Bangladesh took a big step forward in tackling child labour

Bangladesh has made a step toward ending child labor by ratifying the 1973 Minimum Age Convention of the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Bangladesh is required by the Minimum Age Convention to take steps to achieve the gradual abolition of child labor and to establish a minimum age below which no one shall be permitted to employment or work in any occupation, with the exception of light work and artistic performances.

Bangladesh reaffirms its commitment to combating the scourge of child labor by safeguarding children from employment for which they are too young, work that jeopardizes their health, morals, or psychological well-being, and work that jeopardizes their access to education.

It also sees Bangladesh’s progress toward achieving decent work and achieving the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals at the country level, particularly SDG goal 8.7, which calls for prompt action to prohibit and eliminate child labor in its most heinous forms by 2025.

According to the ILO’s Global Child Labour Estimates for 2020, there are still 160 million children working, and the Covid-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact, threatening to undo years of improvement.

Monnujan Sufian, minister of labor and employment of Bangladesh, said that with the ratification of the Minimum Age Convention, Bangladesh completes its ratification of all fundamental Conventions and associated Protocols. This demonstrates our earnest commitment to international labor standards, including those relating to the abolition of child labor. In this regard, their government recently changed the hazardous job list to raise the number of types of risky employment prohibited for children from 38 to 43, ensuring that children are better protected from child labor and its worst forms. Indeed, Bangladesh’s government has made a firm commitment to end all types of child labor. They seek the ILO’s continuing help in achieving this goal.

ILO director-general Mr. Guy Ryder, said that Bangladesh completes its ratification of all fundamental Conventions and associated Protocols,” said Monnujan Sufian, Bangladesh’s minister of labor and employment. This demonstrates our earnest commitment to international labor norms, including those concerning the abolition of child labor. In this regard, their government recently changed the hazardous job list to increase the number of types of risky employment prohibited to minors from 38 to 43, ensuring that children are better protected from child labor and its worst forms. Indeed, the Bangladeshi government has made a firm commitment to end all forms of child labor. We seek the ILO’s ongoing assistance in achieving this goal.