9. CHILD AND FORCED LABOUR
A. EMPLOYMENT AGE OF CHILDREN
An overwhelming majority (114 of 115) of countries set the minimum age for employment at 14 years or above. The minimum age for employment is 14 years for 21 countries, 15 years for 53 countries and 16 years and above for 39 countries. Nigeria sets the minimum age for employment at 12 years while Australia has 17 years as its minimum age for employment.
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Table 52: Employment Age of Children
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| Region | <14 | 14 | 15 | ≥16 | Total Countries |
| Africa | 1 | 9 | 14 | 10 | 34 |
| Americas | - | 6 | 5 | 4 | 15 |
| Asia | - | 6 | 20 | 4 | 30 |
| Europe | - | - | 14 | 20 | 34 |
| Oceania | - | - | - | 2 | 2 |
| Total Countries | 1 | 21 | 53 | 40 | 115 |
B. COMPULSORY SCHOOLING AGE
Nearly 70% (79 of 115) of the countries either set the employment age equal to the compulsory education age or set it at a level higher than the schooling age. Employment entry age is set at a level lower than the compulsory education age in 36 countries. These are from Africa (6 countries), the Americas (10 countries), Asia (12 countries), and Europe (8 countries).
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Table 53: Compulsory Schooling Age
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| Region | Employment Age<Compulsory Education Age | Employment Age=Compulsory Education Age | Employment Age>Compulsory Education Age | Total Countries |
| Africa | 6 | 12 | 16 | 34 |
| Americas | 10 | 4 | 1 | 15 |
| Asia | 12 | 10 | 8 | 30 |
| Europe | 8 | 24 | 2 | 34 |
| Oceania | - | 2 | - | 2 |
| Total Countries | 36 | 52 | 27 | 115 |
C. AGE FOR HAZARDOUS WORK
ILO Convention 138 prescribes the minimum age for hazardous work as 18 years (16 years where it is specified in consultation with the social partners). Only two countries set the minimum age for hazardous work as 16 years. These are Denmark and Singapore. On the other hand, the United Arab Emirates has no provision on minimum age for hazardous work.
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Table 54: Age for Hazardous Work
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| Region | 16 | 18 | No Provision | Total Countries |
| Africa | - | 34 | - | 34 |
| Americas | - | 15 | - | 15 |
| Asia | 1 | 28 | 1 | 30 |
| Europe | 1 | 33 | - | 34 |
| Oceania | - | 2 | - | 2 |
| Total Countries | 2 | 112 | 1 | 115 |
D. FORCED LABOUR
Other than the three countries Congo, El Salvador and Vietnam which have a general prohibition on forced labour, 97% of the countries treat forced labour as a criminal act and impose sanctions including fine and/or imprisonment on those who engage workers under forced labour.
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Table 55: Forced Labour
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| Region | Prohibition of Forced Labour (with sanctions) | General Prohibition | Total Countries |
| Africa | 33 | 1 | 34 |
| Americas | 14 | 1 | 15 |
| Asia | 29 | 1 | 30 |
| Europe | 34 | - | 34 |
| Oceania | 2 | - | 2 |
| Total Countries | 112 | 3 | 115 |