Convention No. 138

Convention No. 138, adopted by the International Labour Organization in 1973, sets the minimum age for employment to promote fair and safe working conditions for young people. It aims to prevent child labor by encouraging countries to establish a national minimum age that discourages children from working before their education and development are fully complete. The convention also emphasizes that governments should ensure that young workers are not engaged in dangerous or harmful work, balancing economic opportunities with the need to protect children’s health, education, and well-being.