Towards a statistical definition of

child labour:
18th ICLS - process and
preparations
Frank Hagemann, ILO/IPEC
SIMPOC Coordinator
Towards a statistical definition of
child labour:
18th ICLS - process and
preparations
Frank Hagemann, ILO/IPEC
SIMPOC Coordinator
Inter-agency Consultation
Washington,19 July 2006
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18th ICLS - process and preparations
Structure of presentation:
Structure of presentation:
The ICLS and its importance
Objectives of the new statistical standards
on child labour
Key preparatory activities
The road till 2008
Importance of inter-agency consultations
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18th ICLS Resolution process
The background and objective
The background and objective
The International Conference of Labour
Statisticians (ICLS) meets about every 5 years
- authoritative forum for establishing
international standards on labour statistics
- promotes international comparability of
labour data
The First ICLS was convened in 1923 and the
last, the Seventeenth (17th), in 2003. The
next,18th ICLS, is likely to be organised in
late-2008.
ICLS has estalished landmark body of statistical
standards, e.g. on employment statistics,
consumer price indices and informal sector
work.
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18th ICLS Resolution process
The background and objective
The background and objective
The 17th ICLS in 2003 stressed the need to
develop a precise international statistical
definition of child labour, including hazardous
work, and methodological guidelines to ensure
comparability across countries and over time.
There was unanimous support from the
Conference for the development of a resolution
on child labour statistics for presentation at
the next ICLS.
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18th ICLS Resolution process
The background and objective
The background and objective
Task ahead till 2008: Translate the existing
international conventions on the rights of the
child and labour standards relating to work by
children (permissible and non-permissible),
into an operational statistical definition of
child labour that may be applied uniformly
across countries for measurement purposes.
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18th ICLS Resolution process
The background and objective
The background and objective
Resolution should contain guidance on
How to statistically define child labour
Indicators (easy to calculate, understand and
interpret), incl. indicators on WFCL
Methodologies of data collection and
appropriate instruments
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18th ICLS Resolution process
The mechanism:
The mechanism:
ILO will submit a technical report and
draft resolution on Child Labour
Statistics at the 18
th
ICLS (likely date
late 2008) for deliberation
At the 18
th
ICLS, debate the draft
instrument and arrive at consensus
between ILO constituents [Governments
and representatives of employers and
workers] on resolution so that a
globally agreed statistical definition of
child labour is established
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18th ICLS Resolution preparations
Key issues in developing a statistical
definition of CL:
Key issues in developing a statistical
definition of CL:
Keep in view provisions of ILO Conventions,
prevailing statistical standards in labour force
statistics, and UN Conventions on children
To what extent non-economic activities might
be included within scope of CL
Refinement of thresholds for separating light
work (permissible) from CL (slated for
abolition)
Specification of appropriate statistical
indicators for hazardous work
Development of measurement tools for national
level estimates of children in unconditional
worst forms of CL
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18th ICLS Resolution preparations
Background reports being prepared:
Background reports being prepared:
Review of the existing theoretical base of
research on the concept(s) and definitons of
child labour (CL)
Review of research on impact of childrens
non-school activities (economic and non-
economic) on their education, health and
well-being
A compendium of childrens economic and
non-economic activities
Comparison of CL data from major household
based survey instruments that collect
information on childrens activities
A comprehensive study by UCW on CL
measurement issues
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18th ICLS Resolution preparations
ILO working arrangements
ILO working arrangements
ILO to set up an internal inter-
departmental Task Force to review drafts
of the technical report and resolution
ILO to establish specific mechanism
(perhaps organize an ILO Meeting of
Experts) to provide inputs/suggestions on
statistical measurements for hazardous
work
ILO to develop a web-based forum for
posting drafts of the technical report and
resolution for comments (SIMPOC will
advise partners to draw attention)
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18th ICLS Resolution preparations
Stages of work and expected
time frame:
Stages of work and expected
time frame:
4 reports under preparation (by SIMPOC
consultants) finalization by July 2006
UCW study inflow of inputs to start by
October 2006
IPEC web-based forum should be
active by late 2006 or early 2007
First complete draft of technical report
and resolution on CL statistics by year
end 2006
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18th ICLS Resolution preparations
Stages of work and expected
time frame contd(1):
Stages of work and expected
time frame contd(1):
Regional meetings (4) participated in by
government officials (Ministry of Labour
and National Statistical Office), ILO
constituents and CL experts in 2007 ..
donors and partners to be invited.
Successive revisions throughout 2007
and first quarter 2008 of draft technical
report and resolution on CL statistics
after each regional meeting (to also take
account of the comments received from
ILO Task Force, invited CL experts,
through web-based forum)
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18th ICLS Resolution preparations
Stages of work and expected
time frame contd(2):
Stages of work and expected
time frame contd(2):
ILO Official Meeting of Experts to discuss
draft technical report and resolution
early 2008 [date to be confirmed by
ILOs Governing Body]
Simultaneous supplementary work by
SIMPOC on development of methodologies
to make national level estimates of
children in unconditional WFCL sectors:
complete theoretical work by end 2006
commence pilot surveys(3)in early 2007
remaining 3 pilot surveys after mid2007
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18th ICLS Resolution preparations
Stages of work and expected
time frame contd(3):
Stages of work and expected
time frame contd(3):
Check if all aspects of draft CL definition
are captured in existing Qs: if not, modify
SIMPOC model Q and pilot test mid 2007
Final technical report and draft resolution
on CL Statistics for submission to 18
th
ICLS
March-May 2008
Follow-up correspondence and discussions
with countries on further modifications
required to facilitate adoption of the final
technical report and resolution on CL
Statistics at the 18th ICLS May-Oct 2008
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18th ICLS Resolution preparations
Time line of work envisaged 1 :
Time line of work envisaged 1 :
Methodology for
national level
estimates of CL in
UWFCL sector
Web-based
forum
operational
.> (ongoing)
Pilot surveys to verify
robustness of UWFCL
methodology .>
(supplementary work)
Regional meetings (1-2)
Revisions of draft report
and resolution .>
(ongoing)
First draft of technical
report and resolution on
CL statistics completed
Establishment of
a web-based
forum for wider
discussion of
draft ICLS reports
UCW study on selected CL measurement issues
Background reports (review of
past analytical research on
various CL issues)
Apr
Jun 07
Jan
Mar 07
Oct
Dec 06
Jul
Sept 06
Apr
Jun 06
Jan
Mar 06
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18th ICLS Resolution preparations
Time line of work envisaged 2 :
Time line of work envisaged 2 :
Follow-up with countries
to facilitate resolution
adoption at 18th ICLS
If required, modification of
SIMPOC model Q and pilot test to
verify that all aspects of draft CL
definition can be captured
. Revisions of draft report
and resolution
. Pilot surveys to verify robustness of UWFCL
methodology (supplementary work)
18th ICLS
Finalization of
technical
report & draft
resolution
ILO Official
Meeting of
Experts
Regional meetings (3-4)
. Web-based forum operational
Oct
Dec 08
Jul
Sept 08
Apr
Jun 08
Jan
Mar 08
Oct
Dec 07
Jul
Sept 07