International Labour Organization The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a United Nations agency dealing with labour issues,

particularly international labour standards and decent work for all. 185 of the 193 UN member states are members of the ILO. In 1969, the organization received the Nobel Peace Prize for improving peace among classes, pursuing justice for workers, and providing technical assistance to developing nations. The ILO registers complaints against entities that are violating international rules; however, it does not impose sanctions on governments. Governance, organization, and membership Unlike other United Nations specialized agencies, the International Labour Organization has a tripartitegoverning structure representing governments, employers and workers (usually with a ratio of 2:1:1). The rationale behind the tripartite structure is creation of free and open debate among governments and social partners. The ILO secretariat (staff) is referred to as the International Labour Office. Governing Body The Governing Body decides the agenda of the International Labour Conference, adopts the draft programme and budget of the organization for submission to the conference, elects the directorgeneral, requests information from member states concerning labour matters, appoints commissions of inquiry and supervises the work of the International Labour Office. Juan Somava was the ILO's director-general since 1999 until October 2012, when Guy Ryder was elected as his replacement. This guiding body is composed of 28 government representatives, 14 workers' representatives, and 14 employers' representatives. Ten of the government seats are held by member states that are nations of "chief industrial importance," as first considered by an "impartial committee." The nations are Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States. The terms of office are three years. International Labour Conference The ILO organizes the International Labour Conference in Geneva every year in June, where conventions and recommendations are crafted and adopted. Also known as the parliament of Labour, the conference also makes decisions about the ILO's general policy, work programme and budget. Each member state has four representatives at the conference: two government delegates, an employer delegate and a worker delegate. All of them have individual voting rights, and all votes are equal, regardless of the population of the delegate's member state. The employer and worker delegates are normally chosen in agreement with the "most representative" national organizations of employers and workers. Usually, the workers' delegates coordinate their voting, as do the employers' delegates. All delegate have the same rights, and are not required to vote in blocs.

Conventions Through July 2011, the ILO has adopted 189 conventions. If these conventions are ratified by enough governments, they become in force. However, ILO conventions are considered international labor standards regardless of ratifications. When a convention comes into force, it creates a legal obligation for ratifying nations to apply its provisions. Every year the International Labour Conference's Committee on the Application of Standards examines a number of alleged breaches of international labour standards. Governments are required to submit reports detailing their compliance with the obligations of the conventions they have ratified. Conventions that have not been ratified by member states have the same legal force as do recommendations. In 1998, the 86th International Labour Conference adopted the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. This declaration contains four fundamental policies: 1. The right of workers to associate freely and bargain collectively; 2. The end of forced and compulsory labour; 3. The end of child labour; and 4. The end of unfair discrimination among workers. The ILO asserts that its members have an obligation to work towards fully respecting these principles, embodied in relevant ILO Conventions. The ILO Conventions which embody the fundamental principles have now been ratified by most member states. Recommendations Recommendations do not have the binding force of conventions and are not subject to ratification. Recommendations may be adopted at the same time as conventions to supplement the latter with additional or more detailed provisions. In other cases recommendations may be adopted separately and may address issues separate from particular conventions. Membership As of 2012, 185 countries in the UN are members of the ILO. The constitution of the ILO offers that any nation which has a membership in the UN can become a member of the ILO. To gain membership, a nation must inform the Director General that it accepts all the obligations of the ILO constitution. Members from the ILO under the League of Nations were automatically added when the organization's new constitution came into effect after World War II. In addition, any original member of the United Nations and any state admitted to the U.N. thereafter may join. Other states can be admitted by a two-thirds vote of all delegates, including a two-thirds vote of government delegates, at any ILO General Conference. Non-members of the ILO are the UN member states Andorra, Bhutan, Liechtenstein,Micronesia, Monaco, Nauru, North Korea and Tonga, and UN observers the State of Palestine and Vatican City.

