ILO’s Convention 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour: Challenges for Its Application in Latin America

Abstract

Child labour, including its “worst forms”, is spread in Latin America. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund, the number of children engaged in work increased by 8.4 million between 2016 and 2020, marking the first rise since 2000, with millions more are at risk due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this scenario, what is the role of the conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO) related to child labour, specifically Convention 182 related to its worst forms? Even though this Convention was the first to achieve universal ratification its real impact on the situation of vulnerable children is not straightforward. This paper analyses the role of ILO conventions on child labour in the post-COVID scenario in Latin America and how they could contribute to improve the situation of vulnerable children in the region. A right-based approach is a valuable tool to monitor child labour, but the reinforcement of legal instruments requires an interdisciplinary approach together with social and economic policies. Finally, due to the specificity of the region, other issues like the naturalization of child labour demand a cultural change along with sufficiently effective and dissuasive penalties.