for Children stressed that the report proposes a series of recommendations to strengthen legal safeguards and promote a child-centred approach that ensures safety, ethical engagement, and holistic development. "These measures," she explained, "are not intended to limit children's dreams but to ensure their dignity and well-being as they pursue their passions." She further urged ministries and relevant institutions to assume responsibility in implementing the proposed reforms and called on the media to help publicise these findings and support long-term child protection.
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Key recommendations from the report include:
The regulation of all remunerated artistic activities involving minors under the Children's Act;
Restrictions on working hours, along with guaranteed rest periods and compulsory schooling;
The establishment of blocked savings accounts to safeguard a portion of the child's income until they reach the age of majority;
Mandatory psychological and medical assessments for child athletes;
Compulsory certification for all supervisors and coaches in the artistic and sporting domains; and
The creation of a comprehensive legal framework through the enactment of new legislations to the Children's Act and the Workers' Rights Act.
