International Labour Organization's Conventions 138 and 182 are related to
- (a) Child labour ✓ UPSC's answer
- (b) Adaptation of agricultural practices to global climate change
- (c) Regulation of food prices and food security
- (d) Gender parity at the workplace
Why the answer is (a)
• ILO Convention 138 (1973) sets the minimum age for employment (generally 15, or 14 for developing countries), and Convention 182 (1999) requires elimination of the worst forms of child labour — slavery, trafficking, hazardous work — option (a).
• India ratified both in June 2017 after amending its Child Labour Act in 2016; Convention 182 became the first universally ratified ILO convention in 2020.
• The other options concern climate, food security and gender, covered by other instruments.
• Hence option (a).
Why the other options are wrong
- (b) Adaptation of agricultural practices to global climate change
- Climate adaptation is not an ILO convention subject.
- (c) Regulation of food prices and food security
- Food prices are not covered by these conventions.
- (d) Gender parity at the workplace
- Gender parity conventions are 100 and 111, not 138 and 182.
Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2018, held on 3 June 2018. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.