Abolition of child labour in context of the ILO labour standards and the TPP

Résumé ou Introduction

This essay is about the pros and cons of child labour in the context of the ILO labour standards and the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement. The essay is in favor of the abolition of child labour. The facts are mainly based on the situation in Vietnam, but also on the other member states of the TPP.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiation (TPP) is a multilateral free trade negotiation, which should strengthen the economies of the Asia-Pacific region. Currently, 12 countries which are taking part in TPP negotiations announced their interest in a membership. The TPP is considered to be one of the most important trade negotiations of Vietnam now, which includes in not only trade provisions like market opening for goods and services, but also other non-trade ones like investment, labour and environment. Therefore, this agreement should be seen as an opportunity to reinforce and to protect the human rights of children.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has developed international labour standards to ensure that the globalization of economy provides benefits for everybody, especially in terms of freedom, equity, security and dignity. The abolition of child labour is one of the fundamental conventions, the ILO claims. The “ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its Follow-up” declared that all members have “to respect, to promote and to realize […] the effective abolition of child labour” (ILO 2015). The demands are defined more precisely in the “Minimum Age Convention” and in the “Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention”.