conventions and agreements. Convention on the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labor (Russian, English, French) International standards on the prohibition of child labor

"HR officer. Labor law for a personnel officer", 2007, N 7

Child labor International and Russian legislation on the legal regulation of the labor of minors

In accordance with the labor legislation of the Russian Federation, minors in labor relations are equated in rights with adults, and in the field of labor protection, working hours, holidays, they also have labor benefits. A lighter labor regime has been established for minors, it is prohibited to involve these persons in overtime work, work at night, on weekends and non-working holidays, assignment on business trips.

From birth, a child owns and is guaranteed by the state the rights and freedoms of a person and a citizen in accordance with the Constitution of the Russian Federation, generally recognized principles and norms of international law, international treaties of the Russian Federation, laws and by-laws of the Russian Federation.

The issue of protecting the rights of minors today does not lose its relevance, moreover, it remains and should remain in the future one of the main directions in the development of labor legislation both in the Russian Federation and in other countries. A prerequisite for this can be the well-known postulate "Children are our future", which has at least that important legal aspect that correct use labor of minors, or rather child labor, will provide an opportunity to use their labor potential without the onset of negative health consequences. The scale of child labor is very difficult to measure, and certain circumstances almost impossible. No wonder the European Social Charter of 1961 includes Art. 7 "The right of children to protection", which provides for the special situation of children and adolescents in the field of labor relations, in particular:

The minimum age for admission to work is 15 years, except when children are engaged in certain types of light work not capable of prejudicing their health, morals or education;

Higher minimum age for admission to employment certain types activities that are considered dangerous and unhealthy;

Prohibition of engaging persons subject to compulsory training in such work that deprives them of the opportunity to take full advantage of this training;

Limiting the hours of work for persons under the age of 16 in accordance with their developmental needs and, in particular, their training needs;

The right to a fair wage or to an appropriate allowance for young workers and apprentices;

Time spent by teenagers on vocational training during a normal working day with the consent of the employer, is considered as part of the working day;

For employees under the age of 18, at least three weeks of annual paid leave;

Prohibition of the use of persons under the age of 18 in night work, except for certain types of work provided for in national laws or other regulatory legal acts;

Mandatory and regular medical examination of persons under the age of 18 employed in certain types of work;

Security social protection from the physical and moral damage to which children and adolescents are exposed, in particular from the dangers that are directly or indirectly related to their work.

Practically all states of the world, the United Nations (UN) and many specialized agencies of the UN system pay close attention to the consideration of issues related to the rights of minors. Among these specialized agencies, the International Labor Organization (ILO) stands out. supreme body ILO - the annual General Conference develops and adopts conventions and recommendations on various aspects of social and economic rights, in particular on the development and adoption of international standards on the protection of labor of children and adolescents.

First of all, these include: The Convention on the minimum age for the admission of children to various types of work (No. 5), according to which "children under fourteen years of age are not employed and do not perform work in any public or private industrial enterprise or any branch of it, other than undertakings employing only members of the same family", the Minimum Age Convention (No. 138), according to which "the minimum age determined on the basis of paragraph shall not be less completion of compulsory schooling and, in any case, must not be less than fifteen years of age", Convention on the Minimum Age for the Admission of Children to Employment in agriculture(N 10); Convention on the Minimum Age for the Admission of Children to Work at Sea (No. 58); Convention on the Minimum Age for the Admission of Children in Industry (No. 59).

Thus, the ILO Convention of October 24, 1936 N 58, establishing the minimum age for hiring children to work at sea, provides that children under 15 years of age cannot be employed or work on board ships, except for those on which members of only one family are employed .

The ILO Convention of July 22, 1937 N 60, regarding the age of admission of children to non-industrial work, states that national laws or regulations should establish the number of hours per day during which children over 14 years of age may be employed in light work.

In addition to the above Conventions, the ILO has adopted a number of norms aimed at limiting the night work of children and adolescents, for example, the Convention on night work of adolescents in industry (N 98); in non-industrial work (N 79). In particular, Convention No. 98 provides that laws or regulations implementing this Convention must:

Prescribe appropriate measures to ensure that these laws or regulations are communicated to all concerned;

Determine the persons responsible for the implementation of the provisions of this Convention;

Prescribe appropriate penalties for any kind of violation of these provisions;

Provide for the establishment and maintenance of a system of inspection necessary to ensure the effective implementation of these provisions;

Requiring every employer to keep a register with the names and dates of birth of all persons under the age of 18 he employs.

A number of ILO conventions provide for mandatory medical examination of working children. Convention on Compulsory Medical Examination of Children and Young Persons Employed on Board Ships (No. 16); in industry (N 77); in non-industrial work (N 78); for underground work (N 124).

In particular, Convention No. 77 establishes that children and adolescents under 18 years of age will not be employed in industrial enterprises if it is established as a result of a medical examination that they are not suitable for use in these jobs. In addition, subject to the provisions of this Convention, national laws or regulations must determine the authority competent to issue certificates of fitness for work, as well as determine the conditions that must be observed in the preparation and issuance of these certificates.

Based on the foregoing, it can be concluded that, despite their small number, ILO conventions generally serve to protect child labor by establishing the basic rights and guarantees of minors in the field of labor. But it is undeniable that many provisions need to be improved or require additional regulation.

Let us now turn to the national labor legislation of the Russian Federation.

