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You can help eliminate the worst forms of
child labour
The International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention on the
Worst Forms of Child Labour, No.182 received unanimous support
from its members at its annual conference in June 1999. The challenge
is to get all of the 177 ILO member states to ratify this key convention.
As of July 2007, 13 countries have NOT ratified this crucial convention:
Afghanistan, Burma, Cuba, Eritrea, Guinea-Buissau, India, Kiribati
(Republic of), Sierra Leone, Soloman Islands, Somalia, Timor-Leste,
Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan.
If you live in a country which still has not ratified ILO Convention
182, then please write to the relevant government representative
(usually the Minister for Labour) and urge them to ratify and implement
the Convention as soon as possible. Ratification is the first essential
step towards eliminating the worst forms of child labour in all
countries around the world, and successful implementation is crucial
for its effectiveness in protecting children from hazardous forms
of labour.
Convention 182 has had the fastest rate of ratification out of
any ILO convention!
Below is a sample letter you can copy and paste to send to the officials
concerned:
- You can send the letter below by post or
- You can try to find an e-mail address for the Ministry of Labour
and send the letter below by e-mail.
Dear Government Minister,
I am writing to express my concern at your Government's failure
to date to ratify the International Labour Organization's Convention
182 on the worst forms of child labour, and to encourage you to
take the necessary steps to ensure that ratification is undertaken
as soon as possible.
Convention 182 defines the worst forms of child labour and outlines
the steps that governments need to take to eliminate such forms
of child labour in their countries. By failing to ratify this convention,
governments are essentially endorsing the child labour that the
convention seeks to eliminate.
I would ask you to give this matter your urgent attention.
Yours faithfully,
Please forward copies of any responses you receive to Anti-Slavery
International.
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