International Convention on Child Labour, 1989

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 32

"State Parties recognize the right of the child to be protected from economic exploitation and from performing any work that is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with the child's education, or to be harmful to the child's health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development."

ILO Convention 138, 1973

The International Labour Organization's (ILO) Minimum Age Convention (Convention 138) sets a basic minimum age for employment of 15 years, and 14 for countries meeting the ILO's developing country exemptions. It prohibits hazardous work for young workers under 18. To date, 77 countries have ratified the Convention.

ILO Convention 182, 1999

This Convention calls for the Prohibition and Immediate Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour, including forced or bonded labour, and hazardous, unhealthy and unsafe work. To date, six states have ratified the Convention.

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