International Labour Law. International Protection of Youth and Children

Abstract

The evolution of human rights, a process closely linked to human emancipation, is reflected, among other things, in the protection of workers by International Labour Law. In this case, any failure to respect it is also a failure to ensure the protection of human rights. In this paper, the protection of children and young people is the main topic addressed and is analysed from a legal and practical perspective, at international and national level, in the context of the exploitation of their labour. In this regard, when discussing about Labour Law, we must start from the terminological analysis of the term "work", with the development of the law in the late 19th and early 20th century, leading to the analysis of the legal framework. Thus, the exploitation of children at work is closely linked to other challenges that the society to which they belong is facing, such as poverty, high birth rate, poor access to education and health etc., and their exploitation impacts on the development and future of children and youth. Therefore, this paper analyses the main challenges and issues that International Labour Law faces, in the context of the protection of children and young people.