According to Art. 7 of the Federal Law of July 24, 1998 N 124-FZ "On the Basic Guarantees of the Rights of the Child in the Russian Federation" state authorities of the Russian Federation, state authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, officials of these bodies, in accordance with their competence, assist the child in the implementation and protection of his rights and legitimate interests, taking into account the age of the child and within the scope of the child's legal capacity established by the legislation of the Russian Federation, by adopting relevant regulatory legal acts, conducting methodological, informational and other work with the child to explain his rights and obligations, the procedure for protecting the rights established by the legislation of the Russian Federation, as well as by encouraging the child to fulfill his duties, supporting the practice of law enforcement in the field of protecting the rights and legitimate interests of the child.

It should be noted that minors are under special protection of the labor legislation of the Russian Federation. The norms of labor law take into account the psycho-physiological characteristics of the body that has not been fully formed and the nature of minors. Special labor protection for minors allows them to work safely for their body and psyche and combine work in production with continued education and self-development.

It is prohibited to use the labor of minors in the following works:

a) with harmful and (or) dangerous working conditions;

b) underground works;

c) in the gambling business, in night cabarets, clubs;

d) in the transportation and trade in alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, etc.;

e) work performed on a rotational basis.

This restriction is introduced in accordance with the List of Works approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of February 25, 2000 N 163, in order to protect the health and moral development of minors. In accordance with the above List, more than 400 types of hard, harmful and dangerous work are prohibited for persons under 18 years of age, regardless of the form of ownership and legal form of production, including the activities of the employer of a legal entity. The main principles for determining safe activities for adolescents are: compliance with age and functional capabilities; no adverse effects on growth, development and health; exclusion of increased danger and injury to yourself and others; taking into account the increased sensitivity of the body of adolescents to the action of factors of the working environment.

Carrying and movement by minor workers of weights exceeding the limit norms established for them is prohibited.

The norms of maximum permissible loads for persons under the age of 18 when lifting and moving weights manually are approved by the Decree of the Ministry of Labor of Russia of 04/07/1999 N 7 (Bulletin of the Ministry of Labor of Russia. 1999. N 7). These norms take into account the nature of work, indicators of the severity of labor, the maximum permissible weight of cargo in kg for boys and girls.

Note 1. Lifting and moving weights within the limits of the specified norms are allowed if this is directly related to the ongoing professional work performed.

2. The mass of the lifted and moved cargo includes the mass of tare and packaging.

3. When moving goods on trolleys or in containers, the force applied must not exceed:

For boys 14 years old - 12 kg, 15 years old - 15 kg, 16 years old - 20 kg, 17 years old - 24 kg;

For girls 14 years old - 4 kg, 15 years old - 5 kg, 16 years old - 7 kg, 17 years old - 8 kg.

┌─────────────┬───────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐

│ Nature │ Maximum permissible mass of cargo in kg │

│ work, ├─────────────────────────────────────────────── ─────────┤

│ indicators │ Boys │ Girls │

│ severity ─┬───────┤

│ labor │14 years│15 years│16 years│17 years│14 years│15 years│16 years│17 years│

│Lift and │ 3 │ 3 │ 4 │ 4 │ 2 │ 2 │ 3 │ 3 │

│manually │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│cargo │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│permanently │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│within │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│work shift│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

├─────────────┼──────┼──────┼──────┼──────┼──────┼──────┼──────┼──────┤

│Rise and │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│moving │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│load manually│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│during not │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│more than 1/3 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│ working │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│shifts: │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│- constantly │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│(more than 2 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│once an hour) │ 6 │ 7 │ 11 │ 13 │ 3 │ 4 │ 5 │ 6 │

│- at │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│alternating │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│with another │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│ work (up to │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│2 times in │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│hour) │ 12 │ 15 │ 20 │ 24 │ 4 │ 5 │ 7 │ 8 │

├─────────────┼──────┼──────┼──────┼──────┼──────┼──────┼──────┼──────┤

│Total │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│load weight, │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│movable│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│within │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│shifts: │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│- rise from │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│ working │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│surface │ 400 │ 500 │ 1000 │ 1500 │ 180 │ 200 │ 400 │ 500 │

│- rise from │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│sex │ 200 │ 250 │ 500 │ 700 │ 90 │ 100 │ 200 │ 250 │

└─────────────┴──────┴──────┴──────┴──────┴──────┴──────┴──────┴──────┘

It is prohibited to conclude an agreement with minors on full liability.

The age of employment of young people is limited. By general rule established by Art. 63 of the Labor Code, the conclusion of an employment contract is allowed with persons who have reached the age of 16. Only in exceptional cases, established by law in the prescribed manner, is it allowed to hire young people aged 15, 14 and up to 14 years.

In accordance with the labor legislation of the Russian Federation, minors in labor relations are equated in rights with adults, and in the field of labor protection, working hours, holidays, they also have labor benefits. A lighter work regime has been established for minors, it is prohibited to involve these persons in overtime work, work at night, on weekends and non-working holidays, and sending them on business trips. The exceptions are creative workers of the media, cinematography, theaters, theater and concert organizations and other persons involved in the creation and performance of works, professional athletes.

For minors, an extended regular paid leave of 31 calendar days has been established, which is provided at a time convenient for them.

All persons under the age of 18 are hired only after a preliminary mandatory medical examination, and then until the age of 18 they are subject to an annual medical examination, with both initial and subsequent medical examinations being carried out at the expense of the employer.

The dismissal of workers under the age of 18 at the initiative of the employer is limited, it is allowed only with the consent of the relevant state labor inspectorate and the commission on minors and the protection of their rights.

