Key Benefits:
Original text
(State on 13 May 2014)
The General Conference of the International Labour Organization,
Convened in Geneva by the Governing Council of the International Labour Office, meeting on 6 June 1973, at its fifty-eighth session;
After deciding to adopt various proposals relating to the minimum age for admission to employment, which is the fourth item on the agenda of the session;
Noting the terms of the Minimum Age Convention (industry) 4 , 1919, Convention on Minimum Age (Maritime Labour), 1920, Convention on Minimum Age (Agriculture), 1921, Minimum Age Convention (Sutiers and Drivers) 5 , 1921, the Minimum Age Convention (non-industrial work), 1932, of the (revised) Convention on Minimum Age (Maritime Labour) 6 , 1936, the (revised) Convention of the Minimum Age (Industry), 1937, the (Revised) Minimum Age Convention (Non-Industrial Work), 1937, the Minimum Age Convention (Fishermen), 1959 and the Minimum Age Convention (Work Underground) 7 , 1965;
Whereas the time has come to adopt a general instrument on this subject, which should gradually replace the existing instruments applicable to limited economic sectors, with a view to the total abolition of child labour;
After deciding that the instrument would take the form of an international convention,
Adopts, This twenty-sixth day of June, nine hundred and seventies, the following convention, which will be known as the Minimum Age Convention, 1973:
Any Member for which this Convention is in force undertakes to pursue a national policy to ensure the effective abolition of child labour and to progressively raise the minimum age for admission to employment or work at a national level. Level enabling adolescents to achieve the most complete physical and mental development.
1. Any Member ratifying this Convention shall specify, in a declaration annexed to its ratification, a minimum age for admission to employment or work in its territory and in the means of transport registered in its territory; Reservation of the provisions of s. 4 to 8 of this Convention, no person of an age below that minimum shall be admitted to employment or work in any profession.
2. Any Member which has ratified this Convention may subsequently inform the Director General of the International Labour Office, through new declarations, that it is the minimum age specified above.
3. The minimum age specified in accordance with par. 1 of this article shall not be less than the age at which compulsory education ceases, nor in any case at 15 years.
4. Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 3 of this Article, any Member whose economy and the educational institutions are not sufficiently developed may, after consulting the organisations of employers and workers concerned, if they exist, specify, in a first Stage, a minimum age of fourteen years.
5. Any Member who has specified a minimum age of fourteen years under the preceding paragraph shall, in the report which he is required to submit under Art. 22 of the Constitution of the International Labour Organization 1 , declare:
The minimum age for admission to any type of employment or work which, by its nature or the conditions under which it is exercised, is likely to endanger the health, safety or morals of adolescents shall not be less than eighteen Years.
2. The types of employment or work referred to in s. 1 above shall be determined by national legislation or the competent authority, after consultation with employers'and workers' organisations, if any.
3. Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 1 above, national legislation or the competent authority may, after consultation with employers'and workers' organisations, if any, authorise the employment or work of adolescents at the age of sixteen, provided that Their health, safety and morals are fully guaranteed and that they have received, in the relevant industry, a specific and adequate instruction or vocational training.
1. In so far as this is necessary and after consulting the organisations of employers and workers concerned, if any, the competent authority may not apply this Convention to limited categories of employment or Work where the application of this Convention to these categories would raise special and important enforcement difficulties.
(2) Any Member ratifying this Convention shall, in the first report on the application of the Convention which it is required to submit under Art. 22 of the Constitution of the International Labour Organization 1 , indicate, with grounds for support, the categories of employment that would have been excluded under subs. 1 of this article, and set out, in its subsequent reports, the status of its legislation and practice in relation to those categories, specifying the extent to which it has been given effect or proposed to give effect to this Convention in respect of Of those categories.
(3) This Article does not permit the exclusion of employment or work referred to in this Convention from the scope of this Convention. 3.
1. Any Member whose economy and administrative services have not attained sufficient development may, after consulting the organisations of employers and workers concerned, if any, limit, in a first step, the field Of the application of this Convention.
