any work performed by a child which deprives them of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to their physical and mental development
Lapstööjõu kasutamine negatiivses mõistes on niisugune töövorm, mis võtab lapselt võimaluse nautida lapsepõlve, takistab koolis käimist ning ohustab tema väärikust ning füüsilist või vaimset arengut. Äärmuslikel juhtudel tähendab see laste müüki, orjastamist, eraldamist oma perest ning hooletusse jätmist, sageli väga ohtlikes tingimustes.
The definition does allow for a child to work (e.g. in a shop outside school hours) as long as it does not conflict with the above. It refers to work that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children and interferes with their schooling by:
depriving them of the opportunity to attend school;
obliging them to leave school prematurely; or requiring them to attempt to combine school attendance with excessively long and heavy work.