The legislator pays great attention to the guarantees of orphans, in particular, Art. 9 of the Federal Law of December 21, 1996 N 159-FZ "On additional guarantees for social support for orphans and children left without parental care" establishes that the authorities public service employment of the population (bodies of the employment service), when contacting them with orphans and children left without parental care, aged from fourteen to eighteen years, carry out career guidance work with these persons and provide diagnostics of their professional suitability, taking into account the state of health. Orphans, children left without parental care, persons from among orphans and children left without parental care, looking for work for the first time and registered with the state employment service in the status of unemployed, are paid unemployment benefits for 6 months in the amount of middle wages, which has developed in the republic, territory, region, city of Moscow and St. Petersburg, autonomous region, autonomous region. In addition, the employment service bodies during the specified period carry out vocational guidance, vocational training and employment of persons in this category.

Employees from among orphans, children left without parental care, as well as persons from among orphans and children left without parental care, released from organizations in connection with their liquidation, downsizing or staff, employers (their legal successors) are obliged provide at their own expense the necessary vocational training with their subsequent employment in this or another organization. After analyzing the state of Russian and international legislation in the field of regulation of labor relations of minors, we can conclude that with a sufficient legal framework that establishes guarantees and protection of the labor rights of young people under the age of 18, there is a particular urgency in Lately acquires the problem of observance of labor rights. In fact, almost all of the above guarantees and restrictions are violated by the employer. This indicates the presence of a series significant shortcomings legal system in the field of protection of the labor rights of minors and more stringent mechanisms for bringing to legal responsibility persons who violate the rights and legitimate interests of persons under the age of 18 years.

The variety of sources of labor law, the mutual existence of norms adopted a decade ago and that have come into force in recent years, the presence of many departmental instructions, regulations, rules, often complicated and contradictory, the lack of development of mechanisms for the implementation of adopted legal acts - all this makes it difficult to implement the mechanism for protecting the labor rights of minors .

The existing program "Children of Russia", approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of March 21, 2007 N 172 "On the federal target program "Children of Russia" for 2007-2010", unfortunately, does not provide for a column of expenses for the creation of safe, well-paid jobs for minors. Probably, it is necessary to develop at the federal level, and possibly at the level of the subject of the Russian Federation, a program that provides for all the problems of labor of minors with the establishment of the most severe control over the observance of all regulations relating to this problem.

L. Chernysheva

Senior Lecturer

departments of prosecutorial supervision

and participation of the prosecutor

in considering civil

and arbitration cases

Signed for print

  • labor law

Keywords:

1 -1

The General Conference of the International Labor Organization, convened in Geneva by the Governing Body of the International Labor Office and meeting at its 87th session on 17 June 1999, deeming it necessary to adopt new instruments to prohibit and eliminate the worst forms of child labor as a top priority for national and international action including international cooperation and international assistance which would supplement the Minimum Age Convention and Recommendation, 1973, which remain fundamental instruments on child labour, considering that the effective elimination of the worst forms of child labor requires immediate and comprehensive action, which takes into account the importance of free basic education and the need to free children from any work of this kind, as well as their rehabilitation and social integration, while taking into account the needs of their families, Recalling the resolution on the abolition of child labor adopted by the 83rd session of the International Labor Conference in 1996, recognizing that child labor is largely a consequence of poverty and that the long-term solution to this issue lies in sustainable economic growth leading to social progress in particular the eradication of poverty and education for all, recalling the Convention on the Rights of the Child adopted General Assembly United Nations on 20 November 1989, recalling the ILO Declaration on fundamental principles and Rights at Work and its Implementation Mechanism, adopted by the 86th session of the International Labor Conference in 1998, recalling that some of the worst forms of child labor are covered by other international instruments in particular the 1930 Forced Labor Convention and the 1956 United Nations Supplementary Convention for the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery, Deciding to adopt a number of proposals on child labor, which is the fourth item on the agenda of the session, Deciding to give these proposals in the form of an international convention, adopts this seventeenth day of June of the year one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine the following convention, which may be cited as the Worst Forms of Child Labor Convention, 1999.


Each Member which ratifies this Convention shall immediately take effective measures to secure, as a matter of urgency, the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour.


For the purposes of this Convention, the term "child" applies to all persons under 18 years of age.


For the purposes of this Convention, the term "worst forms of child labour" includes:

(a) All forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, such as the sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage and serfdom, and forced or compulsory labour, including forced or compulsory recruitment of children for use in armed conflicts;

b) using, recruiting or offering a child for prostitution, for the production of pornographic products or for pornographic performances;

C) the use, recruitment or offer of a child to engage in illegal activities, in particular for the production and sale of drugs, as defined in relevant international instruments;

(d) work which, by its nature or the conditions in which it is carried out, is likely to harm the health, safety or morals of children.


1. National legislation or the competent authority shall determine, after consultation with the organizations of employers and workers concerned, the types of work referred to in paragraph a) of Article 3, taking into account relevant international standards, in particular the provisions of paragraphs 3 and 4 of the 1999 Recommendation on the Worst Forms of Child Labour.

2. The competent authority, after consultation with the organizations of employers and workers concerned, shall determine the places where the types of work so determined are carried out.

3. The list of types of work determined in accordance with paragraph 1 of this article shall be periodically analyzed and, as necessary, revised after consultation with the organizations of employers and workers concerned.


Each Member, after consultation with employers' and workers' organizations, shall establish or designate appropriate mechanisms to control the application of the provisions giving effect to this Convention.


1. Each Member State shall develop and implement programs of action to eliminate, as a matter of priority, the worst forms of child labour.

