International law and child labour: A Public Health Perspective

This chapter discusses the international legislation enacted with the purpose of regulating and modifying children's work, and considers the impact of this legislation including how States are held to account. The scope of international legislation addressing child labour is wide ranging. In recent years, the focus has moved from prohibition and minimum age requirements to the elimination of the worst forms of child labour and the identification of hazardous child labour. This statement is tempered with a proviso that age is in fact considered a key feature in the identification of hazardous child work. So age has come to be accepted as an important consideration, although individual countries may identify specific key ages.