Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1988, published 75th ILC session (1988)

Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) - Zambia (Ratification: 1976)

The Committee has noted the information supplied by the Government, in reply to its previous direct request, on the application of Article 6 of the Convention.

Article 2, paragraph 1 of the Convention. The Committee had noted that the Employment Act (Chapter 512), which lays down a minimum age of 15 for admission to employment, only applies to work done under a contract of services, whereas the Convention prescribes a minimum age for admission to employment or work, and also applies to work carried out outside any employment relationship, including work done on the worker's own account. The Committee hopes that the next report will indicate the measures taken or envisaged to extend the legal provisions on minimum age to all forms of work, in accordance with this Article of the Convention.

Article 3. The Committee notes with interest that action to amend section 8 of the Employment of Women, Young Persons and Children Act (Chapter 505) has already been initiated. It therefore hopes that a general provision will be introduced to provide that persons under 18 years cannot be admitted to employment or work likely to jeopardise their health, safety and morals, in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article 3 of the Convention, and that such types of employment or work shall be determined by the competent authority after consultation with the organisations of employers and workers concerned, in accordance with paragraph 2 of this Article.

Article 7. The Committee has noted the information given by the Government. It requests the Government to indicate in its next report the number of employment authorisations delivered annually under section 7(1) of Chapter 505 and section 12(2) of Chapter 512.