Pakistan has been an important and active member of the ILO since 1947 and has ratified 36 ILO Conventions, including all eight Fundamental Conventions.
The ILO Office was established in Pakistan in 1970. The first office was in Karachi. The current Islamabad office is built on land donated by the government – an indication of both the ILO’s stature and the commitment to its work Pakistan. Pakistan’s Government, Employers’ and Workers’ representatives have repeatedly been elected as members of the ILO‘s Governing Body.
The Pakistan Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) is a joint effort by the ILO and its tripartite constituents; the Ministry of Labour, Manpower & Overseas Pakistanis, and the national Employers’ and Workers’ Organizations. The DWCP, which was approved in September 2005, identifies key decent work challenges that also relate to the ILO’s four strategic objectives. These are labour law reform, employment through skills training, social protection and social dialogue.
The ILO’s contribution to Pakistan’s development covers not only the development of infrastructure but strengthening systems and institutions. The ILO provides technical assistance in vocational training, skills development, women’s employment and child labour, and the organization‘s high profile in these technical cooperation projects is an indication of the success of it’s work. It also provides advice on policy formulation and implementation.