At What Age?...are school-children employed, married and taken to court?
The table below gives you the ability to compare countries. For the background information from the Committee on the Rights of the Child on each individual country, the information that made this table possible, please find it under your country in the country database.
Please see a note on scope and methodology for this table at the end of this page.
|
Country
|
Year of
Report
|
School-leaving age
for girl/for boy
|
Minimum age of employment
|
Minimum age for marriage
for girl/for boy
|
Minimum age for criminal responsibility
|
|
Algeria
|
1996
|
16
|
16
|
18/21
|
?
|
|
Andorra
|
2001
|
16
|
16
|
14
|
16
|
|
Argentina
|
2002
1993
|
15
|
14
|
16/18*
|
?
|
|
Armenia
|
2003
1997
|
?
|
16
|
17/18
|
14
|
|
Aruba
|
2003
|
?
|
?
|
16*
|
12*
|
|
Australia
|
1996
|
15*
|
no minimum*
|
16
|
7*
|
|
Austria
|
1997
|
15
|
15
|
15/18
|
14
|
|
Azerbaijan
|
1996
|
?
|
X
|
X
|
14
|
|
Bahrain
|
2001
|
not compulsory*
|
14
|
X
|
?
|
|
Bangladesh
|
2003
1995
|
10
|
no minimum
|
no minimum
|
7
|
|
Barbados
|
1997
|
16
|
16
|
16
|
7
|
|
Belarus
|
2001
1993
|
?
|
14
|
?
|
14
|
|
Belgium
|
2001
1994
|
15*
|
15
|
18*
|
16
|
|
Belize
|
1997
|
14
|
12
|
14
|
7
|
|
Benin
|
1997
|
?
|
14
|
no minimum
|
13
|
|
Bhutan
|
1999
|
not compulsory
|
?
|
16/18
|
X
|
|
Bolivia
|
1997
|
X
|
14
|
14/16*
|
16
|
|
Brunei Darussalam
|
2003
|
not compulsory
|
14
|
no minimum
|
7
|
|
Bulgaria
|
1995
|
16
|
16
|
16
|
14
|
|
Burkina Faso
|
2002
1993
|
16*
|
no minimum
|
15/18
|
13
|
|
Burundi
|
1998
|
12
|
16
|
?
|
13
|
|
Cambodia
|
1998
|
?
|
16
|
18/20
|
no minimum
|
|
Cameroon
|
2001
|
not compulsory*
|
14
|
15/18*
|
10
|
|
Canada
|
2003
1994
|
X
|
no minimum*
|
no minimum*
|
12
|
|
Cape Verde
|
2001
|
16
|
14
|
?
|
16
|
|
Central African Republic
|
1998
|
?
|
14
|
18
|
13
|
|
Chad
|
1997
|
15
|
no minimum
|
no minimum
|
13
|
|
Chile
|
2001
|
14
|
15
|
12/14
|
16
|
|
Colombia
|
2000
1993
|
15
|
14
|
no minimum
|
18
|
|
Comoros
|
1998
|
14
|
no minimum
|
no minimum
|
13
|
|
Costa Rica
|
1998
|
?
|
15
|
X
|
X
|
|
Cote d`Ivoire
|
2000
|
not compulsory*
|
no minimum
|
no minimum
|
10
|
|
Cuba
|
1996
|
?
|
17
|
X
|
16
|
|
Cyprus
|
2002
|
15
|
15
|
X
|
10
|
|
Czech Republic
|
2002
1996
|
15
|
15
|
16
|
15
|
|
Dem. People's Rep. of Korea
|
1996
|
16
|
X
|
X
|
14
|
|
Dem. Rep. of the Congo
|
2000
|
not compulsory*
|
no minimum
|
15/14
|
16
|
|
Denmark
|
2000
1993
|
16
|
15
|
15
|
15
|
|
Djibouti
|
1998
|
X
|
13
|
X
|
13
|
|
Dominica
|
2003
|
16
|
12
|
16
|
12
|
|
Dominican Republic
|
1996
|
14
|
14*
|
15/16
|
12
|
|
Ecuador
|
1996
|
?
