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Hundreds of children, from Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America, were given a standing ovation by delegates when they marched into the UN Assemby Hall.

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The head of the ILO pledged to work to ensure governments around the world backed a new convention aimed at eliminating the worst forms of child labour.

"We will be working for massive ratification of this convention," promised Michel Hansenne.

Outside, thousands of other supporters waved banners proclaiming "No To Child Labour" and called on governments and businesses to take quick action.

The ILO is meeting to discuss a resolution calling for an end to the most dangerous forms of child labour, including prostitution and working in mines and on building sites.

One of biggest challenges

The elimination of child labour is one of the biggest challenges facing the ILO.

Worldwide only 60 countries have ratified its 1973 convention aimed at the total abolition of child exploitation.

This set a minimum working age of 15, rising to 18 for those involved in hazardous occupations such as mining and brick-making.

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The ILO now accepts that the code was too sweeping, and in a renewed effort to galvanise countries into acting against child labour, it is proposing a new convention to abolish the worst forms of exploitations.

Save The Children Fund and other charities says the international community must end child labour as soon as possible.

"If we continue exploiting, if we continue to hassle them to work, what kind of society do we have in 20 years time?" said Reynaldo Coloma from Save The Children Fund.

Criminal sanctions needed

The ILO wants a convention that would impose criminal sanctions on those involved in child abuse, including trafficking, slavery and prostitution.

It would also cover work that endangers children's health and safety.

Jonathan Blagbrough says law should allow sweeping changes

Jonathan Blagbrough, child labour officer for Anti-Slavery International which helped to organise the march to the Geneva conference, believed the discussion of the new law represented an important opportunity to stop these worst forms of child labour.

The BBC correspondent in Geneva says the ILO is confident a majority of its 174 of its member states will support the convention.

But she says exactly what constitutes extreme forms of child labour is likely to be heavily debated.

A new convention will only be discussed at this year's meeting; it can not be adopted until 1999.

However, the effectiveness of any such legislation will only be able to be measured once countries have ratified and implemented it.