1. Concept and definition
Child Labour
Concept and definition
Summer School in
Development Economics
Prato June 22, 2017

2. Concept of Child Labour
Objective:
Discuss :
definition of CL and related concepts
procedural operationalization of these concepts in the measurement of CL

3. Concept of Child Labour
Steps in the discussion
the international legal framework
towards a statistical definition of CL
CL as a subset of “working children”
extension of CL definition to a broader concept and universal consensus
Main instruments for generating information on child labour

4. Concept of Child Labour
Child labour is a legal rather than statistical concept, and the international legal standards that define it are therefore the necessary frame of reference for child labour statistics. The three principal international conventions on child labour – ILO Convention No. 138 (Minimum Age) (C138), United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), ILO Convention No. 182 (Worst Forms) (C182) together set the legal boundaries for child labour, and provide the legal basis for national and international actions against it.

5. The international legal framework
ILO Convention Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) Applies to all economic sectors and to all working children, whether they are employed for wages or working on their own account. It is the most comprehensive and authoritative international definition of minimum age for admission to employment (being at work).

6. The international legal framework
ILO Convention on WFCL, 1999 (No. 182)
No “flexibility clauses” – makes no distinction between developed and developing countries, and applies to all girls and boys younger than 18 years.

7. The international legal framework
WFCL, as defined in Article 3 (No. 182)
all forms of slavery/practices similar to slavery
use, procuring or offering of a child for prostitution, pornography, etc.
use, procurement or offering of a child for illicit activities, particularly trafficking in drugs, etc.
work that is likely to harm the health, safety, or morals of children

8. The international legal framework
Two categories of WFCL
worst forms of child labour other than hazardous work (first three category, previous slide)
hazardous work (last category, previous slide)

9. The international legal framework
Hazardous work
exposes children to physical, psychological, or sexual abuse
underground, under water, at dangerous heights, and in confined spaces
with dangerous machinery, or involves manual handling of heavy loads
in unhealthy environments that expose children to health hazards
under particularly difficult conditions (e.g. long hours) or if freedom confined

10. The international legal framework
United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child, 1989
Defines a child as as an individual
under the age of 18 years.

11. Towards a statistical definition of CL

12. Concept of Child Labour
Towards a statistical definition of CL
CL is as a subset of economic activities (i.e. “employment”) performed by children, in line with the ILO definition of employment for adults.
Debate on a wider concept of “Child Labour” to include certain non-economic activities– mainly, domestic chores.

13. Concept of Child Labour
The resolution adopted at the 18th ICLS in 2008 represents first-ever global standards for measuring child labour. The resolution states that: “child labour may be measured in terms of the engagement of children in productive activities either on the basis of the general production boundary, or on the basis of the SNA production boundary”

14. Concept of Child Labour
System of National Accounts (SNA) (Rev. 1993)

15. Concept of Child Labour
The ICLS resolution states that, for the purpose of statistical measurement, children engaged in child labour include all persons aged 5 to 17 years who, during a specified time period, were engaged in one or more of the following categories of activities: (a) worst forms of child labour (b) employment below the minimum age, and (c) hazardous unpaid household services, applicable where the general production boundary is used as the measurement framework.

16. Concept of Child Labour
Tables 1 and 2
explain the steps in CL identification as adopted for ILO/SIMPOC new global estimates on CL.

17. Concept of Child Labour
Requires a national policy for the
effective abolition of child labour
(Art. 1)
Requires a specification of minimum
age (Art. 2)
ILO
Minimum Age
Convention
No. 138
Table 1
General minimum
age specifications
Exceptions for developing countries
Basic Minimum
Age (Art. 2)
15 years
14 years
Hazardous work (Art. 3)
18 years
(16 years conditionally)
NO EXCEPTION
Light work (Art. 7)
13-15 years
12 years

18. Concept of Child Labour
Table 2

19. Concept of Child Labour
These steps are consistent with the measurement framework adopted at the 18th International Conference of Labour Statisticians

20. ICLS framework for statistical identification of child labour
Age group
General production boundary
SNA production
Non-SNA production
(1a)
Light work3
(1b)
Regular work4
Worst forms of child labour
(3a)
Hazardous unpaid household services1
(3b)
Other
non- production
(2a)
Hazardous work
(2b)
Worst forms of child labour other than hazardous work
Children below the minimum age specified for light work
(for example, 5–11 years)2
Employment below the minimum age for light work
Employment below the general minimum working age
Employment in industries and occupations designated as hazardous, or work for long hours and/or at night in industries and occupations not designated as hazardous
Children trafficked for work; forced and bonded child labour; commercial sexual exploitation of children; use of children for illicit activities and armed conflict
Unpaid household services for long hours; involving unsafe equipment or heavy loads; in dangerous locations; etc.
Children within the age range specified for light work
(for example, 12–14 years)2
Children at or above the general minimum working age
(for example, 15–17 years)2
1 (3a) is applicable where the general production boundary is used as the measurement framework for child labour. 2 Age-group limits may differ across countries depending upon the national circumstances.
3 Where applicable at the national level.
4 Children in employment other than those covered under columns (1a), (2a) and (2b).
ICLS framework for statistical identification of child labour
= Child labour

21. Evidence

22. The 12-year period beginning in 2000 was one of significant progress against child labour million fewer child labourers - Progress against hazardous work was even more rapid, falling by over 85 million; - Children’s employment fell by more than 87 million
Figure. Percentage of children in child labour and hazardous work, 5-17 years age group,

23. Source: (a) ILO/IPEC Global Child Labour estimates
The decline in child labour over the period extended to all age groups, but was particularly pronounced among younger children
Figure. Age-specific trends in children’s involvement in child labour,
Source: (a) ILO/IPEC Global Child Labour estimates

24. Figure. Changes in % children in employment, selected LAC countries
Past evidence suggests progress can be precarious and subject to reversals. The global economic crisis could have an impact on observed trends in several countries.
Figure. Changes in % children in employment, selected LAC countries
Source: UCW Country Statistics

25. Children’s employment is concentrated overwhelmingly in unpaid family work
Figure. Children’s status in employment , 7-14 years age group, most recent year(a)

26. Most child labourers are found in the agriculture sector
Figure. Children’s sector of employment , 7-14 years age group,(a) most recent year(b)
Notes: (a) Refers to years age group; (b) 2006 or more recent
Source: UCW Country Statistics

27. Simple comparisons of the school attendance suggest that child labourers have greater difficulty in attending school.
Figure. School attendance disadvantage of children in employment, 7−14 years age group, selected countries

28. But school attendance alone is an incomplete indicator of the compatibility between education and child labour.
Child labour is also associated with lower levels of academic performance for those child labourers attending school.
Figure. School performance (as measured by repetition) and children’s employment, 24 countries