Myanmar Legislation
There is no specific law about child labour in Myanmar and the main laws related directly to child labour are the Shops and Establishments Act, the Factories Act (both 1951), the Child Law (1993) and the Education Law (2014).
While the Shop and Establishment Act and Factories Act prohibit children under 13 to work, they do not cover children working in other sectors such as agriculture and the informal economy, where the vast majority of child labour is believed to exist.
Neither of these two laws currently comply with the minimum age principles laid down in ILO “fundamental” Conventions on child labour (ILO C.138 and C. 182). The minimum age for work should not be below the age for compulsory schooling, and in any case not less than 14 (ILO C. 138). Government is currently reviewing the Child Law and the relevant Labour Laws towards achieving compliance – in the interim good practice would be to adopt 14 years as the minimum age for work
While the Shop and Establishment Act and Factories Act prohibit children under 13 to work, they do not cover children working in other sectors such as agriculture and the informal economy, where the vast majority of child labour is believed to exist.
Neither of these two laws currently comply with the minimum age principles laid down in ILO “fundamental” Conventions on child labour (ILO C.138 and C. 182). The minimum age for work should not be below the age for compulsory schooling, and in any case not less than 14 (ILO C. 138). Government is currently reviewing the Child Law and the relevant Labour Laws towards achieving compliance – in the interim good practice would be to adopt 14 years as the minimum age for work