- Minimum Age Convention, 1973
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C138, Minimum Age Convention, 1973 Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment 
Member states of the Convention.
14 years: purple
15 years: green
16 years: blueDrafted 26 June 1973 Effective 19 June 1976 Condition 2 ratifications Ratifiers 161 Depositary Director-General of the International Labour Office Languages French and English The Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment, is an Convention adopted in 1973 by the International Labour Organization. It requires ratifying states to pursue a national policy designed to ensure the effective abolition of child labour and to raise progressively the minimum age for admission to employment or work. The convention (number C138 of ILO) replaces several similar ILO conventions in specific fields of labour.
Contents
Minimum ages
Countries are free to specify a minimum age for labour, with a minimum of 15 years. A declaration of 14 years is also possible when for a specified period of time. Laws may also permit light work for children aged 13–15 (not harming their health or school work). The minimum age of 18 years is specified for work which "is likely to jeopardise the health, safety or morals of young persons". Definitions of the type of work and derogations are only possible after tripartite consultations (if such a system exists in the ratifying country).
Effect on other conventions
The convention is a revision of several conventions for workers in specific areas. Upon entry into force, some of these conventions were closed for ratification and becoming a party to this convention automatically resulted in denunciation of the older ones. An overview of older minimum age conventions of ILO is shown below:
ILO code Field conclusion date entry into force closure for signature Parties
(April 2011)Denunciations
(September 2011)revising convention(s) text and ratifications C5 Industry 28 November 1919 13 June 1921 N.A. 2 70 C59, this convention Text, ratifications C7 Sea 7 July 1920 27 September 1921 N.A. 3 50 C58, this convention, MLC Text, ratifications C10 Agriculture 16 November 1921 31 August 1923 N.A. 4 51 this convention Text, ratifications C15 trimmers and stokers 11 November 1921 20 November 1922 N.A. 9 60 this convention Text, ratifications C33 Non-Industrial Employment (revised) 30 April 1932 6 June 1935 29 December 1950 2 23 C60, this convention Text, ratifications C58 Sea (revised) 24 October 1936 11 April 1939 N.A. 15 36 this convention, MLC Text, ratifications C59 Industry (revised) 22 June 1937 21 February 1941 19 June 1976 9 27 this convention Text, ratifications C60 Non-Industrial Employment 22 June 1937 29 December 1950 N.A. 0 11 this convention Text, ratifications C112 Fishermen 19 June 1959 7 November 1961 N.A. 8 21 this convention, Work in Fishing Convention Text, ratifications C123 Underground Work 22 June 1965 10 November 1967 N.A. 22 19 this convention Text, ratifications Ratifications
Minimum ages defined by states
14 (33%)15 (44%)16 (23%)Entry into force of the treaty occurred one year after deposition of two first ratifications (Cuba and Libya). As of July 2011, 161 countries have ratified the treaty. The treaty enters for a ratifying country into force one year after ratification. The treaty can be denounced every 10 years in the year after 10 years have passed (e.g. 19 June 2016-19 June 2017).
The following countries have ratified this Convention: Country Date Minimum age (years) Afghanistan April 7, 2010 14 Albania February 16, 1998 16 Algeria April 30, 1984 16 Angola June 13, 2001 14 Antigua and Barbuda March 17, 1983 16 Argentina November 11, 1996 14 Armenia January 27, 2006 16 Austria September 18, 2000 15 Azerbaijan May 19, 1992 16 Bahamas October 31, 2001 14 Barbados January 4, 2000 15 Belarus May 3, 1979 16 Belgium April 19, 1988 15 Belize March 6, 2000 14 Benin June 11, 2001 14 Bolivia June 11, 1997 14 Bosnia and Herzegovina June 2, 1993 15 Botswana June 5, 1997 14 Brazil June 28, 2001 16 Brunei Darussalam June 17, 2011 16 Bulgaria April 23, 1980 16 Burkina Faso February 11, 1999 15 Burundi July 19, 2000 16 Cambodia August 23, 1999 14 Cameroon August 13, 2001 14 Cape Verde February 7, 2011 15 Central African Republic June 28, 2000 14 Chad