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ILO
International Labour Organization
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International Labour Organization
• The International Labour Organization was created in 1919
in order to press for social reform in employment practices.
• In 1944 the ILO Conference re-stated and expanded its
goals by adopting the Declaration of Philadelphia.
• In 1969, on its 50th anniversary the ILO was awarded the
Nobel Peace Prize.
• In 1998 the ILO adopted the Declaration on Fundamental
Principles and Rights at Work and its Followup.
How the ILO Works
• The ILO has a tripartite structure in which the
“social partners” – governments, employers and
unions – shape the policies and programmes of the
organization.
• The ILO promotes a “social dialogue” between the
partners on social and economic issues.
• 172 countries are members of the ILO
(191 countries in United Nations)
How the ILO Works
• The ILO’s International Labour Conference
meets annually to set minimum
international labour standards and the
Organization’s policies.
• Each member country can send 4 delegates
to the Conference: 2 government and 1 each
representing employers and workers.
How the ILO Works
• Between annual sessions of the Conference
the ILO is guided by the Governing Body.
• The Governing Body has:
 28 government members
 14 employer representatives
 14 worker representatives
How the ILO Works
• The International Labour Office in Geneva
includes the Organization’s operational
headquarters, research centre and publishing
house.
• ILO branch offices are in more than
40 countries
• The Office is headed by a Director-General,
Mr. Juan Somavia
What the ILO Does
The ILO has four principal strategic objectives:
• Standards and fundamental principles and rights at work
• Decent employment
• Social protection for all
• Strengthen tripartism and social dialogue
The Declaration of Philadelphia
In 1944 the ILO adopted the Declaration of
Philadelphia which included the following
principles:
• Labour is not a commodity
• Freedom of expression and association are
essential for sustained progress
• Poverty threatens prosperity everywhere and ...
The Declaration of Philadelphia
All human beings, irrespective of race,
creed,or sex have the right to pursue both
their material well-being and their spiritual
development in conditions of freedom and
dignity, of economic security, and of equal
opportunity.
ILO Conventions and Recommendations
• The ILO Conference adopts Conventions
and Recommendations which set
international standards.
• By ratifying these Conventions member
states create binding obligations to
implement their provisions.
• Recommendations provide guidance on
policy, legislation and practice.
Fundamental (Core) ILO conventions
• # 29 Forced Labour (1930)
• # 87 Freedom of Association and the Protection
of the Right to Organize (1948)
• # 98 Right to organize and collective bargaining
(1949)
• #100 Equal Remuneration (1951)
Fundamental (Core) ILO conventions
• # 105 Abolition of Forced Labour (1957)
• # 111 Anti-discrimination - Employment and
Occupation (1958)
• # 138 Minimum Age Convention (1973)
• # 182 Worst Forms of Child Labour (1999)
The Declaration on Fundamental
Principles and Rights at Work
and its Followup
In 1998 the ILO adopted the Declaration on
Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work
and its Followup to take up the challenges
of globalization.
The Declaration on Fundamental
Principles and Rights at Work
and its Followup
The aim of the Declaration is to ensure that
social progress goes hand in hand with
economic progress.
The Bureau for Workers’ Activities
(ACTRAV)
The mandate of the Bureau is to:
• strengthen representative, independent and
democratic trade unions in all countries,
• to enable union to play their role effectively in
protecting workers' rights and interests and in
providing effective services to their members at
national and international levels,
• and to promote the ratification and implementation
of ILO Conventions.
ACTRAV - Turin
The Programme for Workers’ Activities:
• responds to the training needs of workers’
organizations
• delivers advanced training courses
• produces workers’ educational material
• conducts courses in Turin and in regions
• provides consultancy services
ACTRAV
Web Sites
Geneva:
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/dialogue/actrav/index.htm
Turin:
http://www.itcilo.it/actrav