Minimum Age Convention, 1973

C138, Minimum Age Convention, 1973
Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment
Member states of the Convention.
14 years: purple
15 years: green
16 years: blue
Drafted 26 June 1973
Effective 19 June 1976
Condition 2 ratifications
Ratifiers 161
Depositary Director-General of the International Labour Office
Languages French and English

The Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment, is an Convention adopted in 1973 by the International Labour Organization. It requires ratifying states to pursue a national policy designed to ensure the effective abolition of child labour and to raise progressively the minimum age for admission to employment or work. The convention (number C138 of ILO) replaces several similar ILO conventions in specific fields of labour.

Contents

Minimum ages

Countries are free to specify a minimum age for labour, with a minimum of 15 years. A declaration of 14 years is also possible when for a specified period of time. Laws may also permit light work for children aged 13–15 (not harming their health or school work). The minimum age of 18 years is specified for work which "is likely to jeopardise the health, safety or morals of young persons". Definitions of the type of work and derogations are only possible after tripartite consultations (if such a system exists in the ratifying country).

Effect on other conventions

The convention is a revision of several conventions for workers in specific areas. Upon entry into force, some of these conventions were closed for ratification and becoming a party to this convention automatically resulted in denunciation of the older ones. An overview of older minimum age conventions of ILO is shown below:

ILO code Field conclusion date entry into force closure for signature Parties
(April 2011)
Denunciations
(September 2011)
revising convention(s) text and ratifications
C5 Industry 28 November 1919 13 June 1921 N.A. 2 70 C59, this convention Text, ratifications
C7 Sea 7 July 1920 27 September 1921 N.A. 3 50 C58, this convention, MLC Text, ratifications
C10 Agriculture 16 November 1921 31 August 1923 N.A. 4 51 this convention Text, ratifications
C15 trimmers and stokers 11 November 1921 20 November 1922 N.A. 9 60 this convention Text, ratifications
C33 Non-Industrial Employment (revised) 30 April 1932 6 June 1935 29 December 1950 2 23 C60, this convention Text, ratifications
C58 Sea (revised) 24 October 1936 11 April 1939 N.A. 15 36 this convention, MLC Text, ratifications
C59 Industry (revised) 22 June 1937 21 February 1941 19 June 1976 9 27 this convention Text, ratifications
C60 Non-Industrial Employment 22 June 1937 29 December 1950 N.A. 0 11 this convention Text, ratifications
C112 Fishermen 19 June 1959 7 November 1961 N.A. 8 21 this convention, Work in Fishing Convention Text, ratifications
C123 Underground Work 22 June 1965 10 November 1967 N.A. 22 19 this convention Text, ratifications

Ratifications

Minimum ages defined by states

  14 (33%)
  15 (44%)
  16 (23%)

Entry into force of the treaty occurred one year after deposition of two first ratifications (Cuba and Libya). As of July 2011, 161 countries have ratified the treaty. The treaty enters for a ratifying country into force one year after ratification. The treaty can be denounced every 10 years in the year after 10 years have passed (e.g. 19 June 2016-19 June 2017).

