Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999
Encyclopedia
The Convention concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour, known in short as the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, was adopted by the International Labour Organization
(ILO) in 1999 as ILO Convention No 182. It is one of 8 ILO fundamental conventions.
By ratifying this Convention No. 182, a country commits itself to taking immediate action to prohibit and eliminate the worst forms of child labour. The Convention is enjoying the fastest pace of ratifications in the ILO's history since 1919.
The ILO's International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
(IPEC) is responsible for assisting countries in this regard as well as monitoring compliance. One of the methods used by IPEC to assist countries in this regard are Time-bound Programmes
.
The ILO also adopted the Worst Forms of Child Labour Recommendation No 190 in 1999. This recommendation contains, among others, recommendations on the types of hazards that should be considered for inclusion within a country-based definition of Worst Form Hazards faced by Children at Work
.
Furthermore, the convention has not been ratified for Curaçao
, Sint Maarten and the Caribbean Netherlands within the Kingdom of the Netherlands
. For the United Kingdom
, the convention has been extended to Guernsey
, but not for Man
, Jersey
or any of the dependent territories.
The predefined worst forms of child labour are:
. Here the Convention recommended that the circumstances should be determined in consultation with organisations of employers and workers within a specific country. The Convention recommends that programmes of action should attend specifically to younger children, the girl child, hidden work situation in which girls are at special risk, and other groups of children with special vulnerabilities or needs. Worst Forms of Child Labour Recommendation No 190 contains recommendations on the types of hazards that should be considered to be included within a country-based definition of worst form hazards.
The Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography plays a role in the coordination of activities
International Labour Organization
The International Labour Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that deals with labour issues pertaining to international labour standards. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. Its secretariat — the people who are employed by it throughout the world — is known as the...
(ILO) in 1999 as ILO Convention No 182. It is one of 8 ILO fundamental conventions.
By ratifying this Convention No. 182, a country commits itself to taking immediate action to prohibit and eliminate the worst forms of child labour. The Convention is enjoying the fastest pace of ratifications in the ILO's history since 1919.
The ILO's International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
The International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour is a programme that the International Labour Organization has run since 1992...
(IPEC) is responsible for assisting countries in this regard as well as monitoring compliance. One of the methods used by IPEC to assist countries in this regard are Time-bound Programmes
Time-Bound Programmes for the Eradication of the Worst forms of Child Labour
The International Labour Organization Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention calls for time-bound programmes for the eradication of the worst forms of child labour...
.
The ILO also adopted the Worst Forms of Child Labour Recommendation No 190 in 1999. This recommendation contains, among others, recommendations on the types of hazards that should be considered for inclusion within a country-based definition of Worst Form Hazards faced by Children at Work
Worst Form Hazards faced by Children at Work
The Worst Form Hazards faced by Children at Work is a provision in the Worst Forms of Child Labour Recommendation adopted by the International Labour Organization in 1999, which sets out the framework for each ratifying country's specific examination of and the criteria they use to determine "work...
.
Ratifications
As of May 2011, the convention had been ratified by 174 out of ILO 183 members. Members that did not ratify the convention are:Furthermore, the convention has not been ratified for Curaçao
Curaçao
Curaçao is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the Venezuelan coast. The Country of Curaçao , which includes the main island plus the small, uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao , is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
, Sint Maarten and the Caribbean Netherlands within the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Kingdom of the Netherlands
The Kingdom of the Netherlands is a sovereign state and constitutional monarchy with territory in Western Europe and in the Caribbean. The four parts of the Kingdom—Aruba, Curaçao, the Netherlands, and Sint Maarten—are referred to as "countries", and participate on a basis of equality...
. For the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the convention has been extended to Guernsey
Guernsey
Guernsey, officially the Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.The Bailiwick, as a governing entity, embraces not only all 10 parishes on the Island of Guernsey, but also the islands of Herm, Jethou, Burhou, and Lihou and their islet...
, but not for Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
, Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
or any of the dependent territories.
