Which international organization adopted the 1973 Minimum Age Convention, setting a general minimum employment age of 15?

The International Labour Organization adopted the 1973 Minimum Age Convention, Convention No. 138, which set a general minimum employment age of 15.

The convention requires ratifying countries to pursue a national policy for the effective abolition of child labor and to progressively raise the minimum age for admission to employment. Its general standard is 15, while countries whose economy and educational facilities are insufficient may initially specify 14.

The convention also sets a higher minimum age of 18 for hazardous work, with a limited exception for certain protected training situations beginning at 16. Light work may be permitted for younger children under conditions that do not harm health or schooling.

The ILO is a specialized United Nations agency founded in 1919. The convention is not itself a universal automatic rule for every country; its legal effect depends on ratification and national implementation.