New ILO Convention on Child Labour Could Boost Efforts to Stop Internet Child Pornography

PARIS (ILO News) - A new draft Convention against the worst forms of child labour under consideration by the International Labour Organization (ILO) could boost international efforts to halt child pornography and other forms of child labour on the Internet, the Director-General of the ILO, Mr. Michel Hansenne, said today.

In an address to a meeting of experts entitled "Sexual Abuse of children, Child Pornography and Paedophilia on the Internet: an international challenge," held at the offices of the United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) here, Mr. Hansenne said: "Countries which ratify this new Convention will have the obligation to ban such practices, and punish the perpetrators and eliminate, in practice, such activities."

The new ILO Convention is up for adoption at the ILO's annual meeting, the International Labour Conference, to be held in Geneva in June. Among its proposed elements are measures that would ban the worst forms of child labour including bonded labour, the sale and trafficking of children as well as the use of children for prostitution and the production of pornographic materials. If adopted this year, the new Convention would enable States to establish priorities in the fight against child exploitation.

The ILO's International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) has organized some 1200 actions and mini-programmes worldwide designed to eliminate child labour, or improve the working conditions of children who must work.

"In this context, the use of the Internet could be a major aid in diffusing information for the protection of children to the largest number of people and in real time and improving the efficiency of these measures," Mr. Hansenne said. "Experience has shown that it is fundamental for the success of IPEC's activities to promote preventive activities, sensitize communities concerned and aid children who are risk. In this regard, resolute action using the Internet against such abuses could not but benefit our activities."