International

Labour
Organization
 Juan Somavia, ILO Director- General

The International Labour Office is headed by a Director-General

appointed by the Governing Body. Since 1919, the ILO has been led by:
Albert Thomas of France (1919-1932),
Harold Butler of the United Kingdom (1932-1938),
John Winant of the United States (1939-1941),
Edward Phelan of Ireland (1941-1948),
David Morse of the United States (1948-1970),
Wilfred Jenks of the United Kingdom (1970-1973),
Francis Blanchard of France (1973-1989),
Michel Hansenne of Belgium (1989-1999),
and since March 1999 by Juan Somavia of Chile.

ILO Headquarters, Geneva

International Labour
Organization

“The failure of any nation to adopt Origins of the ILO

humane conditions of labour is an
obstacle in the way of other nations The International Labour Organization
which desire to improve the emerged with the League of Nations
conditions in their own countries.” from the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.
ILO Constitution It was founded to give expression to
the growing concern for social reform
The International Labour Organization after World War I, and the conviction
(ILO) is built on the constitutional that any reform had to be conducted
principle that universal and lasting at an international level.
peace can be established only if it is
based upon social justice. After World War II, a dynamic
restatement and enlargement of the
The ILO has generated such ILO’s basic goals and principles was
hallmarks of industrial society as the made in the Declaration of
eight-hour working day, maternity Philadelphia. The Declaration
protection, child-labour laws, and a anticipated postwar growth in
range of policies which promote national independence, and
workplace safety and peaceful heralded the birth of large-scale
industrial relations. technical cooperation with the
developing world.
The ILO is the international
institutional framework which In 1946, the ILO became the first
makes it possible to address such specialized agency associated with
issues – and to find solutions allowing the newly formed United Nations
working conditions to improve Organization. On its 50th anniversary
everywhere. No country or industry in 1969, it was awarded the Nobel
could have afforded to introduce any Peace Prize.
of these in the absence of similar and
simultaneous action by its competitors.

The first International Labour

Conference was held in
Washington in October-November
1919. Six Conventions and six
Recommendations were adopted
(including Convention No.1 on the
duration of the work day).
How the ILO works The ILO secretariat, operational
headquarters, research centre and
The ILO has a tripartite structure publishing house, are based in the
unique in the United Nations, in International Labour Office, Geneva.
which employers’ and workers’ Administration and management
representatives – the “social partners” are decentralized in regional, area,
of the economy – have an equal voice and branch offices in more than
with those of governments in shaping 40 countries.
its policies and programmes.
The work of the Governing Body
The ILO also encourages this tripartism and of the Office is aided by tripartite
within its member States by promoting committees covering major industries.
a “social dialogue” between trade It is also supported by committees of
unions and employers in formulating, experts on such matters as vocational
and where appropriate, implementing training, management development,
national policy on social, economic, occupational safety and health,
and many other issues. industrial relations, workers’ education,
and special problems of women and
Minimum international labour young workers.
standards and the broad policies of
the ILO are set by the International Regional meetings of the ILO
Labour Conference, which meets member States are held periodically
annually. Every two years, the to examine matters of special interest
Conference adopts the ILO’s biennial to the regions concerned.
work programme and budget, which
is financed by member States.

The Conference also provides an

international forum for discussion
of world labour and social problems.
Each member country has the right to
send four delegates to the Conference,
two from the government and one
each representing workers and
employers. These delegates are free
to speak and vote independently.
Between annual sessions of the
Conference, the work of the ILO is
guided by the Governing Body of 28
government members and 14 worker
and 14 employer members.
 These objectives are realized in a
number of ways:

1. Formulation of international
policies and programmes to promote
basic human rights, improve working
and living conditions, and enhance
employment opportunities.

2. Creation of international labour

standards – backed by a unique
system to supervise their application
What the ILO does – to serve as guidelines for national
authorities in putting these policies
The ILO has four principal strategic into action.
objectives:
3. An extensive programme of
• To promote and realize standards, international technical cooperation,
and fundamental principles and formulated and implemented in an
rights at work. active partnership with constituents,
to help countries in making these
• To create greater opportunities for policies effective in practice.
women and men to secure decent
employment. 4. Training, education, research, and
publishing activities to help advance
• To enhance the coverage and all of these efforts.
effectiveness of social protection
for all.

• To strengthen tripartism and

social dialogue.
Policies
and Programmes
President Roosevelt receiving a
delegation from the International
Labour Conference in Washington
in 1944, following the Conference’s
work in Philadelphia.