The following countries have ratified this Convention:
Country Date Minimum age (years)
Afghanistan April 7, 2010 14
Albania February 16, 1998 16
Algeria April 30, 1984 16
Angola June 13, 2001 14
Antigua and Barbuda March 17, 1983 16
Argentina November 11, 1996 14
Armenia January 27, 2006 16
Austria September 18, 2000 15
Azerbaijan May 19, 1992 16
Bahamas October 31, 2001 14
Barbados January 4, 2000 15
Belarus May 3, 1979 16
Belgium April 19, 1988 15
Belize March 6, 2000 14
Benin June 11, 2001 14
Bolivia June 11, 1997 14
Bosnia and Herzegovina June 2, 1993 15
Botswana June 5, 1997 14
Brazil June 28, 2001 16
Brunei Darussalam June 17, 2011 16
Bulgaria April 23, 1980 16
Burkina Faso February 11, 1999 15
Burundi July 19, 2000 16
Cambodia August 23, 1999 14
Cameroon August 13, 2001 14
Cape Verde February 7, 2011 15
Central African Republic June 28, 2000 14
Chad March 21, 2005 14
Chile February 1, 1999 15
China April 28, 1999 16
Colombia February 2, 2001 14
Comoros March 17, 2004 15
Congo November 26, 1999 14
Costa Rica June 11, 1976 15
Côte d'Ivoire February 7, 2003 14
Croatia October 8, 1991 15
Cuba March 7, 1975 15
Cyprus October 2, 1997 15
Czech Republic April 26, 2007 15
Democratic Republic of the Congo June 20, 2001 14
Denmark November 13, 1997 15
Djibouti June 14, 2005 16
Dominica September 27, 1983 15
Dominican Republic June 15, 1999 14
Ecuador September 19, 2000 14
Egypt June 9, 1999 14
El Salvador January 23, 1996 14
Equatorial Guinea June 12, 1985 14
Eritrea February 22, 2000 14
Estonia March 15, 2007 15
Ethiopia May 27, 1999 14
Fiji January 3, 2003 15
Finland January 13, 1976 15
France July 13, 1990 16
Gambia September 4, 2000 14
Gana June 6, 2011 15
Georgia September 23, 1996 15
Germany April 8, 1976 15
Greece March 14, 1986 15
Grenada May 14, 2003 16
Guatemala April 27, 1990 14
Guinea June 6, 2003 16
Guinea-Bissau March 5, 2009 14
Guyana April 15, 1998 15
Haiti March 5, 2009 14
Honduras June 9, 1980 14
Hungary May 28, 1998 16
Iceland December 6, 1999 15
Indonesia June 7, 1999 15
Iraq February 13, 1985 15
Ireland June 22, 1978 16
Israel June 21, 1979 15
Italy July 28, 1981 15
Jamaica October 13, 2003 15
Japan June 5, 2000 15
Jordan March 23, 1998 16
Kazakhstan May 18, 2001 16
Kenya April 9, 1979 16
Kiribati June 17, 2009 14
Republic of Korea January 28, 1999 15
Kuwait November 15, 1999 15
Kyrgyzstan March 31, 1992 16
Laos June 13, 2005 14
Latvia June 2, 2006 15
Lebanon June 10, 2003 14
Lesotho June 14, 2001 15
Libya June 19, 1975 15
Lithuania June 22, 1998 16
Luxembourg March 24, 1977 15
Macedonia November 17, 1991 15
Madagascar May 31, 2000 15
Malawi November 19, 1999 14
Malaysia September 9, 1997 15
Mali March 11, 2002 15
Malta June 9, 1988 16
Mauritania December 3, 2001 14
Mauritius July 30, 1990 15
Republic of Moldova September 21, 1999 16
Montenegro June 3, 2006 15
Mongolia December 16, 2002 15
Morocco January 6, 2000 15
Mozambique June 16, 2003 15
Namibia November 15, 2000 14
Nepal May 30, 1997 14
Netherlands (European territory) September 14, 1976 15
Netherlands (Aruba) February 18, 1986[1] 15
Nicaragua November 2, 1981 14
Niger December 4, 1978 14
Nigeria October 2, 2002 15
Norway July 8, 1980 15
Oman July 21, 2005 15
Pakistan July 6, 2006 14
Panama October 31, 2000 14
Papua New Guinea June 2, 2000 16
Paraguay March 3, 2004 14
Peru November 13, 2002 14
Philippines June 4, 1998 15
Poland March 22, 1978 15
Portugal May 20, 1998 16
Qatar January 3, 2006 16
Romania November 19, 1975 16
Russia May 3, 1979 16
Rwanda April 15, 1981 14
Saint Kitts and Nevis June 3, 2005 16
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines July 25, 2006 14
Samoa October 29, 2008 15
San Marino February 1, 1995 16
São Tomé and Príncipe May 4, 2005 14
Senegal December 15, 1999 15
Serbia November 24, 2000 15
Seychelles March 7, 2000 15
Sierra Leone June 13, 2011 16
Singapore November 7, 2005 15
Slovakia September 29, 1997 15
Slovenia May 29, 1992 15
South Africa March 30, 2000 16
Spain May 16, 1977 16
Sri Lanka February 11, 2000 14
Sudan March 7, 2003 14
Swaziland October 23, 2002 15
Sweden April 23, 1990 15
Switzerland August 17, 1999 15
Syria September 18, 2001 15
Tajikistan November 26, 1993 16
Tanzania December 16, 1998 14
Thailand May 11, 2004 15
Togo March 16, 1984 14
Trinidad and Tobago September 3, 2004 16
Tunisia October 19, 1995 16
Turkey October 30, 1998 15
Uganda March 25, 2003 14
Ukraine May 3, 1979 16
United Arab Emirates October 2, 1998 15
United Kingdom June 7, 2000 16
Uruguay June 2, 1977 15
Uzbekistan March 6, 2009 15
Venezuela July 15, 1987 14
Viet Nam June 24, 2003 15
Yemen June 15, 2000 14
Zambia February 9, 1976 15
Zimbabwe June 6, 2000 14

References

External links