2. Such action programs shall be drawn up and implemented in consultation with the relevant government departments and employers' and workers' organizations, taking into account, as appropriate, the views of other interested groups.


1. Each Member State shall take all measures necessary to ensure effective application and compliance with the provisions giving effect to this Convention, including through the imposition and enforcement of criminal or, as the case may be, other sanctions.

2. Each Member State, bearing in mind the importance of education in the elimination of child labour, shall take measures within a specified time frame to:

a) preventing children from being involved in the worst forms of child labour;

(b) Provision of necessary and appropriate direct assistance to bring children out of the worst forms of child labour, as well as to their rehabilitation and social integration;

(c) Ensuring that all children freed from the worst forms of child labor have access to free basic education and, where possible and necessary, vocational training;

D) identifying and reaching out to children in particularly vulnerable situations; And

(e) Taking into account the specific situation of girls.

3. Each Member shall designate a competent authority responsible for the application of the provisions giving effect to this Convention.


Member States shall take the necessary measures to assist each other in giving effect to the provisions of this Convention, using for this purpose wider international cooperation and/or assistance, including support for social and economic development, anti-poverty programs and universal education.


Official instruments of ratification of this Convention shall be sent to the Director General of the International Labor Office for registration


1. This Convention shall be binding only on those Members of the International Labor Organization whose instruments of ratification have been registered by the Director-General.

2. It shall enter into force 12 months after the date of registration by the Director-General of the instruments of ratification of two Members of the Organization.

3. Subsequently, this Convention shall enter into force for each Member State of the Organization 12 months after the date of registration of its instrument of ratification.


1. Each Member which has ratified this Convention may, after ten years from the date of its original entry into force, denounce it by a declaration of denunciation addressed to the Director General of the International Labor Office for registration. The denunciation will take effect one year after the date of its registration.

2. For each Member of the Organization which has ratified this Convention and, within one year after the expiration of the ten years referred to in the preceding paragraph, has not exercised the right of denunciation provided for in this Article, the Convention shall remain in force for another ten years and may subsequently denounce it at expiration of each decade in the manner provided for in this Article.


1. CEO The International Labor Office shall notify all members of the International Labor Organization of the registration of all instruments of ratification and denunciation addressed to it by members of the Organization.

2. When notifying the Members of the Organization of the registration of the second instrument of ratification which he has received, the Director-General shall draw their attention to the date of entry into force of this Convention.


The English and French texts of this Convention shall be equally authentic.

Worldwide, based on ILO data, there are approximately 200 to 250 million children in the labor force. Many of them work in the most difficult, harmful conditions, under duress or simply because it is impossible otherwise. As for Russia, there are no exact data on this subject, although an approximate figure is 6 million. Such an act falls under the category (as well as, etc.)

Crime Features

In theory, children in Russia are protected from violence, exploitation and other illegal activities. Almost always, the punishment for a crime is more severe if the victim is a minor.

However, information on the exploitation of children is literally scattered across a variety of codes. And far from always violators are waiting for at least some significant punishment.

Legislation

international conventions

There is an important international document that has been ratified by one and a half hundred countries. This is the 1989 Convention on the rights of children (adopted by the UN General Assembly), including the right of the child to be protected from exploitation.

Several articles at once (for example, 19, 32) mention the prohibition of child exploitation. States parties are required to take measures to protect children, to organize appropriate supervision, and to ensure the rehabilitation of victims of exploitation.

Russian Federation

There are several key norms in the laws of Russia:

  1. Article 37 of the Constitution speaks of the freedom of labor, the inadmissibility of coercion in this area. Work must take place in proper conditions, including decent pay.
  2. the federal law No. 124-FZ (adopted in 1998) guarantees child workers benefits, holidays and reduced work time. This is stated in the 11th article.
  3. Law No. 273-FZ, which refers to education in the Russian Federation, speaks of the inadmissibility of involving a child in work outside the program educational institution(clause 4 of the 34th article).
  4. Many articles of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation talk about the features of hiring minors, remuneration for their work and other nuances.

Also lately in question on amendments to the articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation with the aim of resolving the problem of the exploitation of child labor.
Theoretically, everything is very good. In practice, the situation is completely different.

Corpus delicti

There is no specific article in the Criminal Code that would deal specifically with the exploitation of children. Accordingly, it is impossible to speak about the composition of the crime.

In some cases, qualification under Article 127.1 is possible if the operation is accompanied by. The footnote to this article refers to either services, bondage, various (more on this later).

Types and forms of child labor exploitation in Russia

The most common situation is the assignment of any work to children under the age of sixteen. Children deliver promotional products to apartment mailboxes, hand out leaflets on the streets.

Most often, this goes on for long hours, is accompanied by many kilometers of walking, and is sometimes paid for with meager sums of money. But fraud is not excluded, when children are simply denied payment under various pretexts.

What else are the kids doing? They help parents to trade, clean up territories and premises.

Here it is sometimes difficult to find a rather thin line between necessary work in the family and real exploitation. Moreover, many assess this situation positively. Few people think that at the same time, children sometimes simply have no time to do homework, study, not to mention games.

You can also talk about some kind of exploitation of child labor at school, when kids are forced to clean its territory and transfer things from one office to another.

See the following video about night types of child labor exploitation:

Investigation methodology

The ILO notes that the problem of child labor in Russia is often ignored, assessed incorrectly and therefore not addressed. Often it is the parents of the children who are to blame.

When a daughter or son grows up in a family, she (he) is often encouraged to get a job / part-time job. If the case is found, the child becomes literally a hero.

