ILO/Korea Fellowship Training on Work Injury Insurance (COMWEL), October 2008

Background

In the past two decades or so, many Asian countries have experienced rapid development that resulted in the economic growth of the countries and prosperity of their people. This development caused significant changes in the labour market, increased competition as a result of the varying impact of development between the countries. Development also brought in many other challenges and sustaining economic growth is a major concern of many countries.

In 2001, during the International Labour Conference (ILC), tripartite constituents reached a new consensus on social security as an important tool to reduce poverty and to promote social and economic development. The ILC considered that the highest priority should be given to policies and initiatives which can bring social security to those who are not covered by existing systems. However, most countries in Asia still suffer from the narrow coverage of social security for the formal economy and general lack of any social protection for the informal economy.

Work injury insurance is one of the traditional social insurances particularly focused on the risks related to work place, which provides comprehensive protection to employees including health care, and long-term cash benefits such as invalidity and survivor’s pensions.

Most countries in the region already either have direct workmen’s compensations by employers or have started more modern work injury insurance schemes. However, research and planning divisions of ministries and social security organizations in the member countries in the region often lack an opportunity to learn international practices or more advanced design and administration of work injury insurance schemes in Asia.

Under the ILO/Korea partnership programme, some of senior officials from the Ministry had an opportunity to participate in the Fellowship Programme on Work Injury Insurance facilitated by COMWEL. However, tailor-made or more detailed knowledge learning according to country needs is needed for the further development of work injury insurance schemes. This will be increased the effectiveness of programme as well as administrative capacity.

Objectives

The training and fellowship programme will contribute to achieve the following objectives:

• to increase knowledge, awareness and skills related to work injury insurance schemes with focus on Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance (IACI) and work injury insurance schemes in the region;
• to increase the capacity for policy tools, legal/administrative mechanisms.

Each country delegation is requested to provide a written country report according to the outline provided in the Annex prior to the workshop and make a presentation during this one-week training programme.