2. Any Member who avails himself of s. 1 of this Article shall specify, in a declaration annexed to its ratification, the branches of economic activity or types of undertakings to which the provisions of this Convention shall apply.
3. The scope of this Convention shall include at least: the extractive industries; manufacturing industries; construction and public works; electricity, gas and water; health services; transport; Warehouses and communications; plantations and other agricultural enterprises used primarily for commercial purposes, excluding family or small-scale enterprises producing for the local market and not employing Regular employees.
4. Any Member who has limited the scope of the Convention under this Article:
This Convention shall not apply to work carried out by children or adolescents in general education establishments, in vocational or technical schools or in other vocational training institutions, or in the Work carried out by persons of at least 14 years in undertakings, where such work is carried out in accordance with the conditions prescribed by the competent authority after consulting employers'and workers' organisations Interested, if any, and is an integral part of:
(1) National legislation may authorize the use of light work by persons between thirteen and fifteen years of age or the performance by such persons of such work, provided that such work:
2. National legislation may also, subject to the conditions laid down in paras. (a) and (b) of s. 1 above, authorize the employment or work of persons of at least 15 years of age who have not yet completed their compulsory education.
3. The competent authority shall determine the activities in which the employment or work may be authorised in accordance with s. 1 and 2 of this Article and shall prescribe the duration, in hours, and the conditions of the employment or work in question.
4. Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 1 and 2 of this article, a Member who has made use of the provisions of s. 4 of Art. 2 may, as long as it prevails, substitute the ages of twelve and fourteen years at the ages of thirteen and fifteen years indicated in par. 1 and the age of fourteen at the age of fifteen indicated in s. 2 of this article.
After consultation with employers'and workers' organisations, if any, the competent authority may, in derogation from the prohibition of employment or work under s. 2 of this Convention, authorise, in individual cases, participation in activities such as artistic performances.
2. The authorisations granted shall limit the duration of the authorised employment or work and prescribe the conditions.
The competent authority shall take all necessary measures, including appropriate sanctions, with a view to ensuring the effective implementation of the provisions of this Convention.
2. The national legislation or the competent authority shall determine the persons required to comply with the provisions giving effect to the Convention.
3. The national legislation or the competent authority shall prescribe the records or other documents which the employer shall keep and keep available; these records or documents shall indicate the name and age or date of birth, duly As far as possible, persons employed by him or working for him and whose age is less than eighteen years.
1. This Convention revises the Convention on Minimum Age (Industry), 1919, the Minimum Age Convention (Maritime Labour), 1920, the Minimum Age Convention (Agriculture), 1921, the Minimum Age Convention (Subtiers and Drivers), 1921, Convention on Minimum Age (Non-Industrial Work), 1932, Convention (Revised) on Minimum Age (Maritime Labour), 1936, Convention (Revised) Minimum Age (Industry), 1937, Convention (revised) on the minimum age (non-industrial work), 1937, of the Minimum Age Convention (fishermen), 1959, and the Minimum Age Convention (underground works), 1965, under the conditions set out below.
2. The entry into force of this Convention does not close to a subsequent ratification of the (revised) Convention on Minimum Age (Maritime Labour), 1936, the (Revised) Minimum Age Convention (Industry), 1937, the (Revised) Convention on Age Minimum (non-industrial work), 1937, the Minimum Age Convention (Fishermen), 1959, and the Minimum Age Convention (Underground Work), 1965.
3. The Convention on Minimum Age (Industry), 1919, Minimum Age Convention (Maritime Labour), 1920, Minimum Age Convention (Agriculture), 1921, and Minimum Age Convention (Sutiers and Drivers), 1921, will be closed to all Subsequent ratification when all the Member States Parties to these Conventions consent to this closure, either by ratifying this Convention or by a declaration communicated to the Director General of the International Labour Office.
4. Upon entry into force of this Convention:
5. Upon entry into force of this Convention:
The formal ratifications of this Convention shall be communicated to and registered by the Director General of the International Labour Office.