Position within the UN The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN). As with other UN specialized agencies (or programmes) working on international development, the ILO is also a member of the United Nations Development Group. History: Origins While the ILO was established as an agency of the League of Nations following World War I, its founders had made great strides in social thought and action before 1919. The core members all knew one another from earlier private professional and ideological networks, in which they exchanged knowledge, experiences, and ideas on social policy. Prewar "epistemic communities", such as the International Association for Labour Legislation (IALL), founded in 1900, and political networks, such as the Socialist Second International, were a decisive factor in the institutionalization of international labour politics. In the postWorld War I euphoria, the idea of a "makeable society" was an important catalyst behind the social engineering of the ILO architects. As a new discipline, international labour law became a useful instrument for putting social reforms into practice. The utopian ideals of the founding memberssocial justice and the right to decent workwere changed by diplomatic and political compromises made at the Paris Peace Conference of 1919, showing the ILO's balance between idealism and pragmatism. Over the course of the First World War, the international labour movement proposed a comprehensive programme of protection for the working classes, conceived as compensation for labour's support during the war. Post-war reconstruction and the protection of labour unions occupied the attention of many nations during and immediately after World War I. In Great Britain, the Whitley Commission, a subcommittee of the Reconstruction Commission, recommended in its July 1918 Final Report that "industrial councils" be established throughout the world. The British Labour Party had issued its own reconstruction programme in the document titled Labour and the New Social Order. In February 1918, the third InterAllied Labour and Socialist Conference (representing delegates from Great Britain, France, Belgium and Italy) issued its report, advocating an international labour rights body, an end to secret diplomacy, and other goals. And in December 1918, the American Federation of Labor (AFL) issued its own distinctively apolitical report, which called for the achievement of numerous incremental improvements via the collective bargaining process. IFTU Bern Conference As the war drew to a close, two competing visions for the post-war world emerged. The first was offered by the International Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU), which called for a meeting in Bern, Switzerland, in July 1919. The Bern meeting would consider both the future of the IFTU and the various proposals which had been made in the previous few years. The IFTU also proposed including delegates from the Central Powers as equals. Samuel Gompers, president of the AFL, boycotted the meeting, wanting the Central Powers delegates in a subservient role as an admission of guilt for their countries' role in the bringing about war. Instead, Gompers favoured a meeting in Paris which would only consider President Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points as a platform. Despite the American boycott, the Bern meeting went ahead as scheduled. In its final report, the Bern Conference demanded an end to wage labour and the establishment of socialism. If these ends could not be immediately achieved, then an international body attached to the

League of Nations should enact and enforce legislation to protect workers and trade unions. Commission on International Labour Legislation Meanwhile, the Paris Peace Conference sought to dampen public support for communism. Subsequently, the Allied Powers agreed that clauses should be inserted into the emerging peace treaty protecting labour unions and workers' rights, and that an international labour body be established to help guide international labour relations in the future. The advisory Commission on International Labour Legislation was established by the Peace Conference to draft these proposals. The Commission met for the first time on 1 February 1919, and Gompers was elected chairman. Two competing proposals for an international body emerged during the Commission's meetings. The British proposed establishing an international parliament to enact labour laws which each member of the League would be required to implement. Each nation would have two delegates to the parliament, one each from labour and management.[19] An international labour office would collect statistics on labour issues and enforce the new international laws. Philosophically opposed to the concept of an international parliament and convinced that international standards would lower the few protections achieved in the United States, Gompers proposed that the international labour body be authorized only to make recommendations, and that enforcement be left up to the League of Nations. Despite vigorous opposition from the British, the American proposal was adopted. Gompers also set the agenda for the draft charter protecting workers' rights. The Americans made 10 proposals. Three were adopted without change: That labour should not be treated as a commodity; that all workers had the right to a wage sufficient to live on; and that women should receive equal pay for equal work. A proposal protecting the freedom of speech, press, assembly, and association was amended to include only freedom of association. A proposed ban on the international shipment of goods made by children under the age of 16 was amended to ban goods made by children under the age of 14. A proposal to require an eight-hour work day was amended to require the eight-hour work day orthe 40hour work week (an exception was made for countries where productivity was low). Four other American proposals were rejected. Meanwhile, international delegates proposed three additional clauses, which were adopted: One or more days for weekly rest; equality of laws for foreign workers; and regular and frequent inspection of factory conditions. The Commission issued its final report on 4 March 1919, and the Peace Conference adopted it without amendment on 11 April. The report became Part XIII of the Treaty of Versailles. Interwar period The first annual conference (referred to as the International Labour Conference, or ILC) began on 29 October 1919 at the Pan American Union (building) in Washington, D.C. and adopted the first six International Labour Conventions, which dealt with hours of work in industry, unemployment, maternity protection, night work for women, minimum age, and night work for young persons in industry. The prominent French socialist Albert Thomas became its first Director General. Despite open disappointment and sharp critique, the revivedInternational Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU) quickly

