| Convention concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour | |
|---|---|
| Signed | 17 June 1999 |
| Location | Geneva |
| Effective | 19 November 2000 |
| Condition | 2 ratifications |
| Parties | 174[1] |
| Depositary | Director-General of the International Labour Office |
| Languages | French and English |
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.[2]
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.
Contents |
As of May 2011, the convention had been ratified by 174 out of ILO 183 members. Members that did not ratify the convention are:[3]
Furthermore, the convention has not been ratified for Curaçao, Sint Maarten and the Caribbean Netherlands within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.[4] For the United Kingdom, the convention has been extended to Guernsey, but not for Man, Jersey or any of the dependent territories.[4]
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:
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 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.
Several programs exist (coordinated by the ILO or other UN organizations) to stimulate adherence to the convention:
The Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography plays a role in the coordination of activities