ILO Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention 182

This convention was adopted on 16 June 1999 and came into force on 19 November 2000. It commits each state which ratifies it to “take immediate and effective measures to secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour as a matter of urgency”. The term “child” applies to all persons under the age of 18 years and the worst forms of child labour include: 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 (Article 3a).

The text of ILO Conventions 138 and 182 can be found on the ILO website.