However, many parents do not take any action if their children are being deceived by unscrupulous employers. Some make excuses with common words like “we have such a life”, others are literally forced to survive. Someone simply does not want to "get in touch", does not know how to properly file a complaint. There are those who are deeply indifferent to their children.

Crime comes up only in the most serious cases. For example, when the parents themselves sell their children or to underground brothels/pornographic film studios.

Criminal liability


No specific criminal or other liability for the exploitation of a child in its pure form has been established.
The state of affairs in the labor market in Russia is developing in such a way that many people have no rights and almost no opportunity to defend themselves.

The easiest way to formulate the situation is this: “Don’t like it? Leave and don’t work, we’ll find others who are more accommodating and not so demanding.” This applies to both adults and children.

Activities of a sexual nature

Article 34 of the International Children's Convention states that the child must be protected from sexual abuse or exploitation. This means a ban on prostitution, pornography, sexual inducement / coercion.

  • In the case of sexual exploitation of children and adolescents, the norms of the articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation are somewhat stricter. The already mentioned article 127.1 (considered separately) is indicative in this regard.
  • If a child is forced into prostitution, this is Article 240 of the Criminal Code. In this case, the prison term can be calculated from three to eight years. Plus restriction of freedom (one to two years) and a possible ban on holding certain positions / certain types of activities (within fifteen years).
  • Finally, 242.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation refers to the production of pornographic materials involving minors. Such a crime is recognized as especially qualified if children under the age of fourteen suffer.

Depending on the severity of the crime, the punishment can result in imprisonment (maximum 10 years), restriction of freedom within two years and a ban on holding certain positions or performing certain activities for up to fifteen years.

It is obvious that the legislation of Russia in the field of child exploitation still requires the development of new norms and the adjustment of existing ones. Only in this case, each child will be truly, adequately protected.

A very informative and complete material on the issue of the crime of sexual exploitation of children is discussed in the following video:

Document note

The Convention entered into force on November 19, 2000.

Russia has ratified the Convention (Federal Law No. 23-FZ of February 8, 2003). The Convention entered into force for Russia on March 25, 2004.

For a list of ratifications, see the Status of the Convention.

For the English text of the Convention, see document.

Document text

[official translation
into Russian]

THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION

CONVENTION No. 182
ON THE PROHIBITION AND IMMEDIATE ACTION
TO ELIMINATE THE WORST FORMS
CHILD LABOR
(Geneva, 17 June 1999)

The General Conference of the International Labor Organization, convened at Geneva by the Governing Body of the International Labor Office and meeting at its 87th session on 1 June 1999,

Considering it necessary to adopt new instruments to prohibit and eliminate the worst forms of child labor as a top priority for national and international action, including international cooperation and international assistance, which would supplement the Minimum Age Convention and Recommendation, 1973, which remain fundamental instruments on child labour,

Considering that the effective elimination of the worst forms of child labor requires immediate and comprehensive action that takes into account the importance of free basic education and the need to free children from all work of this kind, as well as their rehabilitation and social integration, while taking into account the needs of their families,

Recalling the Resolution on the abolition of child labor adopted by the 83rd session of the International Labor Conference in 1996,

Recognizing that child labor is largely a consequence of poverty and that the long-term solution to this issue lies in sustainable economic growth leading to social progress, in particular the eradication of poverty and education for all,

Recalling the Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 20 November 1989,

Recalling the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and the Mechanism for its Implementation, adopted by the 86th session of the International Labor Conference in 1998,

Recalling that some of the worst forms of child labor are covered by other international instruments, in particular the 1930 Forced Labor Convention and the 1956 United Nations Supplementary Convention for the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery,

Deciding to adopt a number of proposals on child labor, which is the fourth item on the agenda of the session,

Having determined that these proposals shall take the form of an international convention,

Adopts this seventeenth day of June of the year one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine the following Convention, which may be cited as the Worst Forms of Child Labor Convention, 1999.

Each Member which ratifies this Convention shall immediately take effective measures to secure, as a matter of urgency, the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour.

For the purposes of this Convention, the term "child" applies to all persons under 18 years of age.

For the purposes of this Convention, the term "worst forms of child labour" includes:

(a) All forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, such as the sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage and serfdom, and forced or compulsory labour, including the forced or compulsory recruitment of children for use in armed conflicts;

b) using, recruiting or offering a child for prostitution, for the production of pornographic products or for pornographic performances;

(c) The use, recruitment or offering of a child for illegal activities, in particular for the production and sale of drugs, as defined in the relevant international instruments;

(d) work which, by its nature or the conditions in which it is carried out, is likely to harm the health, safety or morals of children.

1. National legislation or the competent authority shall, after consultation with the organizations of employers and workers concerned, determine the types of work referred to in Article 3, paragraph (d), taking into account relevant international standards, in particular the provisions of paragraphs 3 and 4 of the 1999 Recommendation on the Worst Forms of Child Labor .

2. The competent authority, after consultation with the organizations of employers and workers concerned, shall determine the places where the types of work so determined are carried out.

3. The list of types of work determined in accordance with paragraph 1 of this article shall be periodically analyzed and, as necessary, revised after consultation with the organizations of employers and workers concerned.

Each Member, after consultation with employers' and workers' organizations, shall establish or designate appropriate mechanisms to control the application of the provisions giving effect to this Convention.

1. Each Member State shall develop and implement programs of action to eliminate, as a matter of priority, the worst forms of child labour.

2. Such action programs shall be drawn up and implemented in consultation with the relevant government departments and employers' and workers' organizations, taking into account, as appropriate, the views of other interested groups.