adapted itself to this mechanism. The IFTU increasingly oriented its international activities around the lobby work of the ILO. At the time of establishment, the U.S. government was not a member of ILO, as the US Senate rejected the Covenant of the League of Nations, and the United States could not join any of its agencies. Following the election of Franklin Delano Roosevelt to the U.S. presidency, the new administration made renewed efforts to join the ILO even without League membership. On 19 June 1934, the U.S. Congress passed a joint resolution authorizing the President to join ILO without joining the League of Nations as a whole. On 22 June 1934, the ILO adopted a resolution inviting the U.S. government to join the organization. On 20 August 1934, the U.S. government responded positively and took its seat at the ILO. Wartime and the United Nations During the Second World War, when Switzerland was surrounded by German troops, ILO Director John G. Winant made the decision to leave Geneva. In August 1940, the Government of Canada officially invited the ILO to be housed at McGill University in Montreal. Forty staff members were transferred to the temporary offices and continued to work from McGill until 1948. The ILO became the first specialized agency of the United Nations system after the demise of the League in 1946.[24] Its constitution, as amended, includes the Declaration of Philadelphia (1944) on the aims and purposes of the organization. Cold War era In July 1970, the United States withdrew 50% of its financial support to the ILO following the appointment of an Assistant-Director General from the Soviet Union. This appointment (by the ILO's British Director-General, C. Wilfred Jenks) drew particular criticism from AFL-CIO president George Meany and from Congressman John E. Rooney. However, the funds were eventually paid. On 12 June 1975, the ILO voted to grant the Palestinian Liberation Organization observer status at its meetings. Representatives of the United States and Israel walked out of the meeting. The U.S. House of Representativessubsequently decided to withhold funds. The United States gave notice of full withdrawal on 6 November 1975, stating that the organization had become politicized. The United States also suggested that representation from communist countries was not truly "tripartite"including government, workers, and employersbecause of the structure of these economies. The withdrawal became effective on 1 November 1977.[25] The United States returned to the organization in 1980 after extracting some concessions from the organization. It was partly responsible for the ILO's shift away from a human rights approach and towards support for theWashington Consensus. Writes economist Guy Standing: "the ILO quietly ceased to be an international body attempting to redress structural inequality and became one promoting employment equity". Programs Labour statistics The ILO is a major provider of labour statistics. Labour statistics are an important tool for its member states to monitor their progress toward improving labour standards. As part of their statistical work, ILO maintains several databases, such as Laborsta.[28] This database covers 11 major data series for over 200 countries. In addition, ILO

publishes a number of compilations of labour statistics, such as the Key Indicators of Labour Markets (KILM). KILM covers 20 main indicators on labour participation rates, employment, unemployment, educational attainment, labour cost, and economic performance. Many of these indicators have been prepared by other organizations. For example, the Division of International Labour Comparisons of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statisticsprepares the hourly compensation in manufacturing indicator. Training and teaching units The International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization (ITCILO) is based in Turin, Italy.[30] Together with the University of Turin, Faculty of Law, the ITC offers training for ILO officers and secretariat members, as well as offering educational programmes. For instance, the ITCILO offers a Master of Laws (LL.M.) programme in Management of Development, which aims specialize professionals in the field of cooperation and development. Child labour The term child labour is often defined as work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development. It refers to work that: is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children; and Interferes with their schooling by: Depriving them of the opportunity to attend school; Obliging them to leave school prematurely; or Requiring them to attempt to combine school attendance with excessively long and heavy work.

In its most extreme forms, child labour involves children being enslaved, separated from their families, exposed to serious hazards and illnesses and/or left to fend for themselves on the streets of large cities often at a very early age. Whether or not particular forms of "work" can be called child labour depends on the child's age, the type and hours of work performed, the conditions under which it is performed and the objectives pursued by individual countries. The answer varies from country to country, as well as among sectors within countries. Not all work done by children should be classified as child labour that is to be targeted for elimination. Children's or adolescents' participation in work that does not negatively affect their health and personal development or interfere with their schooling, is generally regarded as being something positive. This includes activities such as helping their parents around the home, assisting in a family business or earning pocket money outside school hours and during school holidays. These kinds of activities contribute to children's development and to the welfare of their families; they provide them with skills and experience, and help to prepare them to be productive members of society during their adult life. ILO's response to child labour The ILO's International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) was created in 1992 with the overall goal of the progressive elimination of child labour, which was to be achieved through strengthening the capacity of countries to deal with the problem and promoting a worldwide movement to combat child labour. IPEC currently has operations in 88 countries, with an annual

