There are many international treaties and conventions regarding the prohibition of child labour. The conventions of the International Labour Organisation, adopted by the majority of countries in the world, are considered to be the most important ones. In brief, these conventions prohibit child labour under the age of 14 and hazardous work under the age of 18.
By ratifying these conventions, states also acknowledge the responsibility to protect children in other parts of the world. Especially there where transnational companies are operating in high risk areas. Therefore we expect governments to adopt effective legislation and regulations to fulfil this obligation. Both on a national level, within regional institutions as well as globally.
At the same time, we expect government agencies to lead by example. There are already countries that have committed themselves to a procurement policy aimed at eliminating child labour and other violations of labour rights. We call on other countries to follow these examples.
>> read more on international treaties and agreements
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