Global Policy Forum

ILO Annual Conference Adopts New Measures to Tackle the Challenges of Globalization

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International Labor Organization
June 20, 2002


The International Labour Organization (ILO) concluded its 90th annual Conference today after adopting a series of measures designed to promote a more rigorous approach to tackling the challenges of globalization and create an "anchor" for personal security through poverty reduction, job creation and improved workplace health and safety.

The ILO's annual International Labour Conference, which groups governments, workers and employers representing the Organization's 175 member States, was marked by what ILO Director-General Juan Somavia called an "exceptionally rich" discussion surrounding globalization, child labour and other issues and saw a "broad and steadily deepening consensus over the goal of decent work for all".

"Until we see a globalization that prioritizes the creation of employment and the reduction of poverty, the whole concept is going to remain dogged by controversy," Mr. Somavia said. "Decent work for all ... is the surest route out of poverty and an anchor for family security essential to peaceful communities. We need to do more and do it better."

The Conference also examined the implementation report of activities 2000-2001, the first years under a "strategic budgeting" mechanism. In his wrap up, the Director-General noted that delegates had urged the ILO to "set increasingly rigorous performance indicators that relate to the needs of constituents and be more aggressive in evaluating how our intervention can best help to redress decent work deficits in a globalizing world."

The Conference also debated the situation in the occupied Arab territories and heard pledges in support of enhancing ILO efforts to create jobs in the area and promote dialogue between Palestinians and Israelis. Mr. Somavia said the ILO would allocate resources immediately with a view to establishing a Palestinian Fund for Employment and Social Protection.

The Conference President was Mr Jean-Jacques Elmiger, Secretary of State of the Federal Department of the Economy of Switzerland, which earlier this year decided to join the United Nations, after having already been a long-standing member of the ILO. The Organization launched the World Day Against Child Labour which saw events in countries around the world aimed at reinforcing the global movement to abolish child labour.

Tackling Globalization

Two distinguished guests of honour, the Rt. Hon. Dato' Sei Dr. Mahathir Bin Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia, and the Rt. Hon. Owen Arthur, Prime Minister of Barbados, addressed the issue of globalization during the Conference. Prime Minister Mahathir said that globalization in its actual form cannot be "the remedy for the social ills of the world" and called for "globalization with a social dimension." Prime Minister Arthur condemned the linkage of labour standards and trade as "immoral and counterproductive" and said the ILO "must have more clout in the formulating of global, financial and trade policy and not just an advisory role."

In an effort to address the issue of making decent work a reality for the hundreds of millions of people struggling to earn a living in the informal economy, the Conference held lengthy and often intense discussions. The Conference adopted a call for a new ILO programme of work that would focus on the issues of employment generation, social protection and poverty reduction for those in the informal economy. The new programme should provide a roadmap for future ILO activities aimed at extending rights to those who need them and access to the benefits of labour standards and the global economy.

The Conference also adopted a Recommendation on the Promotion of Cooperatives, which replaces ILO Recommendation 127, adopted in 1966 and limited to developing countries. The new instrument asks members to adopt measures to promote cooperatives in all countries to create employment, develop their business potential, increase savings and investment and improve social well-being. Members are asked to consider the promotion of cooperatives as one of the objectives of national and social development, and to reflect on measures to create an enabling environment to promote the growth of economically viable and democratically managed cooperatives.

Ranging from small-scale to multimillion dollar businesses across the globe, cooperatives are estimated to employ more than 100 million women and men, and have more than 800 million individual members. They are also an important means to integrate unprotected workers in the informal economy into mainstream economic life.

In the area of health and safety at work, the Conference adopted a new Protocol to the Occupational Safety and Health Convention No.155, 1981, and a Recommendation updating a 22-year-old list of occupational diseases. The Protocol asks ratifying member States to establish and review requirements and procedures for the recording and the notification of occupational accidents and diseases, dangerous occurrences and commuting accidents. The Protocol also asks member States to publish annual statistics following classification schemes that are compatible with the latest international schemes of the ILO or other relevant international organizations.

The Recommendation asks member States to establish a national list of occupational diseases for the purpose of prevention, recording, notification and compensation. This new list supplements Schedule 1 of the ILO's Employment Injury Benefits Convention, which has not been revised since its last amendment in 1980. The list in the annex of the Recommendation will be regularly updated through tripartite meetings of experts convened by the Governing Body of the ILO.

Application of Standards

As part of ILO efforts to end the use of forced labour in Myanmar, the ILO Committee on the Application of Standards had a special discussion on recent events, including the opening of an ILO Liaison Office in Yangon, and the exaction of forced labour, particularly by the military, which has not yet been brought to an end. The Committee emphasized the need for real, rapid and verifiable progress and encouraged the ILO to pursue resolutely its dialogue with the Government and all the parties concerned.

The Committee also considered cases in 24 countries and drew the special attention of the Conference to its discussions of three cases: Sudan, Ethiopia and Venezuela. The committee cited Sudan for non-observance of the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) and shared the concern of the Committee of Experts regarding "the practices of abduction, trafficking and forced labour affecting thousands of women and children, not only in the south of the country where there was armed conflict, but also in government controlled areas". The committee considered that despite the explanations provided by the Government to its session, measures taken were inadequate, and it hoped that there would be improvement's in the Government's action in the near future.

On the case of Ethiopia and compliance with the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize Convention, 1948 (No. 87) the Committee welcomed the fact that the Government wished to receive extensive technical assistance. It made an urgent appeal to the Government to ensure that it would act in conformity with the provisions of this fundamental Convention. In particular it insisted that teachers' trade union rights be fully respected both in law and practice. Whilst welcoming the release of the trade union leader Dr. Taye Woldesmiate, the Committee nevertheless reminded the Government that "respect for civil liberties was essential for the respect of trade union rights".

Regarding Venezuela and the same fundamental Convention No. 87 on freedom of association rights, the Committee noted there has for several years been concern on the right of workers and employers to form organizations of their own choosing. The committee "deplored that allegations of acts of violence committed with government backing had been presented to the ILO mission by workers' and employers' organizations." It took note of the will expressed by the Government and the National Assembly to adjust the legislation to the requirements of the Convention, and requested the Government to furnish a detailed report, including the texts of any new draft elaborated, so that the Committee of Experts could examine the situation once again at its next meeting.

Mr. Somavia said that 347 speakers addressed the plenary sessions, but noted with "disappointment" that only 45, or 13 per cent, were women. He urged governments, workers and employers to consider ways of ensuring "a stronger participation of women" at the annual Conference, and suggested the ILO might consider "setting a target in the coming years" for addressing gender imbalance among the speakers.

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Created in 1919, the International Labour Organization (ILO) brings together governments, employers and workers of 175 member States in common action to improve social protection and conditions of life and work through the world. The International Labour Office, in Geneva, is the permanent Secretariat of the Organization. The role of the International Labour Conference is to adopt and oversee compliance with international labour standards, establish the budget of the Organization and elect members of the Governing Body. Since 1919, the Conference has served as a major international forum for debate on social and labour questions of worldwide importance.


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