expenditure on technical cooperation projects that reached over US$74 million, 50 million in 2006. It is the largest programme of its kind globally and the biggest single operational programme of the ILO. The number and range of IPEC's partners have expanded over the years and now include employers' and workers' organizations, other international and government agencies, private businesses, community-based organizations, NGOs, the media, parliamentarians, the judiciary, universities, religious groups and, of course, children and their families. IPEC's work to eliminate child labour is an important facet of the ILO's Decent Work Agenda. Child labour not only prevents children from acquiring the skills and education they need for a better future, it also perpetuates poverty and affects national economies through losses in competitiveness, productivity and potential income. Withdrawing children from child labour, providing them with education and assisting their families with training and employment opportunities contribute directly to creating decent work for adults. Forced labour The ILO has considered the fight against forced labour to be one of its main priorities. During the interwar years, the issue was mainly considered a colonial phenomenon, and the ILO's concern was to establish minimum standards protecting the inhabitants of colonies from the worst abuses committed by economic interests. After 1945, the goal became to set a uniform and universal standard, determined by the higher awareness gained during World War II of politically and economically motivated systems of forced labour, but debates were hampered by the Cold War and by exemptions claimed by colonial powers. Since the 1960s, declarations of labour standards as a component of human rights have been weakened by government of postcolonial countries claiming a need to exercise extraordinary powers over labour in their role as emergency regimes promoting rapid economic development. In June 1998 the International Labour Conference adopted a Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its Follow-up that obligates member States to respect, promote and realize freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour, the effective abolition of child labour, and the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation. With the adoption of the Declaration, the International Labour Organization (ILO) created the InFocus Programme on Promoting the Declaration which is responsible for the reporting processes and technical cooperation activities associated with the Declaration; and it carries out awareness raising, advocacy and knowledge functions. In November 2001, following the publication of the in Focus Programme's first Global Report on forced labour, the ILO Governing Body created a Special Action Programme to Combat Forced Labour (SAP-FL), as part of broader efforts to promote the 1998 Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its Follow-up. Since its inception, SAP-FL has focused on raising global awareness of forced labour in its different forms, and mobilising action against its manifestation. Several thematic and country-specific studies and surveys have since been undertaken, on such diverse aspects of forced labour as bonded labour, human trafficking, forced domestic work, rural servitude, and forced prison labour.

The Special Action Programme to combat Forced Labour (SAP-FL) has spearheaded the ILO's work in this field since early 2002. The programme is designed to: Raise global awareness and understanding of modern forced labour Assist governments in developing and implementing new laws, policies and action plans Develop and disseminate guidance and training materials on key aspects of forced labour and trafficking Implement innovative programmes that combine policy development, capacity building of law enforcement and labour market institutions, and targeted, field-based projects of direct support for both prevention of forced labour and identification and rehabilitation of its victims.

Minimum wage law To protect the right of labours for fixing minimum wage, ILO has created Minimum Wage-Fixing Machinery Convention, 1928, Minimum Wage Fixing Machinery (Agriculture) Convention, 1951 and Minimum Wage Fixing Convention, 1970 as minimum wage law. HIV/AIDS Under the name ILOAIDS, the ILO created the Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work as a document providing principles for "policy development and practical guidelines for programmes at enterprise, community, and national levels." Including: Prevention of HIV Management and mitigation of the impact of AIDS on the world of work Care and support of workers infected and affected by HIV/AIDS Elimination of stigma and discrimination on the basis of real or perceived HIV status.

Indigenous peoples ILO-Convention 169 concerns indigenous and tribal peoples in independent countries. It was adopted on 27 June 1989 by the General Conference of the ILO at its 76th session. Its entry into force was 5 September 1991. Migrant workers As the word "migrant" suggests, migrant workers refer to those who moves from place to place to do their job. For the rights of migrant workers, ILO has adopted conventions, including Migrant Workers (Supplementary Provisions) Convention, 1975 and United Nations Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families in 1990. Domestic workers Domestic workers are those who perform a variety of tasks for and in other peoples. For example, they may cook / clean the house and look after children. Yet they are often the ones with the least consideration, excluded from labour and social protection. This is mainly due to the fact that women have traditionally carried out the tasks without pay.[38] For the rights and decent work of domestic workers including migrant domestic workers, ILO has adoptedConvention on domestic workers on 16 June 2011.

