Bolivia's Congress has passed legislation to allow children as young as 10 to work, as long as it does not interfere with their education and helps the child's family.

The legislation otherwise lowers the legal working age to 12 - again, as long as the job does not interfere with the child's education.

Carmen Moreno, of the UN International Labour Organisation, said the law would make Bolivia the first country to make work by 10-year-olds legal and called it worrisome in view of Bolivia having signed a UN convention that sets 14 as the minimum age for child labour.