Declaration of Philadelphia

In 1944, the International Labour

Conference met in Philadelphia,
USA, and adopted the Declaration of
Philadelphia. This redefined the aims
and purpose of the ILO by adopting
the following principles:

• Labour is not a commodity.

• Freedom of expression and

of association are essential Declaration on Fundamental
to sustained progress. Principles and Rights at Work

• Poverty anywhere constitutes a In 1998, the International Labour

danger to prosperity everywhere. Conference adopted the Declaration
on Fundamental Principles and
• All human beings, irrespective of Rights at Work, which reaffirmed the
race, creed, or sex, have the right commitment of the international
to pursue both their material well- community to “respect, to promote
being and their spiritual and to realize in good faith” the rights
development in conditions of of workers and employers to freedom
freedom and dignity, of economic of association and the effective right
security, and of equal opportunity. to collective bargaining.

It also commits member States to

work towards the elimination of all
forms of forced or compulsory labour,
the effective abolition of child labour,
and the elimination of discrimination
in employment and occupation.

The Declaration emphasizes that all

member States have an obligation to
respect the fundamental principles
involved, whether or not they have
ratified the relevant Conventions.
International
Labour Standards

ILO Conventions and Each member State is required

Recommendations to submit all Conventions and
Recommendations adopted by
One of the ILO’s original and most the Conference to the competent
important functions is the adoption national authorities for a decision
by the tripartite International Labour on action to be taken.
Conference (employers, workers and
governments) of Conventions and The ratifications of these Conventions
Recommendations which set have continued to increase in
international standards. Through number. The ILO has established
ratifications by member States, these a supervisory procedure to ensure
Conventions create binding obligations their application in law and practice,
to implement their provisions. which is the most advanced of all
Recommendations provide guidance such international procedures. It is
on policy, legislation, and practice. based on objective evaluation by
independent experts of the manner
Since 1919, Conventions and in which obligations are complied
Recommendations have been with, and on examination of cases
adopted covering practically all by the ILO tripartite bodies. There
issues relating to the world of work. is a special procedure to investigate
These include certain basic human complaints of infringement of
rights (notably freedom of association, freedom of association.
the right to organize and bargain
collectively, the abolition of forced
labour and child labour, and the
elimination of discrimination in
employment), labour administration,
industrial relations, employment
policy, working conditions, social
security, occupational safety and
health, employment of women, and
employment of special categories such
as migrant workers and seafarers.
Key ILO Conventions

No. 29
Forced Labour Convention (1930)
Requires the suppression of forced or compulsory labour in all its forms.
Certain exceptions are permitted, such as military service, properly supervised
convict labour, and emergencies such as wars, fires, earthquakes.

No. 87
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize Convention
(1948)
Establishes the right of all workers and employers to form and join
organizations of their own choosing without prior authorization, and lays
down a series of guarantees for the free functioning of organizations
without interference by public authorities.

No. 98
Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining Convention (1949)
Provides for protection against anti-union discrimination, for protection
of workers’ and employers’ organizations against acts of interference by
each other, and for measures to promote collective bargaining.

No. 100
Equal Remuneration Convention (1951)
Calls for equal pay and benefits for men and women for work of equal value.

No. 105
Abolition of Forced Labour Convention (1957)
Prohibits the use of any form of forced or compulsory labour as a means of
political coercion or education, punishment for the expression of political or
ideological views, workforce mobilization, labour discipline, punishment for
participation in strikes, or discrimination.

No. 111
Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention (1958)
Calls for a national policy to eliminate discrimination in access to employment,
training, and working conditions, on grounds of race, colour, sex, religion,
political opinion, national extraction or social origin, and to promote equality
of opportunity and treatment.

No. 138
Minimum Age Convention (1973)
Aims at the abolition of child labour, stipulating that the minimum age
for admission to employment shall not be less than the age of completion
of compulsory schooling.

