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The Convention, which provides the basis for national law and
practice against the worst forms of child labour was adopted
unanimously by the International Labour Conference in 1999, and has
received the most ratifications in the shortest time of any Convention
in the 85-year history of the Organization. The 150th
country to ratify the Convention was
Thailand
ratified Convention No. 182 in 2001. Earlier this month the country
also ratified the other child labour Convention - 138 - which covers
the minimum age for employment. “This rapid pace of ratification
shows that world opinion has taken a determined stand against the
scourge of child labour, particularly in its cruellest and most
exploitative forms”, said Juan Somavia, Director General of the ILO. Should the Convention be ratified by
all 177 ILO member States, it would become the first ILO convention
ever to receive universal support. Other fundamental conventions
covering freedom of association, forced labour, discrimination and the
other ILO convention on children – Minimum Age convention No. 138
have been ratified by between 100 and 163 countries. Convention No. 182 identifies the
worst forms of child labour as those which have a debilitating effect
on the health, morals or psychological wellbeing of children. This
includes work in dangerous industrial activities such as mining;
illegal activities such as prostitution, pornography and drug
trafficking; work in extreme conditions of heat or cold and work that
involves exposure to hazardous substances and chemicals. Reacting to the 150th
ratification, Frans Roselaers, Director of the ILO International
Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC), said,
“Ratification is not just a matter of legal practice, but leads to
concrete action that improves the lives of children.” In its fight
against the worst forms of child labour, IPEC now has activities
running in 84 countries. For
a list of which countries have ratified which conventions visit:
http://www.ilo.org/ilolex/english/newratframeE.htm For
more information or to arrange interviews please contact: |
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