The Convention concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labor is referred to in short as the Worst Forms of Child Labor Convention. It was adopted by the International Labor Organization (ILO) in 1999 as ILO Convention No 182.
The predefined worst forms of child labor or automatic worst forms of child labor constitutes all forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, such as sale of a child; trafficking of children, debt bondage or any other form of bonded labor or serfdom; or compulsory labor, including forced or compulsory recruitment of children for use in armed conflict; Commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC), including the use, procuring or offering of a child for: prostitution, or the production of pornography or for pornographic performances; use, procuring or offering of a child by others for illegal activities, also known as children used by adults in the commission of crime (CUBAC), including the trafficking or production of drugs.
Under the Convention, the last category of worst form of child labor is Worst Form Hazards faced by Children at Work; or work which by its nature or circumstances is likely to harm the health, safety or morals of children. Convention recommends that the circumstances should be determined in consultation with organizations of employers and workers within a specific country. The Convention recommends that programs of action should specifically focus younger children, the girl child, hidden work situation in which girls are at special risk, and other groups of children with special vulnerabilities or needs. Worst Forms of Child Labor Recommendation No 190 contains recommendations on the types of hazards that should be considered to be included within a country-based definition of worst form hazards.
Ratifying this ILO Convention No. 182, a country commits itself to taking immediate action to prohibit and eliminate the worst forms of child labor.
ILO’s International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor (IPEC) assists countries in this regard and monitors its compliance. IPEC assist countries in this regard through programs such as Time-bound Programs.
ILO also adopted the Worst Forms of Child Labor Recommendation No 190 in 1999. This recommendation contains proposals principally on the types of hazards to be considered for inclusion within a country-based definition of Worst Form Hazards faced by Children at Work, among its other recommendations.