No. 182
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention (1999)
Calls for immediate and effective measures to secure the prohibition and
elimination of the worst forms of child labour which include slavery and similar
practices, forced recruitment for use in armed conflict, use in prostitution
and pornography, any illicit activity, as well as work which is likely to harm
the health, safety, and morals of children.
Focus on child labour As the world has awakened to the
abuses of child labour, the movement
Child labour is a pressing social, against it has evolved into a global
economic and human rights issue. cause virtually unprecedented in its
As many as 250 million children pace and intensity. It is a movement
worldwide are thought to be working, which transcends political
deprived of adequate education, boundaries, languages, cultures and
good health, and basic freedoms. spiritual traditions. Every segment of
Individual children pay the highest civil society – governments, employers,
price, but countries suffer as well. trade unions, NGOs, and religious
Ending child labour is a goal in itself; organizations – has joined together to
but it is also a powerful way of declare that exploitative child labour
promoting economic and human must end.
development.
The International Programme on the
The ILO Minimum Age Convention, Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC)
1973 (No. 138), containing the currently manages over 1,000
principle of the effective abolition programmes worldwide promoting
of child labour, is strengthened by alternatives to child labour.
adoption of a new Worst Forms of
Child Labour Convention, 1999
(No. 182), calling for immediate
measures to eliminate as a matter
of urgency all of the worst forms of
child labour – ranging from slavery
and compulsory labour to use of a
child in any illicit activity, and any
work which is likely to harm the
health, safety or morals of children.
Gender and jobs The ILO is committed to an integrated
policy on women and work. This
Gender equality is a key element of involves a number of responses,
the ILO agenda of Decent Work for All including:
Women and Men. Gender equality,
along with development, is one of the • The International Programme on
two cross-cutting issues of the four More and Better Jobs for Women.
strategic objectives of the Decent This programme promotes more
Work agenda. jobs for women through
employment creation, training,
The ILO’s approach to gender equality entrepreneurship development,
is to mainstream gender concerns in improvement in access to the
all its policies and programmes. labour market, and equality of
opportunity. It promotes better jobs
Women have transformed the labour through equal pay, occupational
markets of the world. In some cases, desegregation, health and safety,
they have succeeded in obtaining improved working conditions for
greater opportunities and economic non-standard employment, social
autonomy. Yet, gender inequalities security, family-friendly workplaces,
still permeate every aspect of the and protection for vulnerable
employment problem. Women still workers.
form the majority of unpaid, atypical,
or discouraged workers in most • The Capacity-building Programme
countries. on Gender, Poverty and
Employment. This programme
focuses on enhancing women’s
access to quality jobs, strengthening
their bargaining and negotiating
power, and providing innovative
ways of increasing social protection,
especially in the informal sector.
Decent employment and income ILO employment objectives include:

Productive, freely-chosen employment • Equipping constituents to analyse

is at the core of the ILO’s mandate. economic and labour market
Without productive employment, developments, and elaborate and
achieving decent living standards, negotiate effective employment
social and economic development, promotion policies and
and personal fulfilment remain programmes on the global and
illusory. Globalization has brought regional level
both prosperity and inequalities,
testing the limits of our collective • Boosting employment through
responsibility. Even so, the small enterprise development
Organization remains committed to
achieving full employment worldwide. • Helping women get more and
better jobs
The ILO’s mission is to help people
around the world find decent work – in • Effectively implementing policies
conditions of freedom, equity, security, and programmes upgrading
and human dignity. It does this through informal sector activities
permanent contact with workers,
employers, and governments – the • Advising in the transition from
ILO’s constituents – helping forge new centrally planned to market
and innovative employment, labour economies, particularly with
market, and training policies. respect to employment, labour
market, and human resource
Concern for the social costs of policies
globalization increases the need for
better international coordination of • Adopting or strengthening targeted
macroeconomics policies which can programmes enabling groups such
diminish its harmful consequences. as young workers, the disabled,
The ILO is committed to providing migrants, and indigenous populations
research, analysis, and advice to its to find decent employment
constituents, as well as to such
stakeholders as banking, investment, The focus on small enterprises is a
trade and enterprise development key element in the ILO approach to
specialists, and business managers, job creation, an important aspect
on how to create decent work. of which concerns enterprise
This includes promoting small restructuring.
enterprises, microfinance, and
effective training systems.
Technical
Cooperation