Predefined worst forms of child labour
Convention 182 includes forms of child labour, which are predefined worst forms of child labour. They are also sometimes referred to as automatic worst forms of child labour.The predefined worst forms of child labour are:
- all forms of slaverySlaverySlavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
or practices similar to slavery, such as- the sale of a child;
- trafficking of children, meaning the recruitment of children to do work far away from home and from the care of their families, in circumstances within which they are exploited;
- debt bondageDebt bondageDebt bondage is when a person pledges him or herself against a loan. In debt bondage, the services required to repay the debt may be undefined, and the services' duration may be undefined...
or any other form of bonded labour or serfdomSerfdomSerfdom is the status of peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to Manorialism. It was a condition of bondage or modified slavery which developed primarily during the High Middle Ages in Europe and lasted to the mid-19th century...
; - forced or compulsory labour, including forced or compulsory recruitment of children for use in armed conflictMilitary use of childrenThe military use of children takes three distinct forms: children can take direct part in hostilities , or they can be used in support roles such as porters, spies, messengers, look outs, and sexual slaves; or they can be used for political advantage either as human shields or in...
;
- Commercial sexual exploitation of childrenCommercial sexual exploitation of childrenCommercial sexual exploitation of children constitutes a form of coercion and violence against children and amounts to forced labour and a contemporary form of slavery....
(CSEC), including the use, procuring or offering of a child for:- prostitutionProstitution of childrenProstitution of children or child prostitution is the commercial sexual exploitation of children in which a child performs the services of prostitution, for financial benefit. The term normally refers to prostitution by a minor, or person under the local age of majority...
, or - the production of pornographyChild pornographyChild pornography refers to images or films and, in some cases, writings depicting sexually explicit activities involving a child...
or for pornographic performances;
- prostitution
- use, procuring or offering of a child by others for illegal activities, also known as children used by adults in the commission of crimeChildren used by adults in the commission of crimeThe use, procuring or offering of a child by others for illegal activities, including the trafficking or production of drugs, is one of the predefined worst forms of child labour in terms of the International Labour Organisation's Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, adopted in 1999.It is also...
(CUBAC), including the trafficking or production of drugs.
Worst form hazards: To be defined by each ratifying country
The last category of worst form of child labour is work which by its nature or the circumstances is likely to harm the health, safety or morals of children, or Worst Form Hazards faced by Children at WorkWorst Form Hazards faced by Children at Work
The Worst Form Hazards faced by Children at Work is a provision in the Worst Forms of Child Labour Recommendation adopted by the International Labour Organization in 1999, which sets out the framework for each ratifying country's specific examination of and the criteria they use to determine "work...
. Here the Convention recommended that the circumstances should be determined in consultation with organisations of employers and workers within a specific country. The Convention recommends that programmes of action should attend specifically to younger children, the girl child, hidden work situation in which girls are at special risk, and other groups of children with special vulnerabilities or needs. Worst Forms of Child Labour Recommendation No 190 contains recommendations on the types of hazards that should be considered to be included within a country-based definition of worst form hazards.
Country programmes on WFCL
Several programs exist (coordinated by the ILO or other UN organizations) to stimulate adherence to the convention:- Programmes of the International Labour OrganizationInternational Labour OrganizationThe International Labour Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that deals with labour issues pertaining to international labour standards. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. Its secretariat — the people who are employed by it throughout the world — is known as the...
addressing the worst forms of child labour- Time-Bound Programmes for the Eradication of the Worst forms of Child LabourTime-Bound Programmes for the Eradication of the Worst forms of Child LabourThe International Labour Organization Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention calls for time-bound programmes for the eradication of the worst forms of child labour...
; - International Programme on the Elimination of Child LabourInternational Programme on the Elimination of Child LabourThe International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour is a programme that the International Labour Organization has run since 1992...
; - Country programmes on Commercial sexual exploitation of childrenCommercial sexual exploitation of childrenCommercial sexual exploitation of children constitutes a form of coercion and violence against children and amounts to forced labour and a contemporary form of slavery....
.
- Time-Bound Programmes for the Eradication of the Worst forms of Child Labour
The Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography plays a role in the coordination of activities
External links
- Text of the Convention and Recommendation No 190
- ratifications
- Handbook for parlamentarians: Eliminating the worst forms of child labour ILOIloIlo is a port city in southern Peru, with some 58,000 inhabitants. It is the largest city in the Moquegua Region and capital of the province of Ilo.-History:...
, Inter-Parliamentary Union, 2002 - ILO Further documents on Worst Form Hazards
- International Research on Working Children (IREWOC)