Dear Ashok Agarwal, this is a mighty important step to possible a
minimum age determination in India, about time! Also congratulations on
the joint initiative.
From the ILO point of view, on 25 May 1995, the Director-General of the International Labour Office launched a campaign to promote the fundamental ILO Conventions with a view to achieve their universal ratification.
Each year the Director-General submits a report for information to the Governing Body on progress made in the ratification of the fundamental ILO Conventions during the previous year and on the future prospects for the ratification of these instruments, based on information communicated by the member States. In August 2005, the Director-General sent a circular letter to governments of countries that had not ratified all the fundamental Conventions, asking them to indicate their position with regard to these Conventions and in particular whether or not their position had changed since their previous communication.
India has not ratified ILO fundamental conventions on freedom of association and colletive bargaining, nor on child labour. The Government of India stated the following on the child labour conventions, reflected in ILO document GB.294/LILS/5 294th Session, page 4 :
“Ratification of Convention No. 138 would be considered after enactment of legislation fixing a minimum age for entry into employment. Regarding Convention No. 182, inter-ministerial and tripartite consultations had been held. Ratification of that Convention would remain under consideration until consensus on all the issues involved had emerged.”
Given the fact that ILO Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138), has been explicitly mentioned in the PIL filed by the MV Foundation, I would like to reiterate that the ILO always stands ready to assist the Government of India in preparing for ratification. But as always in ratification matters, the ball is in the court of the Government.
Kind regards,
Coen Kompier
Senior Specialist Internatinal Labour Standards
ILO Subregional Office
New Delhi
Email : ckompier@ilodel.org.in
Source : Karmayog Yahoogroups