ILO and Globalization Seeking a process of globalization that is inclusive, democratically governed and provides opportunities and tangible benefits for all countries and people. The World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization was established by the ILO's Governing Body in February 2002 at the initiative of the Director-General in response to the fact that there did not appear to be a space within the multilateral system that would cover adequately and comprehensively the social dimension of the various aspects of globalization. The World Commission Report, A Fair Globalization: Creating Opportunities for All, is the first attempt at structured dialogue among representatives of constituencies with different interests and opinions on the social dimension of globalization, aimed at finding common ground on one of the most controversial and divisive subjects of our time Recent ILO Committee Reports and Recommendations The ILO has several specialized and technical committees that focus on labour relations and trade union rights issues. One of these bodies is the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association. This committee has successfully issued recommendations in 2010 on 6 anomalous and highly celebrated cases in the labour front, two of which are the following: Case Number 2716 International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers Associations (IUF) and the National Union of Workers in the Hotel, Restaurant, and Allied Industries (NUWHRAIN), Dusit Hotel Nikko Chapter supported by the Alliance of Progressive Labour (APL), the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP), the Confederation of Independent Unions in the Public Sector (CIU), Manggagawa para sa Kalayaan ng Bayan (MAKABAYAN), the National Labor Union (NLU), Partido ng Manggagawa (PM), the Public Services Labor Independent Confederation (PSLINK), the Alliance of Coca-Cola Unions of the Philippines (ACCUP), the Automotive Industry Workers Alliance (AIWA), the League of Independent Bank Organization (LIBO), the National Alliance of Broadcast Unions (NABU), the Postal Employees Union of the Philippines (PEUP), Pinag-isang Tinig at Lakas ng Anak Pawis (PIGLAS), the Philippine Metalworkers Alliance (PMA) and the Workers Solidarity Network (WSN). The complainants allege that, in a decision concerning anti-union dismissals in the context of a labour dispute, the Supreme Court of the Philippines held that workers who shaved or cropped their hair engaged in an unprotected illegal strike, and thus upheld the dismissal of 29 trade union officers and allowed dismissal of 61 trade union members, in violation of the principles of freedom of association. The issue has been protested on wildly in the Philippines. Case Number 2669 International Wiring Systems Workers Union (IWSWU) Military threat and harassment against IWSWU officers and their families; interference by the armed forces of the Philippines in trade union affairs by dissuading trade union members to engage in collective bargaining; and vilification campaign against IWSWU members and families to the detriment of their safety and security INTERNATIONAL LABOR ORGANIATION (ILO) The International Labor Organization (ILO) is an agency of the United Nations (UN) that works to address worker issues on a global scale. Established in 1919, the ILO has established a total of 188

conventions which address issues such as wages, safety, equality, forced labor and child labor around the world. In addition to setting international labor standards, the ILO also empowers workers through a variety of projects, from training to campaigns and research. Each of ILRF's campaigns is aligned with one or more ILO Conventions: ILO Decent Work Agenda is the backbone of Creating a Sweatfree World Conventions 29, 105, 138, and 182 connect to End Child and Forced Labor Conventions 100, 111, and 183 relate to Rights for Working Women Conventions 87, 98 and 181 connect to Freedom at Work In 1998, the ILO issued the Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, which established a set of core labor standards based around four central areas: freedom of association, forced labor, discrimination, and child labor. These fundamental rights concentrate specifically on the most at-risk demographics in the world: women, children, and impoverished communities, and are designed to assure that basic human rights are upheld in the workplace. The Fundamental Principles provide the foundation for many projects of the International Labor Rights Forum. ILRF campaigns are designed to bring attention to upholding ILO conventions, often focusing on specific country or product based initiatives. The Rights for Working Women Campaign seeks to promote equality in the workplace for female workers and bases its work on ILO conventions against discrimination in the workplace. The campaign to Stop Child Labor ties in with fundamental principles and conventions against child and forced labor. Likewise, the ILRF Freedom at Work campaign supports fundamental conventions that protect labor organizing and the right to unionize.