1. Each Member shall take all measures necessary to ensure the effective application and enforcement of the provisions giving effect to this Convention, including through the imposition and enforcement of criminal or, as the case may be, other sanctions.

2. Each Member State, bearing in mind the importance of education in the elimination of child labour, shall take measures within a specified time frame to:

a) avoiding the involvement of children in the worst forms of child labour;

(b) Provision of necessary and appropriate direct assistance to bring children out of the worst forms of child labour, as well as to their rehabilitation and social integration;

(c) Providing all children freed from the worst forms of child labor with access to free basic education and, where possible and necessary, vocational training;

(d) identifying and reaching out to children in particularly vulnerable situations; And

(e) Taking into account the special situation of girls.

3. Each Member shall designate a competent authority responsible for the application of the provisions giving effect to this Convention.

Member States shall take the necessary measures to assist each other in giving effect to the provisions of this Convention, using for this purpose wider international cooperation and/or assistance, including support for social and economic development, anti-poverty programs and universal education.

Official instruments of ratification of this Convention shall be sent to the Director General of the International Labor Office for registration.

1. This Convention shall be binding only on those members of the International Labor Organization whose instruments of ratification have been registered with the Director General of the International Labor Office.

2. It shall enter into force 12 months after the date of registration by the Director-General of the instruments of ratification of two Members of the Organization.

3. Subsequently, this Convention shall enter into force for each Member State of the Organization 12 months after the date of registration of its instrument of ratification.

1. Each Member which has ratified this Convention may, after ten years from the date of its original entry into force, denounce it by a declaration of denunciation addressed to the Director General of the International Labor Office for registration. The denunciation will take effect one year after the date of its registration.

2. For each Member of the Organization which has ratified this Convention and, within one year after the expiration of the ten years referred to in the preceding paragraph, has not exercised the right of denunciation provided for in this Article, the Convention shall remain in force for another ten years and may subsequently denounce it at expiration of each decade in the manner provided for in this Article.

1. The Director General of the International Labor Office shall notify all Members of the International Labor Organization of the registration of all instruments of ratification and declarations of denunciation addressed to him by Members of the Organization.

2. When notifying the Members of the Organization of the registration of the second instrument of ratification which he has received, the Director-General shall draw their attention to the date of entry into force of this Convention.

The Director-General of the International Labor Office shall communicate to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, for registration in accordance with Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations, the full details of all instruments of ratification and denunciation registered by him in accordance with the provisions of the preceding Articles.

Whenever the Governing Body of the International Labor Office considers it necessary, it shall submit to the General Conference a report on the application of this Convention and shall consider the advisability of including in the agenda of the Conference the question of its complete or partial revision.

1. If the Conference adopts a new convention revising this Convention in whole or in part, and unless otherwise provided in the new convention:

(a) The ratification by any Member of the Organization of a new revising convention shall automatically, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 11, entail the immediate denunciation of this Convention, provided that the new revising convention has entered into force;

b) from the date of entry into force of the new revising convention, this Convention shall be closed for ratification by the Members of the Organization.

2. This Convention shall in any case remain in force in form and substance for those Members of the Organization which have ratified it but have not ratified the Revising Convention.

The English and French texts of this Convention shall be equally authentic.

CONVENTION NO. 182

CONCERNING THE PROHIBITION AND IMMEDIATE ACTION

FOR THE ELIMINATION OF THE WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOUR

(Geneva, 17.VI.1999)

The General Conference of the International Labor Organization,

Having been convened at Geneva by the Governing Body of the International Labor Office, and having met in its 87th Session on 1 June 1999, and

Considering the need to adopt new instruments for the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, as the main priority for national and international action, including international cooperation and assistance, to complement the Convention and the Recommendation concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment , 1973, which remain fundamental instruments on child labour, and

Considering that the effective elimination of the worst forms of child labor requires immediate and comprehensive action, taking into account the importance of free basic education and the need to remove the children concerned from all such work and to provide for their rehabilitation and social integration while addressing the needs of their families, and

Recalling the resolution concerning the elimination of child labor adopted by the International Labor Conference at its 83rd Session in 1996, and

Recognizing that child labor is to a great extent caused by poverty and that the long-term solution lies in sustained economic growth leading to social progress, in particular poverty alleviation and universal education, and

Recalling the Convention on the Rights of the Child adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 20 November 1989, and

Recalling the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its Follow-up, adopted by the International Labor Conference at its 86th Session in 1998, and

Recalling that some of the worst forms of child labor are covered by other international instruments, in particular the Forced Labor Convention, 1930, and the United Nations Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery, 1956 and

Having decided upon the adoption of certain proposals with regard to child labour, which is the fourth item on the agenda of the session, and

Having determined that these proposals shall take the form of an international Convention;

adopts this seventeenth day of June of the year one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine the following Convention, which may be cited as the Worst Forms of Child Labor Convention, 1999.

Each Member which ratifies this Convention shall take immediate and effective measures to secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor as a matter of urgency.

For the purposes of this Convention, the term child shall apply to all persons under the age of 18.

For the purposes of this Convention, the term "the worst forms of child labor" comprises:

(a) all forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, such as the sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage and serfdom and forced or compulsory labour, including forced or compulsory recruitment of children for use in armed conflict;

(b) the use, procuring or offering of a child for prostitution, for the production of pornography or for pornographic performances;

(c) the use, procuring or offering of a child for illicit activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs as defined in the relevant international treaties;

(d) work which, by its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to harm the health, safety or morals of children.