|
14
|
no minimum
|
18
|
|
Egypt
|
1999
1992
|
14
|
14
|
16/18
|
7
|
|
Eritrea
|
2002
|
not compulsory
|
14
|
no minimum
|
12
|
|
Estonia
|
2002
|
15
|
18
|
15
|
13
|
|
Ethiopia
|
2000
1995
|
not compulsory
|
14
|
15/18
|
9
|
|
Fiji
|
1996
|
not compulsory
|
12
|
16/18
|
10
|
|
Finland
|
1998
1995
|
16
|
15
|
18*
|
15
|
|
Gabon
|
2001
|
16
|
16
|
?
|
13
|
|
Gambia
|
2000
|
not compulsory
|
X
|
X
|
7
|
|
Georgia
|
2003
1998
|
?
|
16
|
16
|
14
|
|
Germany
|
2003
|
15
|
15
|
16
|
14
|
|
Ghana
|
1995
|
15
|
no minimum
|
no minimum
|
7
|
|
Greece
|
2001
|
15
|
15
|
18*
|
12
|
|
Grenada
|
1997
|
14
|
14
|
no minimum
|
7
|
|
Guatemala
|
2000
1995
|
?
|
no minimum
|
14/16
|
12
|
|
Guinea
|
1997
|
16
|
no minimum
|
?
|
18
|
|
Guinea-Bissau
|
2001
|
X
|
no minimum
|
no minimum
|
16
|
|
Guyana
|
2003
|
?
|
?
|
16*
|
10
|
|
Haiti
|
2002
|
X
|
15
|
no minimum
|
?
|
|
Honduras
|
1998
|
13
|
14
|
16
|
12
|
|
Hungary
|
1996
|
16
|
16
|
16
|
14
|
|
Iceland
|
2002
1995
|
16
|
16
|
18*
|
15
|
|
India
|
2003
1997
|
14
|
?
|
18/21
|
7
|
|
Indonesia
|
2003
|
15*
|
?
|
16/19
|
8
|
|
Iran
|
1998
|
11
|
15
|
?
|
?
|
|
Iraq
|
1996
|
?
|
15
|
X
|
?
|
|
Ireland
|
1996
|
15
|
15
|
16*
|
7
|
|
Israel
|
2002
|
15
|
15
|
no minimum
|
12
|
|
Italy
|
2002
|
14*
|
15
|
16
|
14
|
|
Jamaica
|
2003
|
14
|
12
|
16
|
12
|
|
Japan
|
2003
1996
|
15
|
15
|
16/18
|
14
|
|
Jordan
|
1999
1993
|
17
|
16
|
15/16
|
7
|
|
Kazakhstan
|
2002
|
?
|
16
|
16
|
14
|
|
Kenya
|
2001
|
X
|
no minimum
|
no minimum
|
8
|
|
Kuwait
|
1996
|
14
|
14
|
15/17
|
7
|
|
Kyrgyzstan
|
1999
|
?
|
15
|
17/18
|
14
|
|
Lao People's Dem. Rep.
|
1996
|
?
|
15
|
15
|
15
|
|
Latvia
|
2000
|
15
|
15
|
16
|
14
|
|
Lebanon
|
2000
|
11
|
?
|
no minimum
|
7
|
|
Lesotho
|
1998
|
X
|
no minimum
|
?
|
7
|
|
Liberia
|
2003
|
not compulsory
|
no minimum
|
15
|
?
|
|
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
|
2002
1996
|
15
|
15
|
20*
|
14
|
|
Liechtenstein
|
1999
|
15
|
15
|
18/20*
|
14
|
|
Lithuania
|
1998
|
16
|
?
|
X
|
14
|
|
Luxembourg
|
1997
|
15
|
15
|
16/18
|
no minimum
|
|
Madagascar
|
2003
|
?
|
14
|
18*
|
13
|
|
Malawi
|
2001
|
not compulsory
|
no minimum
|
no minimum
|
7
|
|
Maldives
|
1997
1996
|
not compulsory
|
16
|
no minimum
|
7
|
|
Mali
|
1997
|
?
|
no minimum
|
15/18
|
13
|
|
Malta
|
1998
|
16
|
?
|
16
|
9
|
|
Marshall Islands
|
1998
|
14
|
no minimum
|
no minimum
|
10
|
|
Mauritania
|
2001
|
not compulsory
|
no minimum
|
no minimum
|
no minimum
|
|
Mexico
|
1998
1993
|
15
|
no minimum
|
14/16
|
no minimum
|
|
Micronesia
|
1996
|
14
|
no minimum
|
no minimum
|
16
|
|
Monaco
|
2000
|
16
|
16
|
15/18
|
13
|
|
Morocco
|
2003
|
13
|
15
|
15/18
|
12*
|
|
Mozambique
|
2001
|
not compulsory
|
?
|
no minimum
|
16
|
|
Myanmar
|
1995
|
?
|
no minimum
|
X
|
7
|
|
Netherlands
|
2003
1997
|
16*
|
16
|
16*
|
12*
|
|
Netherlands Antilles
|
2001
|
15
|
12
|
15/16*
|
12
|
|
New Zealand
|
2003
1995
|
16
|
no minimum
|
16
|
10
|
|
Nicaragua
|
1999
1998
|
?
|
14
|
14/15
|
13
|
|
Niger
|
2001
|
16
|
14
|
no minimum
|
13
|
|
Norway
|
1998
1993
|
16
|
15
|
18*
|
15
|
|
Oman
|
2000
|
X
|
13
|
18*
|
9
|
|
Pakistan
|
2003
|
not compulsory
|
14
|
no minimum
|
7*
|
|
Palau
|
2000
|
17
|
no minimum
|
no minimum
|
10
|
|
Panama
|
1995
|
?
|
?
|
no minimum
|
?
|
|
Papua New Guinea
|
2003
|
not compulsory
|
no minimum
|
no minimum
|
7
|
|
Paraguay
|
2001
|
12*
|
no minimum
|
14
|
14
|
|
Peru
|
1998
|
18
|
12
|
X
|
12
|
|
Poland
|
2002
|
15*
|
15
|
16/18
|
no minimum
|
|
Portugal
|
2001
1994
|
15
|
15
|
16
|
16
|
|
Qatar
|
2001
|
X
|
?
|
X
|
7
|
|
Republic of KOREA
|
2002
|
15
|
15
|
16/18
|
14
|
|
Republic of Moldova
|
2002
|
16
|
16
|
14/16
|
14
|
|
Romania
|
2002
|
14
|
15
|
15/18
|
14
|
|
Russian Federation
|
1998
|
15
|
15
|
16
|
14
|
|
Rwanda
|
2003
|
12
|
no minimum
|
21*
|
14
|
|
Saint Kitts and Nevis
|
1997
|
16
|
16
|
?
|
8
|
|
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
|
2001
|
not compulsory*
|
14
|
15/16
|
8
|
|
San Marino
|
2003
|
16
|
16
|
16
|
12
|
|
Saudi Arabia
|
2000
|
?
|
13
|
no minimum
|
10
|
|
Seychelles
|
2002
|
15
|
15
|
15/18
|
7
|
|
Sierra Leone
|
1996
|
15
|
no minimum
|
no minimum
|
10
|
|
Singapore
|
2003
|
not compulsory*
|
?
|
18*
|
7
|
|
Slovakia
|
1998
|
16
|
14
|
16
|
15
|
|
Slovenia
|
2003
1995
|
15
|
15
|
18*
|
14
|
|
Solomon Islands
|
2002
|
not compulsory
|
12
|
no minimum
|
8
|
|
South Africa
|
1999
|
15
|
no minimum
|
12/14
|
7
|
|
Spain
|
2001
|
16
|
16
|
14
|
12
|
|
Sri Lanka
|
2002
|
14
|
14*
|
no minimum
|
8
|
|
Sudan
|
2001
|
not compulsory
|
16
|
no minimum
|
7
|
|
Suriname
|
1998
|
not compulsory
|
14
|
13/15
|
10
|
|
Sweden
|
1998
|
16
|
16
|
?
|
15
|
|
Switzerland
|
2001
|
15
|
15
|
18
|
7
|
|
Syrian Arab Republic
|
2002
1996
|
12*
|
12
|
?
|
7
|
|
Tajikistan
|
1998
|
?
|
14
|
X
|
X
|
|
Thailand
|
1996
|
?
|
13
|
no minimum
|
7
|
|
The FYR of Macedonia
|
1997
|
15
|
15
|
16
|
14
|
|
Togo
|
1996
|
15
|
14
|
17/20
|
no minimum
|
|
Trinidad & Tobago
|
1996
|
12
|
12
|
12/14
|
7
|
|
Tunisia
|
2001
|
16
|
16
|
17*
|
13
|
|
Turkey
|
2000
|
14
|
12
|
14/15
|
11
|
|
Uganda
|
1996
|
X
|
?
|
no minimum
|
7
|
|
Ukraine
|
2001
|
17
|
16
|
?
|
14
|
|
United Arab Emirates
|
2001
|
11
|
15
|
X
|
7
|
|
United Kingdom
|
2002
1994
|
16
|
16
|
16
|
8
|
|
UK (Isle of Man)
|
2000
|
16
|
16
|
16
|
10
|
|
UK (Overseas Territories)
|
2000
|
16
|
16
|
16
|
10
|
|
United Republic of Tanzania
|
2000
|
13
|
no minimum
|
no minimum
|
?
|
|
Uzbekistan
|
2001
|
?
|
?
|
16/17
|
13
|
|
Vanuatu
|
1997
|
not compulsory
|
?
|
16/18
|
10
|
|
Venezuela
|
1997
|
14
|
14
|
no minimum*
|
18
|
|
Vietnam
|
2002
|
10
|
?
|
18/20
|
14
|
|
Yemen
|
1998
1995
|
not compulsory*
|
no minimum
|
15
|
7
|
|
Zambia
|
2002
|
not compulsory
|
14
|
no minimum
|
8
|
|
Methodology
This table summarises results of a great deal of research, based on an analysis of States Parties' reports to the Committee on the Rights of the Child. For the full country-by-country analysis, do visit the main publication: At What Age…? It was first published in 2002 and included State reports presented from January 1997 to August 2002. The current text is a revision/update of the previous findings with the addition of State reports from August 2002 to January 2004. Whilst it would be possible to supplement, or contrast this source with non-governmental or academic material, this has not been done here. States Parties' reports constitute self-assessment by governments and presenting them here, in an easily comparable format, allows inter-national comparison and permits a range of actors to hold governments accountable for the standards which they report under the CRC.
The first part of the publication displays a summary table listing all reporting States. Four different entries are given: minimum school-leaving age, minimum age of employment, minimum age for marriage and minimum age for criminal responsibility. The year of report and the page number are also noted for ease of consultation. The second part contains excerpts from the relevant States Parties' reports presented in alphabetical order, with direct reference to document and paragraph numbers. The source can be the initial report to the Committee, the periodic report or both where the latter is silent on minimum ages or presents unclear or incomplete information. The sections of these reports herein have been reproduced faithfully, and where information has been omitted as it was judged irrelevant this is clearly indicated in the following manner: […]. For a fully authoritative record, readers are encouraged to make use of the original text following document symbols and paragraph references given for each report.
Comparing different ages in different countries or even within the same country is a difficult task, and inferring a precise number from a general description is a dangerous exercise. Collecting, collating, analysing and interpreting State reports requires a great deal of care, thought and patience. Individual country reports are often more than a hundred pages long, and written by different parts of the government. Moreover, a variety of legal sources may exist. They may thus present different minimum ages for the same issue and even when a precise age is mentioned the language can lead one to question its enforceability. In order to maintain coherence, an analytical framework has been developed and followed uniformly to arrive at the interpretations presented in the summary table.
Where no information is provided, this is indicated by a cross (X); where the information is available but not sufficiently clear, or is self-contradictory, a question mark (?) is used. Where the information indicates a change in legislation or a division of competence in federal States or a particular situation or exception that begs closer scrutiny, a star (*) is placed beside the number. Otherwise, the information provided in the reports is translated into a precise number or a "No minimum", according to the case. In most situations the age defined by a precise number is the lowest legally permissible for completing compulsory education, entering employment, contracting marriage and being attributed criminal responsibility. In many other cases the figure has been inferred following close consideration of the four main areas.
