It was previously known as the Child Labour Action Programme, but was renamed in February 2006 because of the negative connotation attached to the abbreviation CLAP.
This Convention requires ratifying states to pursue a national policy designed to ensure the effective abolition of child labour and to progressively raise the minimum age for admission to employment or work.
In terms of this convention South Africa must take time-bound measures to eliminate the worst forms of child labour (WFCL).
Since 1996 the Government of South Africa has been involved in a process towards the formulation of appropriate policies and a national action programme to combat child labour.
The South African Government has a wide range of existing programmes that are directly and indirectly improving the situation of children.
The first step in the development of the South African programme was the establishment of a reliable and credible database on child work in the country.
In addition to the SAYP, as part of the development of the Child Labour programme of Action, all known qualitative research conducted within South Africa on areas relevant to this policy was reviewed.
This review was used, in particular, to inform those elements of the policy that deal with forms of work and employment that survey methodologies cannot address and was published as Discussion document towards a National Child Labour Action Programme.
[3] The SAYP and review of qualitative research confirmed that South Africa does not seem to have as serious a problem in regard to child labour as some other countries.
Following the process of gathering information, the Government of South Africa began formulating appropriate policies and a national action programme to combat child labour.
The process of developing the Child Labour Programme of Action was overseen and guided by an inter-sectoral National Steering Committee involving key departments, employers' and workers organisations, NGOs and the community constituency of South Africa's NEDLAC (National Economic Development & Labour Council).
Large-scale projects with significant financial demands and substantial human resource requirements have been avoided since they will not be realistic or sustainable.