These core standards are a key piece of the Decent Work Agenda, which promotes opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive work, in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity, according to ILO Director-General Juan Somavia. The ILRF Creating a Sweatfree World Campaign encompasses the goals of the Decent Work Agenda, working on the broad scope of worker-related issues and way to improve lives across the globe. The International Labor Rights Forum shares the ILO vision of bringing a common set of labor standards to workers all over the world. Additionally, ILRF has worked in conjunction with the ILO on a number of initiatives to guarantee fair and equal treatment of workers. Origins and History The ILO was created in 1919, as part of the Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I, to reflect the belief that universal and lasting peace can be accomplished only if it is based on social justice. The Constitution was drafted between January and April, 1919, by the Labour Commission set up by the Peace Conference, which first met in Paris and then in Versailles. The Commission, chaired by

Samuel Gompers, head of the American Federation of Labour (AFL) in the United States, was composed of representatives from nine countries: Belgium, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, France, Italy, Japan, Poland, the United Kingdom and the United States. It resulted in a tripartite organization, the only one of its kind bringing together representatives of governments, employers and workers in its executive bodies. The Constitution contained ideas tested within the International Association for Labour Legislation, founded in Basel in 1901. Advocacy for an international organization dealing with labour issues began in the nineteenth century, led by two industrialists, Robert Owen (1771-1853) of Wales and Daniel Legrand (1783-1859) of France. The driving forces for ILO's creation arose from security, humanitarian, political and economic considerations. Summarizing them, the ILO Constitution's Preamble says the High Contracting Parties were 'moved by sentiments of justice and humanity as well as by the desire to secure the permanent peace of the world...' There was keen appreciation of the importance of social justice in securing peace, against a background of exploitation of workers in the industrializing nations of that time. There was also increasing understanding of the world's economic interdependence and the need for cooperation to obtain similarity of working conditions in countries competing for markets. Reflecting these ideas, the Preamble states: 1. 2. Whereas universal and lasting peace can be established only if it is based upon social justice; And whereas conditions of labour exist involving such injustice hardship and privation to large numbers of people as to produce unrest so great that the peace and harmony of the world are imperilled; and an improvement of those conditions is urgently required; Whereas also the failure of any nation to adopt humane conditions of labour is an obstacle in the way of other nations which desire to improve the conditions in their own countries.

The ILO has made signal contributions to the world of work from its early days. The first International Labour Conference held in Washington in October 1919 adopted six International Labour Conventions, which dealt with hours of work in industry, unemployment, maternity protection, night work for women, minimum age and night work for young persons in industry. The ILO was located in Geneva in the summer of 1920 with France's Albert Thomas as the first Director of the International Labour Office, which is the Organization's permanent Secretariat. Under his strong impetus, 16 International Labour Conventions and 18 Recommendations were adopted in less than two years. This early zeal was quickly toned down because some governments felt there were too many Conventions, the budget too high and the reports too critical. Yet, the International Court of Justice declared that the ILO's domain extended also to international regulation of conditions of work in the agricultural sector. A Committee of Experts was set up in 1926 as a supervisory system on the application of ILO standards. The Committee, which exists today, is composed of independent jurists responsible for examining government reports and presenting its own report each year to the Conference. Depression and War The Great Depression with its resulting massive unemployment soon confronted Britain's Harold Butler, who succeeded Albert Thomas in 1932. Realizing that handling labour issues also requires international cooperation, the United States became a Member of the ILO in 1934 although it continued to stay out of the League of Nations. American John Winant took over in 1939 just as the Second World War became imminent. He moved the ILO's headquarters temporarily to Montreal, Canada, in May 1940 for reasons of safety but left in 1941 when he was named US Ambassador to Britain. His successor, Ireland's Edward Phelan, had helped to write the 1919 Constitution and played an important role once again during the Philadelphia meeting of the International Labour Conference, in the midst of the Second World War, attended by representatives of governments, employers and workers from 41 countries. The delegates adopted the Declaration of Philadelphia, annexed to the Constitution, still constitutes the Charter of the aims and objectives of the ILO. In 1946, the ILO became a specialized agency of the newly formed United Nations. And, in 1948, still during the period of Phelan's leadership, the International Labour Conference adopted Convention No. 87 on freedom of association and the right to organize. The Post-War Years America's David Morse was Director General from 1948-1970 when the number of Member States doubled, the Organization took on its universal character, industrialized countries became a minority among developing countries, the budget grew five-fold and the number of officials quadrupled. The ILO established the Genevabased International Institute for Labour Studies in 1960 and the International Training Centre in Turin in 1965. The Organization won the Nobel Peace Prize on its 50th anniversary in 1969. Under Britain's Wilfred Jenks, Director-General from 1970-73, the ILO made advanced further in the development of standards and

3.