(1) This Convention shall bind only the Members of the International Labour Organization whose ratification has been registered by the Director General.
2. It shall enter into force twelve months after the ratifications of two Members have been registered by the Director General.
3. Thereafter, this Convention shall enter into force for each Member twelve months after the date on which its ratification has been registered.
1. Any Member having ratified this Convention may denounce it at the expiration of a period of ten years after the date of the initial entry into force of the Convention by an act communicated to the Director General of the International Labour Office And by registered him. The denunciation shall take effect only one year after being registered.
2. Any Member having ratified this Convention which, within one year of the expiration of the ten-year period referred to in the preceding paragraph, shall not make use of the right of denunciation provided for in this Article shall be bound For a further period of ten years and thereafter may denounce this Convention at the expiration of each ten-year period under the conditions laid down in this Article.
The Director General of the International Labour Office shall notify all Members of the International Labour Organization of the registration of all ratifications and denunciations made available to it by the Members of the Organization.
2. By notifying the Members of the Organization of the registration of the second ratification which has been communicated to it, the Director General shall call the attention of the Members of the Organization on the date on which this Convention enters into force Vigor.
The Director General of the International Labour Office shall communicate to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, for the purposes of registration, in accordance with art. 102 of the United Nations Charter 1 , complete information about all ratifications and all acts of denunciation which it has registered in accordance with the previous articles.
Whenever it deems it necessary, the Governing Council of the International Labour Office shall submit to the General Conference a report on the implementation of this Convention and consider whether it should be included in the agenda of the Conference the question of its total or partial revision.
1. In the event that the Conference adopts a new convention for the total or partial revision of this Convention, and unless the new Convention provides otherwise:
(2) This Convention shall in any case remain in force in its form and content for Members who have ratified it and which do not ratify the revised Convention.
The English and French versions of the text of this Convention shall be equally authentic.
(Suivent signatures)
States Parties |
Ratification Statement of Succession (S) |
Entry into force |
||
Afghanistan A |
7 April |
2010 |
7 April |
2011 |
South Africa B |
30 March |
2000 |
30 March |
2001 |
Albania C |
February 16 |
1998 |
February 16 |
1999 |
Algeria C |
April 30 |
1984 |
April 30 |
1985 |
Germany B |
April 8 |
1976 |
April 8 |
1977 |
Angola A |
13 June |
2001 |
13 June |
2002 |
Antigua and Barbuda C |
March 17 |
1983 |
March 17 |
1984 |
Saudi Arabia B |
2 April |
2014 |
2 April |
2015 |
Argentina A |
11 November |
1996 |
11 November |
1997 |
Armenia C |
