Child Labour

The New Zealand Government is deeply concerned about the exploitation of children and is actively engaged in a number of international forums dealing with this issue.

The Department of Labour has had particular involvement in

- ILO Convention 182 Concerning the Worst Forms of Child Labour

- International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour

- The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

- The United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Children

The Global Report at the 90th Session of the International Labour Conference 3 - 20 June 2002 was entitled: A Future Without Child Labour.

The New Zealand Government outlined its commitment to the elimination of harmful child labour in an address to the Conference Plenary. New Zealand Government Global Report Speech 2002. In 2001, New Zealand ratified ILO Convention 182 on the worst forms of child labour. Convention 182 is one of the ILO's core conventions and bans particularly exploitive forms of child labour.

The Department is currently undertaking a process of consideration of ratification of ILO Convention 138. Convention 138 is one of the ILO's Core Conventions and sets out minimum age requirements for admission to employment and work.

The process for considering ratification of the Convention is expected to take approximately two years and will involve consultation with Business NZ and the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions