TNAG-0783-FCO40-987-Employment-of-children-In-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 28

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special safeguards, including legal protection. They should be able to grow up in an atmosphere of affection and of security and be given an education which will enable them to become useful members of society. This ideal is developed in the 10 principles of the Declaration. For example, Principle 2 insists that children should be given the opportunity by law and other means to develop healthily and normally in conditions of freedom and dignity.

The principle particularly relevant to child labour is No.9, which stresses that children should be protected against all forms of neglect, cruelty and exploitation. They should not be the subject of traffic in any form nor be admitted to employment before an appropriate minimum age; they should in no case be caused or permitted to engage in any occupation or employment which would prejudice their health or education, or interfere with their physical, mental or moral development.

The

The main international organisation concerned with child labour is the International Labour Office. One of its main aims since it was founded in 1919 has been to regulate and eventually to abolish child labour, and to create better con- ditions for bringing up children throughout the world. ILO has adopted various conventions, recommendations and resolutions covering minimum age of employment in different

The first ten activities, and hours and conditions of work. conventions on child labour covered specific economic sectors

1 or activities. In 1973 a general Convention on the Minimum Age for Admission to Employment of all sorts was adopted.

The first minimum age convention in 1919 fixed the age at which regular work in industry was permitted at 14, although this did not apply to work in family undertakings and technical school, exceptions that have applied to most minimum age legislation since. The Convention of 1919 was revised in 1937, and the minimum age raised to 15. An effort was made to control work in family undertakings, and to set minimum ages higher than 15 in dangerous jobs. Between 1920 and 1965 minimum age

t

These are described in ILO, 1972, Minimum Age for Admission to Employment. International Labour Conference, 57th Session, IV(1).