27 January |
2006 |
27 January |
2007 |
Austria B |
18 September |
2000 |
18 September |
2001 |
Azerbaijan C |
19 May |
1992 |
19 May |
1993 |
Bahamas A |
October 31 |
2001 |
October 31 |
2002 |
Barbados B |
4 January |
2000 |
4 January |
2001 |
Belarus C |
3 May |
1979 |
3 May |
1980 |
Belgium B |
19 April |
1988 |
19 April |
1989 |
Belize A |
6 March |
2000 |
6 March |
2001 |
Benin A |
11 June |
2001 |
11 June |
2002 |
Bolivia A |
11 June |
1997 |
11 June |
1998 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina B |
2 June |
1993 |
2 June |
1994 |
Botswana A |
5 June |
1997 |
5 June |
1998 |
Brazil C |
28 June |
2001 |
28 June |
2002 |
Brunei C |
17 June |
2011 |
17 June |
2012 |
Bulgaria C |
April 23 |
1980 |
April 23 |
1981 |
Burkina Faso B |
February 11 |
1999 |
February 11 |
2000 |
Burundi A |
19 July |
2000 |
19 July |
2001 |
Cambodia A |
August 23 |
1999 |
August 23 |
2000 |
Cameroon A |
13 August |
2001 |
13 August |
2002 |
Cape Verde B |
7 February |
2011 |
7 February |
2012 |
Chile B |
1 Er February |
1999 |
1 Er February |
2000 |
China * C |
28 April |
1999 |
28 April |
2000 |
Hong Kong * D |
28 April |
1999 |
28 April |
2000 |
Macao E |
6 October |
2000 |
6 October |
2000 |
Cyprus B |
2 October |
1997 |
2 October |
1998 |
Colombia A |
2 February |
2001 |
2 February |
2002 |
Comoros B |
March 17 |
2004 |
March 17 |
2005 |
Congo (Brazzaville) A |
26 November |
1999 |
26 November |
2000 |
Congo, Kinshasa A |
20 June |
2001 |
20 June |
2002 |
Korea (South) B |
28 January |
1999 |
28 January |
2000 |
Costa Rica B |
11 June |
1976 |
11 June |
1977 |
Côte d' Ivoire A |
7 February |
2003 |
7 February |
2004 |
Croatia B |
8 October |
1991 S |
8 October |
1991 |
Cuba B |
7 March |
1975 |
7 March |
1976 |
Denmark B F |
13 November |
1997 |
13 November |
1998 |
Djibouti C |
14 June |
2005 |
14 June |
2006 |
Dominica B |
27 September |
1983 |
27 September |
1984 |
Egypt A |
9 June |
1999 |
9 June |
2000 |
El Salvador A |
23 January |
1996 |
23 January |
1997 |
United Arab Emirates B |
2 October |
1998 |
2 October |
1999 |
Ecuador A |
19 September |
2000 |
19 September |
2001 |
Eritrea A |
22 February |
2000 |
22 February |
2001 |
Spain B |
May 16 |
1977 |
May 16 |
1978 |
Estonia B |
15 March |
2007 |
15 March |
2008 |
Ethiopia A |
27 May |
1999 |
27 May |
2000 |
Fiji B |
3 January |
2002 |
3 January |
2004 |
Finland B |
13 January |
1976 |
13 January |
1977 |
France C |
July 13 |
1990 |
July 13 |
1991 |
Gabon C |
25 October |
2010 |
25 October |
2011 |
Gambia A |
4 September |
2000 |
4 September |
2001 |
Georgia B |
23 September |
1996 |
23 September |
1997 |
Ghana B |
6 June |
2011 |
6 June |
2012 |
Greece B |
March 14 |
1986 |
March 14 |
1987 |
Grenada C |
14 May |
2003 |
14 May |
2004 |
Guatemala A |
April 27 |
1990 |
April 27 |
1991 |
Guinea C |
6 June |
2003 |
6 June |
2004 |
Guinea-Bissau A |
March 5 |
2009 |
March 5 |
2010 |
Equatorial Guinea A |
12 June |
1985 |
12 June |
1986 |
Guyana B |
15 April |
1998 |
15 April |
1999 |
Haiti A |
3 June |
2009 |
3 June |
2010 |
Honduras A |
9 June |
1980 |
9 June |
1981 |
Hungary C |
28 May |
1998 |
28 May |
1999 |
Indonesia B |
7 June |
1999 |
7 June |
2000 |
Iraq B |
13 February |
1985 |
13 February |
1986 |
Ireland C |
22 June |
1978 |
22 June |
1979 |
Iceland B |
6 December |
1999 |
6 December |
2000 |
Israel B |
21 June |
1979 |
21 June |
1980 |
Italy B |
28 July |
1981 |
28 July |
1982 |
Jamaica B |
13 October |
2003 |
13 October |
2004 |
Japan B |
5 June |
2000 |
5 June |
2001 |
Jordan C |
23 March |
1998 |
23 March |
1999 |
Kazakhstan C |
18 May |
2001 |
18 May |
2002 |
Kenya C |
April 9 |
1979 |
April 9 |
1980 |
Kyrgyzstan C |
March 31 |
1992 |
March 31 |
1993 |
Kiribati A |
17 June |
2009 |
17 June |
2010 |
Kuwait B |
15 November |
1999 |
15 November |
2000 |
Laos A |
13 June |
2005 |
13 June |
2006 |
Lesotho B |
14 June |
2001 |
14 June |
2002 |
Latvia B |
2 June |
2006 |
2 June |
2007 |
Lebanon A |
10 June |
2003 |
10 June |
2004 |
Libya B |
19 June |
1975 |
19 June |
1976 |
Lithuania C |
22 June |
1998 |
22 June |
1999 |
Luxembourg B |
24 March |
1977 |
24 March |
1978 |
Macedonia B |
17 November |
1991 S |
17 November |
1991 |
Madagascar B |
May 31 |
2000 |
May 31 |
2001 |
Malaysia B |
9 September |
1997 |
9 September |
1998 |
Malawi A |
19 November |
1999 |
19 November |
2000 |
Maldives C |
4 January |
2013 |
4 January |
2014 |
Mali B |
March 11 |
2002 |
March 11 |
2003 |
Malta C |
9 June |
1988 |
9 June |
1989 |
Morocco B |
6 January |
2000 |
6 January |
2001 |
Mauritius B |
July 30 |
1990 |
July 30 |
1991 |
Mauritania A |
3 December |
2001 |
3 December |
2002 |
Moldova C |
21 September |
1999 |
21 September |
2000 |
Mongolia B |
16 December |
2002 |
16 December |
2003 |
Montenegro B |
3 June |
2006 S |
3 June |
2006 |
Mozambique B |
June 16 |
2003 |
June 16 |
2004 |
Namibia A |
15 November |
2000 |
15 November |
2001 |
Nepal A |
30 May |
1997 |
30 May |
1998 |
Nicaragua A |
2 November |
1981 |
2 November |
1982 |
Niger A |
4 December |
1978 |
4 December |
1979 |
Nigeria B |
2 October |
2002 |
2 October |
2003 |
Norway B |
July 8 |
1980 |
July 8 |
1981 |
Oman C |
July 21 |
2005 |
July 21 |
2006 |
Uganda A |
25 March |
2003 |
25 March |
2004 |
Uzbekistan B |
6 March |
2009 |
6 March |
2009 |
Pakistan A |
July 6 |
2006 |
July 6 |
2007 |
Panama * A |
October 31 |
2000 |
October 31 |
2001 |
Papua New Guinea C |
2 June |
2000 |
2 June |
2001 |
Paraguay A |
3 March |
2004 |
3 March |
2005 |
Netherlands * B |
September 14 |
1976 |
September 14 |
1977 |
Aruba A E |
24 March |
1987 |
24 March |
1987 |
Peru A |
13 November |
2002 |
13 November |
2003 |
Philippines B |
4 June |
1998 |
4 June |
1999 |
Poland B |
22 March |
1978 |
22 March |
1979 |
Portugal * C |
20 May |
1998 |
20 May |
1999 |
Qatar C |
3 January |
2006 |
3 January |
2007 |
Central African Republic A |
28 June |
2000 |
28 June |
2001 |
Dominican Republic * A |
15 June |
1999 |
15 June |
2000 |
Czech Republic B |
April 26 |
2007 |
April 26 |
2008 |
Romania C |
19 November |
1975 |
19 November |
1976 |
United Kingdom * C |
7 June |
2000 |
7 June |
2001 |
Russia C |
3 May |
1979 |
3 May |
1980 |
Rwanda A |
15 April |
1981 |
15 April |
1982 |
Saint Kitts and Nevis C |
3 June |
2005 |
3 June |
2006 |
San Marino C |
1 Er February |
1995 |
1 Er February |
1996 |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines A |
July 25 |
2006 |
July 25 |
2007 |
Solomon Islands B |
22 April |
2013 |
22 April |
2014 |
Samoa B |
29 October |
2008 |
29 October |
2009 |
Sao Tome and Principe A |
4 May |
2005 |
4 May |
2006 |
Senegal * B |
15 December |
1999 |
15 December |
2000 |
Serbia B |
24 November |
2000 S |
6 December |
1984 |
Seychelles B |
7 March |
2000 |
