International Labor Organization (ILO)

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International Labour Organization (ILO)

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a United Nations specialized agency that sets international labour standards and promotes social and economic justice. Headquartered in Geneva with about 187 member states and roughly 40 field offices worldwide, the ILO aims to ensure decent, productive, and sustainable work under conditions of freedom, equity, security, and dignity.

Mandate and history

  • Founded in 1919 under the League of Nations; became a U.N. specialized agency in 1946 (the first and oldest U.N. specialized agency).
  • Mission: bring together governments, employers, and workers to set and promote labour standards, provide technical cooperation, conduct research, and deliver training.
  • Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1969 for advancing fraternity among nations and pursuing justice for workers.

Structure

The ILO operates through a tripartite system that includes governments, employers, and workers. Its main bodies are:
– International Labour Conference: meets annually to adopt conventions, protocols, and recommendations.
– Governing Body: the executive council, which meets several times a year to set policy and budget.
– International Labour Office: the permanent secretariat that administers and implements ILO activities.

International labour standards

ILO standards take the form of:
– Conventions and protocols — legally binding treaties that member states may ratify.
– Recommendations — nonbinding guidelines to inform national policies.

There are more than 190 conventions and six protocols. Central principles embodied in these instruments include the right to collective bargaining, the elimination of forced and child labour, and the elimination of employment discrimination. The ILO’s conventions and protocols are a core source of international labour law.

Key conventions often highlighted:
– Eight fundamental conventions:
* 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) and its 2014 Protocol
* 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)
– Four governance conventions important for the international standards system:
* Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81)
* Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122)
* Labour Inspection (Agriculture) Convention, 1969 (No. 129)
* Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144)

Flagship programmes

The ILO concentrates much of its technical cooperation within several flagship programmes designed to improve labour conditions and protections globally:

  • BetterWork
    Focuses on improving working conditions in garment and footwear factories through factory-level engagement, training, and cooperation with employers and governments.

  • Global Flagship Programme on Building Social Protection Floors (SPFs) for All
    Aims to extend social protection to people currently without adequate coverage by supporting national systems, policy development, and capacity-building.

  • International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour and Forced Labour (IPEC+)
    Seeks to eradicate child labour and forced labour through strengthened institutions, legal frameworks, stakeholder engagement, and expanded policy guidance. Aligned with U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (targeting elimination of child labour by 2025 and forced labour by 2030).

  • Safety + Health for All
    Promotes prevention and improved occupational safety and health, with attention to hazardous sectors, vulnerable workers (including young, female, and migrant workers), small and medium enterprises, and global supply chains.

  • Jobs for Peace and Resilience
    Targets employment creation in areas affected by conflict and disaster, emphasizing youth and women’s employment, skills development, and support for enterprises and cooperatives.

The future of work

The ILO’s Global Commission on the Future of Work examined how work is changing and recommended policies such as a universal labour guarantee, lifelong social protection, and entitlement to lifelong learning. The ILO has also assessed the employment effects of a green transition, estimating that appropriate policies could create up to 24 million new jobs by 2030.

Key takeaways

  • The ILO sets international labour standards and supports governments, employers, and workers in promoting decent work.
  • Its conventions and protocols form a major component of international labour law.
  • The ILO combines standard-setting with technical cooperation, research, and advocacy through targeted programmes addressing child labour, social protection, safety and health, supply chains, and employment in fragile contexts.
  • It continues to lead global discussions on the future of work, social protection, and green job creation.