The areas of improvement listed in the Preamble remain relevant today, for example: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Regulation of the hours of work including the establishment of a maximum working day and week; Regulation of labour supply, prevention of unemployment and provision of an adequate living wage; Protection of the worker against sickness, disease and injury arising out of his employment; Protection of children, young persons and women; Provision for old age and injury, protection of the interests of workers when employed in countries other than their own; Recognition of the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value; Recognition of the principle of freedom of association; Organization of vocational and technical education, and other measures.

6. 7. 8.

Early days Working for social justice is our assessment of the past and our mandate for the future." Juan Somavia, Director-General

mechanisms for supervising their application, particularly the promotion of freedom of association and the right to organize. 4. His successor Francis Blanchard of France, expanded ILO's technical cooperation with developing countries and averted damage to the Organization, despite the loss of one quarter of its budget following US withdrawal from 1977-1980. The ILO also played a major role in the emancipation of Poland from dictatorship, by giving its full support to the legitimacy of the Solidarnosc Union based on respect for Convention No. 87 on freedom of association, which Poland had ratified in 1957. Belgium's Michel Hansenne succeeded him in 1989 and guided the ILO into the post-Cold War period, emphasizing the importance of placing social justice at the heart of international economic and social policies. He also set the ILO on a course of decentralization of activities and resources away from the Geneva headquarters. On 4 March 1999, Juan Somavia of Chile took over as Director General. He emphasized the importance of making decent work a strategic international goal and promoting a fair globalization. He also underlined work as an instrument of poverty alleviation and ILO's role in helping to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, including cutting world poverty in half by 2015. In May 2012 English's Guy Ryder was elected as the tenth DirectorGeneral of the ILO. He began his five-year term in October 2012. Mission and Objectives The International Labour Organization (ILO) is devoted to promoting social justice and internationally recognized human and labour rights, pursuing its founding mission that labour peace is essential to prosperity. Today, the ILO helps advance the creation of decent work and the economic and working conditions that give working people and business people a stake in lasting peace, prosperity and progress. Its tripartite structure provides a unique platform for promoting decent work for all women and men. Its main aims are to promote rights at work, encourage decent employment opportunities, enhance social protection and strengthen dialogue on work-related issues. The ILO has four strategic objectives

partnership with constituents, to help countries put these policies into practice in an effective manner Training, education and research activities to help advance all of these efforts

Decent work agenda: Promoting Decent work for all. Work is central to people's well-being. In addition to providing income, work can pave the way for broader social and economic advancement, strengthening individuals, their families and communities. Such progress, however, hinges on work that is decent. Decent work sums up the aspirations of people in their working lives. The ILO has developed an agenda for the community of work. It provides support through integrated Decent Work Country Programmes developed in coordination with its constituents. Putting the Decent Work Agenda into practice is achieved through the implementation of the ILO's four strategic objectives, with gender equality as a crosscutting objective: Creating Jobs an economy that generates opportunities for investment, entrepreneurship, skills development, job creation and sustainable livelihoods. Guaranteeing rights at work to obtain recognition and respect for the rights of workers. All workers, and in particular disadvantaged or poor workers, need representation, participation, and laws that work for their interests. Extending social protection to promote both inclusion and productivity by ensuring that women and men enjoy working conditions that are safe, allow adequate free time and rest, take into account family and social values, provide for adequate compensation in case of lost or reduced income and permit access to adequate healthcare. Promoting social dialogue Involving strong and independent workers and employers' organizations is central to increasing productivity, avoiding disputes at work, and building cohesive societies. An ILO concept, an international consensus

Promote and realize standards and fundamental principles and rights at work Create greater opportunities for women and men to decent employment and income Enhance the coverage and effectiveness of social protection for all Strengthen tripartism and social dialogue

