TNAG-1520-FCO40-2081-Employment-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 66

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NON-SELF-GOVERNING TERRITORIES

standard is laid down. it was suggested in the Committes that the Office should examine the situation, with a view to the possible adoption of special Conventions for colonial territories. Such special Conventions migh: embody the provisions of the general Conventions adapted in such a way as to sit the conditions in the colonies.'

The Conference, however, will require to know in some more detail what are the standards referred to in this field in the Phila- delphia and Paris Recommendations and to what extent sub- stantially similar standards are part of the law of non-self-governing territories. A brief summary of the relevant provisions of the Recommendations and an examination of existing standards of related legislation in the territories concerned are therefore neces-

sary.

The procedure followed requires elucidation on two further points. In the first place, a list of ratifying countries with depen- dent territories is given in referring to Conventions on which parts of the Recommendations are based. In the circumstances, this does not necessarily imply either that such Corventions have been found applicable to their dependent territories by ratifying countries, or that the standards in the dependencies of countries which have not ratified those Conventions are lower. In the second place, the summary that follows is limited to the main substantive points both in the standards laid down by the Recommendations and in the legislation of dependent territories. The omission to refer to certain exceptions and qualifications in the Recommendation texts is merely in the interests of clear and brief presentation.

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PERSONS

Articles 18 to 25 of the Philadelphia Recommendation prescribe minimum standards to govern the admission of children to employ- ment and the employment of young persons. With two exceptions, these provisions result from existing international labour Con- ventions.

The general minimum age of 12 years is not based on any particu- lar Convention. This standard was selected in the light of a 1932 Convention permiring the employment of children over 12 years. of age outside the hours fixed for school attendance and for only two hours out of the day. This is the lowest minimum age provided for non-industrial employment (i.e., forms of employment not covered under industry, maritime work or agriculture) in any Convention. A 1937 Convention, revising the 1932 Convention,

1 International Labour Conference, 25th Session, Geneva, 1939: Record of Proceedings (Geneva, 1939), p. 416.