The Mines and Collieries Act
Accodring to Engole, the Mines and Collieries Act of 1842 was passed in response to the working conditions experienced by children. It prohibited all females and boys under ten years of age from working underground in coal mines. This followed many deadly explosions that has occured while children were working in the mines, and as more and more individuals began working in the mines. This act was a major victory for human rights, as it acknowledged the state's resposnsibility to protect children from exploitation.
Photo: Victorian Mining