Since the early 1950s, the ILO has The overall purpose of ILO technical
been providing technical cooperation cooperation is the implementation of
to countries on all continents and at the Decent Work agenda at a
all stages of economic development. national level, assisting constituents
In the last decade, an average of to make this concept a reality for all
some US$130 million was spent men and women. An extensive
annually on technical cooperation network of offices throughout Africa,
projects. The projects are Asia, Latin America, Central and
implemented through close Eastern Europe and the Middle East
cooperation between recipient provides technical guidance on
countries, donors, and the ILO, which policy issues, and assistance in the
maintains a network of area and design and implementation of
regional offices worldwide. development programmes.
Wide-ranging programmes Particular attention is being paid to
capacity-building and strengthening
Training entrepreneurs in small of the programmes’ constituents, in
business administration, particular of workers’ and employers’
strengthening social security organizations, and to the
systems, assisting in the reintegration mainstreaming of gender. The
of ex-combatants into the national protection of workers at the workplace
economy, assisting trade unions in and the development of social security
occupational safety and health, systems are other areas of assistance.
setting up cooperatives in rural areas,
working with governments to revise The ILO’s adoption of the Declaration
labour laws. These are just a few of Fundamental Principles and
examples of the ILO’s vast range of Rights at Work has given a new
technical cooperation programmes impetus to the technical cooperation
operating in some 140 countries and programmes in standards-related
territories. areas such as the promotion of
freedom of association, social
The focus of these programmes is dialogue and collective bargaining,
on the areas covered by the ILO’s four and to activities leading to the
strategic objectives: the promotion eradication of child labour – especially
of fundamental principles and rights in its worst forms.
at work, employment, social
protection, and the strengthening of
tripartism and social dialogue.

Within this framework, the major

portion of ILO technical cooperation
is in the areas of development
policies and programmes for poverty
alleviation through job creation, and
enterprise and cooperative
development.
Training, Education,
Research, Publishing

International Training Centre To date, over 90,000 women and

men from 170 nations have benefited
With its large residential training from its services since it opened in
facility located in Turin, Italy, the 1965. The annual number of activities
International Training Centre provides exceeds 300 standard courses,
a wide variety of programmes in areas customized learning events,
of priority concern to the ILO and the comprehensive training projects,
United Nations system at large. advisory services, and training
material design and production.
Designed to support economic and
social development of member States Around half the activities take place
and their constituents, the Centre on-campus and the rest in the field.
seeks to assemble, package and Besides group training, the Centre
deliver the best thinking, practice organizes, on request, learning
and experience concerning programmes for individuals who are
fundamental principles and rights placed in public and private
at work, employment and income institutions and organizations.
opportunities for women and men, Increasingly, it uses information
social protection for all, management technology, including the Internet, to
of the development process, offer distance learning and tutoring
tripartism, and social dialogue. services.

It offers training/learning opportunities Public Information Office

and related services to decision- Tel: +39011/693-6111
makers, managers, practitioners and Fax: +39011/693-6509
trainers from governments, workers’ E-mail: pubinfo@itcilo.it
organizations, employers’ organizations
and their partner institutions. It has
partnerships with regional and national
training institutions and its services are
available to the United Nations system
as a whole, including ILO staff.
International Institute for Labour The Institute provides three major
Studies facilities:

The ILO International Institute for • A global forum on social policy,

Labour Studies in Geneva promotes enabling governments, business
policy research and public and labour to interact informally
discussion on emerging issues of with the academic community and
concern to the ILO and its other opinion-makers.
constituents – labour, business and
government. • International research programmes
and networks linking academics
The organizing theme of the with business, labour, and
Institute’s programmes is the notion government practitioners, to
of “decent work”. The Institute’s explore emerging policy issues of
programmes seek to contribute to the potential relevance for the ILO and
development of the analytical and contribute to policy formulation.
empirical foundations of decent work
and a broader understanding of the • Educational programmes to assist
policy instruments necessary to trade unions, employers’
implement it in practice. organizations and labour
administrations in developing their
institutional capacities for
research, analysis, and policy
formulation in the economic and
social fields.

The Institute’s means of action

include: research, social policy
forums, public lectures, courses and
seminars, internship programmes, a
visiting scholar programme, the
Phelan Fellowship programme, and
publications. It also organizes the
Social Policy Lectures, endowed by
the ILO’s Nobel Peace Prize, and
held, by rotation, in major universities
of the world.
ILO Publications

ILO publications are principally

aimed at police-makers and others
concerned with the changing nature
of work. They cover employment,
social security, occupational safety
and health, industrial relations, The Yearbook of Labour Statistics, a
labour law, training, enterprise comprehensive survey of annual data
development, and other aspects of from all parts of the world, covers the
the world of work. Recent publications economically active population,
report on research on youth employment, unemployment, hours
unemployment, women in of work, and consumer prices.
management, the social aspects of
globalization, and migrant workers.

Key Indicators of the Labour Market

(KILM) provides analyses of data
The flagship World Employment from the Yearbook and other
Report provides up-to-date analysis international references, and is
on significant social and economic available online, in print version, and
trends. on CD-ROM.