March 21, 2005 14 Chile February 1, 1999 15 China April 28, 1999 16 Colombia February 2, 2001 14 Comoros March 17, 2004 15 Congo November 26, 1999 14 Costa Rica June 11, 1976 15 Côte d'Ivoire February 7, 2003 14 Croatia October 8, 1991 15 Cuba March 7, 1975 15 Cyprus October 2, 1997 15 Czech Republic April 26, 2007 15 Democratic Republic of the Congo June 20, 2001 14 Denmark November 13, 1997 15 Djibouti June 14, 2005 16 Dominica September 27, 1983 15 Dominican Republic June 15, 1999 14 Ecuador September 19, 2000 14 Egypt June 9, 1999 14 El Salvador January 23, 1996 14 Equatorial Guinea June 12, 1985 14 Eritrea February 22, 2000 14 Estonia March 15, 2007 15 Ethiopia May 27, 1999 14 Fiji January 3, 2003 15 Finland January 13, 1976 15 France July 13, 1990 16 Gambia September 4, 2000 14 Gana June 6, 2011 15 Georgia September 23, 1996 15 Germany April 8, 1976 15 Greece March 14, 1986 15 Grenada May 14, 2003 16 Guatemala April 27, 1990 14 Guinea June 6, 2003 16 Guinea-Bissau March 5, 2009 14 Guyana April 15, 1998 15 Haiti March 5, 2009 14 Honduras June 9, 1980 14 Hungary May 28, 1998 16 Iceland December 6, 1999 15 Indonesia June 7, 1999 15 Iraq February 13, 1985 15 Ireland June 22, 1978 16 Israel June 21, 1979 15 Italy July 28, 1981 15 Jamaica October 13, 2003 15 Japan June 5, 2000 15 Jordan March 23, 1998 16 Kazakhstan May 18, 2001 16 Kenya April 9, 1979 16 Kiribati June 17, 2009 14 Republic of Korea January 28, 1999 15 Kuwait November 15, 1999 15 Kyrgyzstan March 31, 1992 16 Laos June 13, 2005 14 Latvia June 2, 2006 15 Lebanon June 10, 2003 14 Lesotho June 14, 2001 15 Libya June 19, 1975 15 Lithuania June 22, 1998 16 Luxembourg March 24, 1977 15 Macedonia November 17, 1991 15 Madagascar May 31, 2000 15 Malawi November 19, 1999 14 Malaysia September 9, 1997 15 Mali March 11, 2002 15 Malta June 9, 1988 16 Mauritania December 3, 2001 14 Mauritius July 30, 1990 15 Republic of Moldova September 21, 1999 16 Montenegro June 3, 2006 15 Mongolia December 16, 2002 15 Morocco January 6, 2000 15 Mozambique June 16, 2003 15 Namibia November 15, 2000 14 Nepal May 30, 1997 14 Netherlands (European territory) September 14, 1976 15 Netherlands (Aruba) February 18, 1986[1] 15 Nicaragua November 2, 1981 14 Niger December 4, 1978 14 Nigeria October 2, 2002 15 Norway July 8, 1980 15 Oman July 21, 2005 15 Pakistan July 6, 2006 14 Panama October 31, 2000 14 Papua New Guinea June 2, 2000 16 Paraguay March 3, 2004 14 Peru November 13, 2002 14 Philippines June 4, 1998 15 Poland March 22, 1978 15 Portugal May 20, 1998 16 Qatar January 3, 2006 16 Romania November 19, 1975 16 Russia May 3, 1979 16 Rwanda April 15, 1981 14 Saint Kitts and Nevis June 3, 2005 16 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines July 25, 2006 14 Samoa October 29, 2008 15 San Marino February 1, 1995 16 São Tomé and Príncipe May 4, 2005 14 Senegal December 15, 1999 15 Serbia November 24, 2000 15 Seychelles March 7, 2000 15 Sierra Leone June 13, 2011 16 Singapore November 7, 2005 15 Slovakia September 29, 1997 15 Slovenia May 29, 1992 15 South Africa March 30, 2000 16 Spain May 16, 1977 16 Sri Lanka February 11, 2000 14 Sudan March 7, 2003 14 Swaziland October 23, 2002 15 Sweden April 23, 1990 15 Switzerland August 17, 1999 15 Syria September 18, 2001 15 Tajikistan November 26, 1993 16 Tanzania December 16, 1998 14 Thailand May 11, 2004 15 Togo March 16, 1984 14 Trinidad and Tobago September 3, 2004 16 Tunisia October 19, 1995 16 Turkey October 30, 1998 15 Uganda March 25, 2003 14 Ukraine May 3, 1979 16 United Arab Emirates October 2, 1998 15 United Kingdom June 7, 2000 16 Uruguay June 2, 1977 15 Uzbekistan March 6, 2009 15 Venezuela July 15, 1987 14 Viet Nam June 24, 2003 15 Yemen June 15, 2000 14 Zambia February 9, 1976 15 Zimbabwe June 6, 2000 14 References
- ^ Verdragenbank Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands
External links
- Minimum Age Convention
- List of Ratifications
- General description of ILO Conventions
- Text of the Convention at the Center for a World in Balance
Categories:- International Labour Organization conventions
- Laws affecting youth rights
- Treaties concluded in 1973
- Treaties entered into force in 1976
- Child labour treaties
- International law stubs
- Human rights stubs
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