THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION AND INTERNATIONAL LABOUR STANDARDS

Decent Work flash movie

ILO … 185 states together to promote economic growth, social justice and human rights related to labour in all its aspects, all over the world ILO Decent Work Agenda

Decent work? What is it? 4 strategic objectives of the ILO 1. Creating jobs 2. Guaranteeing rights at work 3. Extending social protection 4. Promoting tripartism and social dialogue + gender equality as a crosscutting objective

Deficits of decent work: child and forced labour 168 million children in the world in child labour. More than half of them, 85 million, are in hazardous work (down from 171 million in 2000) Almost 21 million people are victims of forced labour – 11.4 million women and girls and 9.5 million men and boys

DW deficit: Unemployment and poverty The number of unemployed worldwide rose by 4.2 million in 2012 to over 197 million, a 5.9 per cent unemployment rate Almost 73 million people in the 15 to 24 age group are unemployed – a 12.4 per cent youth unemployment rate in 2012 Around 870 million workers live with their families on less than US$2 in 2011 A further 660 million workers live just above the poverty line, on between $2 and $4 a day in 2011.

Decent work is SAFE WORK but… 2.02 million people die each year from work-related diseases 321,000 people die each year from occupational accidents Every 15 seconds, a worker dies from a work-related accident or disease. Every 15 seconds, 151 workers have a work-related accident. Deaths and injuries take a particularly heavy toll in developing countries, where a large part of the population is engaged in hazardous activities, such as agriculture, construction, fishing and mining.

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION was founded in 1919 is a United Nations specialised agency has 185 member States (2014) is the only worldwide organization founded on a tripartite structure

ILO OBJECTIVES AND PRINCIPLES Universal and lasting peace can be established only if it is based upon social justice Labour is not a commodity Freedom of expression and association are essential to sustained progress 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 […] equal opportunities Preamble to the ILO Constitution / Declaration of Philadelphia

TRIPARTISM Tripartism is the active participation of workers and employers, together with governments, in all ILO activities The tripartite structure of the ILO enables the representatives of workers and employers to participate on an equal footing with those of governments in all discussion and the process of decision-making

ILO STRUCTURE Governing Body International Labour Conference 4 delegates per member State 1 workers’ delegate 2 governments delegates 1 employers’ delegate Governing Body 14 workers’ representatives 28 governments representatives 14 employers’ representatives International Labour Office

International Labour Conference

Standard-setting activities Technical cooperation ILO MEANS OF ACTION Standard-setting activities elaboration and adoption of international labour standards supervision of member States application of international labour standards Technical cooperation promotion of the objectives established by international labour standards

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR STANDARDS (ILS) Conventions are international treaties when ratified, are legally binding if not ratified, represent legal objectives and influence national legislation are technical or promotional 189 Conventions (2012) Recommandations are not open to ratification are not legally binding provide technical or general guidelines for national policy and practice 202 Recommendations (2012)

GLOBALIZATION OF RIGHTS International labour standards system Guarantee of fundamental human and workers’ rights all over the world Universality (can be applied in different economic and social circumstances)

ILO FUNDAMENTAL CONVENTIONS All ILO member States, irrespective of the ratification of these Conventions, have an obligation to respect the principles they set out (ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, 1998) Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98) Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No.29) Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105) Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111)

RATIFICATION Convention under international law is the official commitment by a member State to be bound by the provisions of a Convention under international law is a political decision cannot involve reservations consequences: 1. implementation of the Convention, both in law and in practice 2. exposure to supervisory mechanisms

ILO SYSTEMS OF SUPERVISION regular system of supervision based on the ratification of a Convention and a reporting obligation on its application special systems of supervision involve cases of specific allegations of violations against a member State

MOST RELEVANT ILO SUPERVISORY BODIES Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations (CEACR) Committee on Freedom of Association (CFA)

Guy Ryder, Director-General, ILO