The 4th edition of the ILO The ILO journal, International

Encyclopaedia of Occupational Labour Review, is published
Safety and Health (available as a quarterly in English, French and
four-volume print version and on CD- Spanish. It features current policy
ROM) reflects the state-of-the-art and analysis on employment and labour
serves as a worldwide reference. issues. The ILO also publishes
Labour Education and the magazine
The ILO also publishes statistical, World of Work, aimed at all those who
legal, and bibliographic materials in follow developments in the field.
both printed and interactive
electronic form. ILO Publications
International Labour Office
4, route des Morillons
CH-1211 Geneva 22 , Switzerland

Fax: +4122/799-6938;
E-mail: pubvente@ilo.org
Web site: www.ilo.org/publns
Library and Information Services In addition to the ILO Library, the ILO
information network includes several
Most of the ILO’s information services specialized information centres in
are based on an information network Geneva, three regional documentation
connected to the ILO Library in centres in Abidjan, Bangkok, and
Geneva. The network seeks to Lima, and other centres in ILO offices
enhance the capacity of ILO worldwide. The statistical, legislative,
constituents, ILO staff and ILO and other departments also
partner institutions to make effective participate in the dissemination of
use of the ILO’s information resources. information through the network.

The ILO Library offers an information

consultancy service and provides
access to a multilingual collection
of over one million books, reports,
journals, legal texts, statistical
publications, and electronic
information sources on all aspects
of the world of work. It produces
LABORDOC, a unique database
providing worldwide coverage of
social and labour affairs, which is
available via the Internet, provides
information research services, and
LABORDOC. A unique
develops projects and training courses database on social and
for labour information specialists. labour affairs.

ILO Library
International Labour Office
4, route des Morillons
CH-1211 Geneva 22
Switzerland

E-mail: refbibl@ilo.org
Fax: +4122/799-6516,
Web site: www.ilo.org/bibl
ILO
Member States

Afghanistan Cyprus
Albania Czech Republic
Algeria
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Angola
Denmark
Antigua and Barbuda
Djibouti
Argentina
Dominica
Armenia
Dominican Republic
Australia
Austria Ecuador
Azerbaijan Egypt
El Salvador
Bahamas
Equatorial Guinea
Bahrain
Eritrea
Bangladesh
Estonia
Barbados
Ethiopia
Belarus
Belgium Fiji
Belize Finland
Benin France
Bolivia
Gabon
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Gambia
Botswana
Georgia
Brazil
Germany
Bulgaria
Ghana
Burkina Faso
Greece
Burundi
Grenada
Cambodia Guatemala
Cameroon Guinea
Canada Guinea-Bissau
Cape Verde Guyana
Central African Republic
Haiti
Chad
Honduras
Chile
Hungary
China
Colombia Iceland
Comoros India
Congo Indonesia
Costa Rica Iran, Islamic Republic of
Côte d’Ivoire Iraq
Croatia Ireland
Cuba Israel
Italy Romania
Russian Federation
Jamaica
Rwanda
Japan
Jordan Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Kazakhstan
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Kenya
San Marino
Kiribati
Sao Tome and Principe
Korea, Republic of
Saudi Arabia
Kuwait
Senegal
Kyrgystan
Seychelles
Lao People’s Democratic Republic Sierra Leone
Latvia Singapore
Lebanon Slovakia
Lesotho Slovenia
Liberia Solomon Islands
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Somalia
Lithuania South Africa
Luxembourg Spain
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Madagascar
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Malawi
Suriname
Malaysia
Swaziland
Mali
Sweden
Malta
Switzerland
Mauritania
Syrian Arab Republic
Mauritius
Mexico Tajikistan
Moldova, Republic of Tanzania, United Republic of
Mongolia Thailand
Morocco The former Yugoslav Republic
Mozambique of Macedonia
Myanmar Togo
Trinidad and Tobago
Namibia
Tunisia
Nepal
Turkey
Netherlands
Turkmenistan
New Zealand
Nicaragua Uganda
Niger Ukraine
Nigeria United Arab Emirates
Norway United Kingdom
United States
Oman
Uruguay
Pakistan Uzbekistan
Panama
Venezuela
Papua New Guinea
Viet Nam
Paraguay
Peru Yemen
Philippines Yugoslavia
Poland
Zambia
Portugal
Zimbabwe
Qatar
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