1. The types of work referred to under Article 3(d) shall be determined by national laws or regulations or by the competent authority, after consultation with the organizations of employers and workers concerned, taking into consideration relevant international standards, in particular paragraphs 3 and 4 of the Worst Forms of Child Labor Recommendation, 1999.

2. The competent authority, after consultation with the organizations of employers and workers concerned, shall identify where the types of work so determined exist.

3. The list of the types of work determined under paragraph 1 of this Article shall be periodically examined and revised as necessary, in consultation with the organizations of employers and workers concerned.

Each Member shall, after consultation with employers" and workers" organizations, establish or designate appropriate mechanisms to monitor the implementation of the provisions giving effect to this Convention.

1. Each Member shall design and implement programs of action to eliminate as a priority the worst forms of child labour.

2. Such programs of action shall be designed and implemented in consultation with relevant government institutions and employers" and workers" organizations, taking into consideration the views of other concerned groups as appropriate.

1. Each Member shall take all necessary measures to ensure the effective implementation and enforcement of the provisions giving effect to this Convention including the provision and application of penal sanctions or, as appropriate, other sanctions.

2. Each Member shall, taking into account the importance of education in eliminating child labour, take effective and time-bound measures to:

(a) prevent the engagement of children in the worst forms of child labour;

(b) provide the necessary and appropriate direct assistance for the removal of children from the worst forms of child labor and for their rehabilitation and social integration;

(c) ensure access to free basic education, and, wherever possible and appropriate, vocational training, for all children removed from the worst forms of child labour;

(d) identify and reach out to children at special risk; and

(e) take account of the special situation of girls.

3. Each Member shall designate the competent authority responsible for the implementation of the provisions giving effect to this Convention.

Members shall take appropriate steps to assist one another in giving effect to the provisions of this Convention through enhanced international cooperation and/or assistance including support for social and economic development, poverty eradication programs and universal education.

The formal ratifications of this Convention shall be communicated to the Director-General of the International Labor Office for registration.

1. This Convention shall be binding only upon those Members of the International Labor Organization whose ratifications have been registered with the Director-General of the International Labor Office.

2. It shall come into force 12 months after the date on which the ratifications of two Members have been registered with the Director-General.

3. Thereafter, this Convention shall come into force for any Member 12 months after the date on which its ratification has been registered.

1. A Member which has ratified this Convention may denounce it after the expiration of ten years from the date on which the Convention first comes into force, by an act communicated to the Director-General of the International Labor Office for registration. Such denunciation shall not take effect until one year after the date on which it is registered.

2. Each Member which has ratified this Convention and which does not, within the year following the expiration of the period of ten years mentioned in the preceding paragraph, exercise the right of denunciation provided for in this Article, will be bound for another period of ten years and, thereafter, may denounce this Convention at the expiration of each period of ten years under the terms provided for in this Article.

1. The Director-General of the International Labor Office shall notify all Members of the International Labor Organization of the registration of all ratifications and acts of denunciation communicated by the Members of the Organization.

2. When notifying the Members of the Organization of the registration of the second ratification, the Director-General shall draw the attention of the Members of the Organization to the date upon which the Convention shall come into force.

The Director-General of the International Labor Office shall communicate to the Secretary-General of the united Nations, for registration in accordance with article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations, full particulars of all ratifications and acts of denunciation registered by the Director-General in accordance with the provisions of the preceding Articles.

At such times as it may consider necessary, the Governing Body of the International Labor Office shall present to the General Conference a report on the working of this Convention and shall examine the desirability of placing on the agenda of the Conference the question of its revision in whole or in part.

1. Should the Conference adopt a new Convention revising this Convention in whole or in part, then, unless the new Convention otherwise provides

(a) the ratification by a Member of the new revising Convention shall ipso jure involve the immediate denunciation of this Convention, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 11 above, if and when the new revising Convention shall have come into force;

(b) as from the date when the new revising Convention comes into force, this Convention shall cease to be open to ratification by the Members.

2. This Convention shall in any case remain in force in its actual form and content for those Members which have ratified it but have not ratified the revising Convention.

The English and French versions of the text of this Convention are equally authoritative.

CONVENTION*
on the prohibition and immediate measures to eradicate
the worst forms of child labor

Convention 182

________________
* The Convention entered into force for the Russian Federation on March 25, 2004.


General Conference of the International Labor Organization,

convened at Geneva by the Governing Body of the International Labor Office and meeting at its 87th session on 1 June 1999,

Considering it necessary to adopt new instruments to prohibit and eliminate the worst forms of child labor as a top priority for national and international action, including international cooperation and international assistance, which would supplement the Minimum Age Convention and Recommendation, 1973, which remain fundamental instruments on child labour,

Considering that the effective elimination of the worst forms of child labor requires immediate and comprehensive action that takes into account the importance of free basic education and the need to free children from all work of this kind, as well as their rehabilitation and social integration, while taking into account the needs of their families,

Recalling the child labor revolution adopted by the 83rd session of the International Labor Conference in 1996,

Recognizing that child labor is to a large extent a consequence of poverty and that the long-term solution to this issue lies in sustainable economic growth leading to social progress, in particular the eradication of poverty and education for all,

Recalling the Convention on the Rights of the Child adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 20 November 1989,

Recalling the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and the Mechanism for its Implementation adopted by the 86th session of the International Labor Conference in 1998,

Recalling that some of the worst forms of child labor are covered by other international instruments, in particular the Forced Labor Convention, 1930 and ,

Deciding to adopt a number of proposals on child labor, which is the fourth item on the agenda of the session,

Having determined that these proposals shall take the form of an international convention,

Adopts this seventeenth day of June of the year one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine the following Convention, which may be cited as the Worst Forms of Child Labor Convention, 1999.

