Historic Ratification

Context: The Kingdom of Tonga outlawing the worst forms of child labour, is the first time that a labour standard has been universally ratified. 

Efforts to address child labour:

• International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions:

• Convention 182 adopted in 1999: It prohibits the sexual exploitation of children, trafficking, deployment in armed conflict that compromise their overall well-being. 

• The Convention complements the ILO’s 1973 Minimum Age Convention to prevent the employment of children below a lower age threshold.
• These have resulted in significant increases in enrolments in primary education. 

• Other ILO conventions: are related to 

• Instruments relating to the freedom of association. 
• The right to collective bargaining.
• Elimination of discrimination in employment and occupation. 
• Provides the framework to counteract the predominance of informality in the conditions of work

• India’s legal commitment to the elimination of child labour with the ratification of Convention 182 in 2017 and the instrument prescribing the minimum age of work for children. 

Present Issues related to Child Labour 

• The enormity of the challenge: An estimated 152 million are trapped in child labour and 72 million of them are engaged in hazardous work.

• COVID-19 pandemic resulted in widespread job losses, deterioration in conditions of work, the decline in household incomes and temporary school closures.

Conclusion: As the world prepares to designate 2021 as the year to abolish child labour, governments must seize the moment to instil hope in the future generations.