The Decent Work concept was formulated by the ILOs constituents governments and employers and workers as a means to identify the Organizations major priorities. It is based on the understanding that work is a source of personal dignity, family stability, peace in the community, democracies that deliver for people, and economic growth that expands opportunities for productive jobs and enterprise development. Decent Work reflects priorities on the social, economic and political agenda of countries and the international system. In a relatively short time this concept has forged an international consensus among governments, employers, workers and civil society that productive employment and Decent Work are key elements to achieving a fair globalization, reducing poverty and achieving equitable, inclusive, and sustainable development. Making Decent Work a global goal and a national reality The overall goal of Decent Work is to effect positive change in peoples lives at the national and local levels. The ILO provides support through integrated Decent Work Country Programmes

In support of its goals, the ILO offers unmatched expertise and knowledge about the world of work, acquired over more than 90 years of responding to the needs of people everywhere for decent work, livelihoods and dignity. It serves its tripartite constituents and society as a whole - in a variety of ways, including: 1. Formulation of international policies and programmes to promote basic human rights, improve working and living conditions, and enhance employment opportunities Creation of international labour standards backed by a unique system to supervise their application An extensive programme of international technical cooperation formulated and implemented in an active

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developed in coordination with ILO constituents. They define the priorities and the targets within national development frameworks and aim to tackle major Decent Work deficits through efficient programmes that embrace each of the strategic objectives. The ILO operates with other partners within and beyond the UN family to provide in-depth expertise and key policy instruments for the design and implementation of these programmes. It also provides support for building the institutions needed to carry them forward and for measuring progress. The balance within these programmes differs from country to country, reflecting their needs, resources and priorities. Progress also requires action at the global level. The Decent Work agenda offers a basis for a more just and sustainable framework for global development. The ILO works to develop decent work-oriented approaches to economic and social policy in partnership with the principal institutions and actors of the multilateral system and the global economy. How the ILO works Tripartism and social dialogue Underlying the ILOs work is the importance of coo peration between governments and employers and workers organizations in fostering social and economic progress. The ILO aims to ensure that it serves the needs of working women and men by bringing together governments, employers and workers to set labour standards, develop policies and devise programmes. The very structure of the ILO, where workers and employers together have an equal voice with governments in its deliberations, shows social dialogue in action. It ensures that the views of the social partners are closely reflected in ILO labour standards, policies and programmes. The ILO encourages this tripartism within its constituents and member States by promoting a social dialogue between trade unions and employers in formulating, and where appropriate, implementing national policy on social, economic, and many other issues. The ILO accomplishes its work through three main bodies (The International labour Conference, the Governing body and the Office) which comprise governments', employers' and workers' representatives. The work of the Governing Body and of the Office is aided by tripartite committees covering major industries. It is also supported by committees of experts on such matters as vocational training, management development, occupational safety and health, industrial relations, workers education, and special problems of women and young workers. Regional meetings of the ILO member States are held periodically to examine matters of special interest to the regions concerned. International Labour Conference International labour standards and the broad policies of the ILO are set by the International Labour Conference, which meets annually. Often called an international parliament of labour,

the Conference is also a forum for discussion of key social and labour questions. Standards supervisory system International labour standards are backed by a supervisory system that helps to ensure that countries implement the conventions they ratify. Governing body The Governing Body is the executive council of the ILO and meets three times a year in Geneva. It takes decisions on ILO policy and establishes the programme and the budget, which it then submits to the Conference for adoption. Partnerships and development Since the early 1950s, the ILO has been providing technical cooperation to countries on all continents and at all stages of economic development. Projects are implemented through close cooperation between recipient countries, donors, and the ILO, which maintains a network of area and regional offices worldwide. International Labour Office The ILO secretariat, operational headquarters, research centre and publishing house, are based in the International Labour Office, Geneva. Administration and management are decentralized in regional, area, and branch offices. Programme and Budget The Programme and Budget of the Organization which sets out the strategic objectives and expected outcomes for the Organizations work is approved every two years by the International Labour Conference. Employment opportunities The paramount consideration in the filling of any vacancy shall be the necessity to obtain a staff of the highest standards of competence, efficiency and integrity. Due regard shall be paid to the importance of maintaining a staff selected on a wide geographical basis, recognizing also the need to take into account considerations of gender and age. Every official shall be required to possess a fully satisfactory knowledge of one of the working languages of the Organization.

Without prejudice to the foregoing, officials shall be selected without discrimination on the basis of age, race, gender, religion, colour, national extraction, social origin, marital status, pregnancy, family responsibilities, sexual preference, disability, union membership or political conviction. Current vacancies Associate Expert Programme Internships Employment Opportunities with the International Training Center of the ILO