Article 1

Each Member which ratifies this Convention shall immediately take effective measures to secure, as a matter of urgency, the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour.

Article 2

For the purposes of this Convention, the term "child" applies to all persons under 18 years of age.

Article 3

For the purposes of this Convention, the term "worst forms of child labour" includes:

(a) All forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, such as the sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage and serfdom, and forced or compulsory labour, including the forced or compulsory recruitment of children for use in armed conflicts;

b) using, recruiting or offering a child for prostitution, for the production of pornographic products or for pornographic performances;

(c) The use, recruitment or offering of a child for illegal activities, in particular for the production and sale of drugs, as defined in the relevant international instruments;

(d) work which, by its nature or the conditions in which it is carried out, is likely to harm the health, safety or morals of children.

Article 4

1. National legislation or the competent authority shall, after consultation with the organizations of employers and workers concerned, determine the types of work referred to in Article 3, paragraph (d), taking into account relevant international standards, in particular the provisions of paragraphs 3 and 4 of the 1999 Recommendation on the Worst Forms of Child Labour.

2. The competent authority, after consultation with the organizations of employers and workers concerned, shall determine the places where the types of work so determined are carried out.

3. The list of types of work determined in accordance with paragraph 1 of this article shall be periodically analyzed and, as necessary, revised after consultation with the organizations of employers and workers concerned.

Article 5

Each Member, after consultation with employers' and workers' organizations, shall establish or designate appropriate mechanisms to control the application of the provisions giving effect to this Convention.

Article 6

1. Each Member State shall develop and implement programs of action to eliminate, as a matter of priority, the worst forms of child labour.

2. Such action programs shall be drawn up and implemented in consultation with the relevant government departments and employers' and workers' organizations, taking into account, as appropriate, the views of other interested groups.

Article 7

1. Each Member shall take all measures necessary to ensure the effective application and enforcement of the provisions giving effect to this Convention, including through the imposition and enforcement of criminal or, as the case may be, other sanctions.

2. Each Member State, bearing in mind the importance of education in the elimination of child labour, shall take measures within a specified time frame to:

a) avoiding the involvement of children in the worst forms of child labour;

(b) Provision of necessary and appropriate direct assistance to bring children out of the worst forms of child labour, as well as to their rehabilitation and social integration;

(c) Providing all children freed from the worst forms of child labor with access to free basic education and, where possible and necessary, vocational training;

(d) identifying and reaching out to children in particularly vulnerable situations; And

(e) Taking into account the special situation of girls.

3. Each Member shall designate a competent authority responsible for the application of the provisions giving effect to this Convention.

Article 8

Member States shall take the necessary measures to assist each other in giving effect to the provisions of this Convention, using for this purpose wider international cooperation and/or assistance, including support for social and economic development, anti-poverty programs and universal education.

Article 9

Official instruments of ratification of this Convention shall be sent to the Director General of the International Labor Office for registration.

Article 10

1. This Convention shall be binding only on those Members of the International Labor Organization whose instruments of ratification have been registered by the Director-General.

2. It shall enter into force 12 months after the date of registration by the Director-General of the instruments of ratification of two Members of the Organization.

3. Subsequently, this Convention shall enter into force for each State Member of the Organization 12 months after the date of registration of its instrument of ratification.

Article 11

1. Each Member which has ratified this Convention may, after ten years from the date of its original entry into force, denounce it by a declaration of denunciation addressed to the Director General of the International Labor Office for registration. The denunciation will take effect one year after the date of its registration.

2. For each Member of the Organization which has ratified this Convention and, within one year after the expiration of the ten years referred to in the preceding paragraph, has not exercised the right of denunciation provided for in this Article, the Convention shall remain in force for another ten years and may subsequently denounce it at expiration of each decade in the manner provided for in this Article.

Article 12

1. The Director General of the International Labor Office shall notify all Members of the International Labor Organization of the registration of all instruments of ratification and declarations of denunciation addressed to him by Members of the Organization.

2. When notifying the Members of the Organization of the registration of the second instrument of ratification which he has received, the Director-General shall draw their attention to the date of entry into force of this Convention.

Article 13

The Director-General of the International Labor Office shall communicate to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, for registration in accordance with Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations, the full details of all instruments of ratification and denunciation registered by him in accordance with the provisions of the preceding Articles.

Article 14

Whenever the Governing Body of the International Labor Office considers it necessary, it shall submit to the General Conference a report on the application of this Convention and shall consider the advisability of including in the agenda of the Conference the question of its complete or partial revision.

Article 15

1. If the Conference adopts a new convention revising this Convention in whole or in part, and unless otherwise provided in the new convention:

(a) The ratification by any Member of the Organization of a new revising Convention shall automatically entail, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 11, the immediate denunciation of this Convention, provided that the new revising Convention has entered into force;

b) from the date of entry into force of the new revising convention, this Convention shall be closed for ratification by the Members of the Organization.

2. This Convention shall in any case remain in force in form and substance for those Members of the Organization which have ratified it but have not ratified the Revising Convention.

Article 16

The English and French texts of this Convention shall be equally authentic.

Geneva, 17 June 1999.

(Signatures)

Ratified by the Federal Assembly (Federal Law of February 8, 2003 N 23-FZ - "Bulletin international treaties"N 4 for 2003)

The text of the document is verified by:
"Bulletin of International Treaties",
No. 8, August 2004

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