7 March |
2001 |
Sierra Leone B |
10 June |
2011 |
10 June |
2012 |
Singapore B |
7 November |
2005 |
7 November |
2006 |
Slovakia B |
29 September |
1997 |
29 September |
1998 |
Slovenia B |
29 May |
1992 S |
29 May |
1993 |
Sudan A |
7 March |
2003 |
7 March |
2004 |
South Sudan A |
29 April |
2012 |
29 April |
2013 |
Sri Lanka A |
February 11 |
2000 |
February 11 |
2001 |
Sweden B |
April 23 |
1990 |
April 23 |
1991 |
Switzerland * B |
August 17 |
1999 |
August 17 |
2000 |
Swaziland B |
23 October |
2002 |
23 October |
2003 |
Syria B |
18 September |
2001 |
18 September |
2002 |
Tajikistan C |
26 November |
1993 |
26 November |
1994 |
Tanzania A |
16 December |
1998 |
16 December |
1999 |
Chad A |
21 March |
2005 |
21 March |
2006 |
Thailand * B |
11 May |
2004 |
11 May |
2005 |
Togo A |
March 16 |
1984 |
March 16 |
1985 |
Trinidad and Tobago C |
3 September |
2004 |
3 September |
2005 |
Tunisia C |
19 October |
1995 |
19 October |
1996 |
Turkmenistan C |
March 27 |
2012 |
March 27 |
2013 |
Turkey B |
30 October |
1998 |
30 October |
1999 |
Ukraine C |
3 May |
1979 |
3 May |
1980 |
Uruguay B |
2 June |
1977 |
2 June |
1978 |
Venezuela A |
July 15 |
1987 |
July 15 |
1988 |
Vietnam B |
24 June |
2003 |
24 June |
2004 |
Yemen A |
15 June |
2000 |
15 June |
2001 |
Zambia B |
February 9 |
1976 |
February 9 |
1977 |
Zimbabwe |
6 June |
2000 |
6 June |
2001 |
* |
Reservations and declarations. Reservations and declarations, with the exception of those of Switzerland, are not published in the RO. The texts in English and French can be found at the website of the International Labour Organization: www.ilo.org or obtained from the Directorate of Public International Law (DDIP), International Treaty Section, 3003 Bern. |
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A |
The minimum age specified in application of s. 2, para. 1, is 14 years old. |
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B |
The minimum age specified in application of s. 2, para. 1, is 15 years old. |
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C |
The minimum age specified in application of s. 2, para. 1, is 16 years old. |
|||
D |
Applicable with modification. |
|||
E |
Applicable without modification. |
|||
F |
Not applicable to Faroe Islands and Greenland. |
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Switzerland
The minimum age for underground work under s. 3 of the Convention is 19 years old and 20 years old for apprentices.
1 RO 2001 1426
2 At the time of ratification, Switzerland denounced the following ILO, with effect from 17 August 2000: O 58 (revised) on the minimum age (sea work) of 24 Oct. 1936 [RO 1960 508, 1962 1403 1404 art. 1] Conv. O 123 on the minimum age (underground works) of 22 June 1965 [RO 1968 175]
3 The entry into force results in the immediate denunciation of the following ILO Conventions: O 5 on the minimum age (industry) of 28 Nov 1919 [RS 14 8; 1962 1403 1404 art. 1] Conv. O 15 on the minimum age (subs and drivers) of 11 Nov 1921 [RO 1960 498, 1962 1403 1404 art. 1]
4 [RS 14 8; 1962 1403 1404 art. 1]
5 [RO 1960 498, 1962 1403 1404 art. 1]
6 [RO 1960 508, 1962 1403 1404 art. 1]
7 [RO 1968 175]
8 RO 2001 1436 , 2005 1751, 2006 4207, 2010 3995, 2013 407, 2014 1225 A version of the updated scope of application is published on the DFAE website (www.dfae.admin.ch/traites).