Press releases

March 2010 

• More women choosing to work, but gender equality remains a long way off
  05 March 2010 - Despite signs of progress in gender equality over the past 15 years, there is still a significant gap between women and men in terms of job opportunities and quality of employment, according to a new report by the International Labour Office.
• ILO honours internationally-acclaimed recording artist Shakira for her work promoting social justice
  03 March 2010 - Internationally-acclaimed recording artist and humanitarian Shakira was honoured by the International Labour Organization for her work promoting the advancement of children and youth around the world.
• Russia ratifies ILO’s Seafarers’ Identity Documents Convention
  01 March 2010 - The Russian Federation has ratified the Seafarers’ Identity Documents Convention (Revised), 2003 (No. 185) of the International Labour Organization (ILO). The Representative of the Russian Federation, Mr. Dmitry Gonchar, delivered Russia’s instrument of ratification to ILO International Labour Standards Department, Director Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry. ...

February 2010 

• “Voices on Social Justice” campaign launched by the ILO
  19 February 2010 - The International Labour Organization has launched a new global campaign Voices on Social Justice, to provide a global platform for perspectives on social justice today and how it might be achieved particularly through the world of work.
• Decent work approach to recovery urged by Pacific Island labour ministers and social partners
  09 February 2010 - Pacific Island Labour Ministers and social partners have reached an agreement to support a jobs-led recovery by promoting decent work in the Pacific region by adopting the Port Vila Statement on Decent Work and its accompanying ‘Pacific Action Plan for Decent Work’.
• EU Presidency holder Spain becomes first EU state to ratify key ILO Maritime Labour Convention
  05 February 2010 - Spain, which currently holds the European Union Presidency, has become the first EU member state to ratify the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, in a major step toward bringing into force a new, comprehensive “bill of rights” for seafarers.

January 2010 

• Unemployment reached highest level on record in 2009: Somavia calls for the same policy decisiveness that saved banks to save and create jobs
  26 January 2010 - The number of jobless worldwide reached nearly 212 million in 2009 following an unprecedented increase of 34 million compared to 2007, on the eve of the global crisis, the International Labour Office (ILO) said in its annual "Global Employment Trends" report.

December 2009 

• ILO to focus on green jobs, employment issues at UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen
  11 December 2009 - The International Labour Organization (ILO) will take part in the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen to draw attention to the value of “green jobs” for reaping the development benefits and meeting the employment challenge associated with the goal of cutting CO2 emissions.
• ILO mourns death of former Director-General Francis Blanchard
  10 December 2009 - Francis Blanchard of France, who served as Director-General of the International Labour Office during the turbulent and transitional years 1974 to 1989, died on Wednesday, 9 December 2009 at the age of 93.
• ILO warns “early exit” from stimulus measures could prolong jobs crisis
  07 December 2009 - An “early exit” from support measures adopted in response to the global economic crisis could postpone a jobs recovery for years and render the fledgling economic upturn “fragile and incomplete”, a new report by the research arm of the International Labour Organization (ILO) says.
• ILO to issue report on status of global jobs crisis
  03 December 2009 - The International Institute for Labour Studies of the International Labour Office (ILO) is to launch a new study, entitled “World of Work Report 2009 – The Global Jobs Crisis and beyond” on Monday 7th of December. ...
• First African Decent Work Symposium hears calls to invest in employment and sustainable enterprises
  01 December 2009 - The First African Decent Work Symposium “Recovering from the crisis: the implementation of the Global Jobs Pact in Africa” opened in Ouagadougou on 1 December with three heads of state and ministers of labour and finance and representatives of employers’ and workers’ organizations from more than 45 African countries.

November 2009 

• ILO Director-General says HIV/AIDS programmes crucial in crisis response
  30 November 2009 - The ILO’s Global Jobs Pact adopted earlier this year to address the global economic and jobs crisis, can play a crucial role in an effective workplace response to the impact of the crisis on people living with HIV/AIDS, ILO Director-General Juan Somavia said in a statement issued for World AIDS Day on 1 December.
• ILO Governing Body calls for comprehensive crisis response, long-term sustainable development based on Global Jobs Pact
  20 November 2009 - The Governing Body of the International Labour Office called for an “employment oriented” response to the global economic crisis based on policy measures set out in the ILO’s Global Jobs Pact. “A more balanced economic growth pattern must not lose sight of the need to urgently address large-scale unemployment, underemployment and rising income inequality. ...
• Marlee Matlin urges that people with disabilities be “counted in” economic recovery efforts
  12 November 2009 - Expressing concern that people with disabilities may face rising exclusion from the world of work due to the global economic crisis, Academy Award winning actress, television star and activist Marlee Matlin urged that they be “counted in” efforts to stimulate and support economic recovery.
• Academy Award winning actress Marlee Matlin to address ILO panel on people with disabilities and the economic crisis
  09 November 2009 - People with disabilities represent an estimated 10 per cent of the world’s population, or some 650 million people worldwide. They are often excluded and marginalized, and are particularly vulnerable in times of crisis. ...
• ILO Governing Body to address world of work response to global economic crisis
  06 November 2009 - The Governing Body of the International Labour Office (ILO) is to examine the response of the world of work to the global economic crisis, and assess the current outlook for a recovery in employment at its meeting here on 5-20 November under the Global Jobs Pact adopted by the ILO’s International Labour Conference in June 2009.
• ILO says economic crisis eroding real wages for second year running
  03 November 2009 - Global growth in real wages slowed dramatically in 2008 as a result of the economic crisis and is expected to drop even further this year despite signs of a possible economic recovery, the International Labour Organization said. ...

October 2009 

• ILO meeting adopts revised list of occupational diseases
  30 October 2009 - A tripartite meeting of experts on occupational diseases held at the International Labour Office has adopted a new list of occupational diseases designed to assist countries in the prevention, recording, notification and, if applicable, compensation of illnesses caused by work. ...
• ILO Conference in Düsseldorf to discuss crisis impact on occupational safety and health
  29 October 2009 - The International Labour Organization (ILO) will host an international conference “Implementing Occupational Safety and Health Standards Globally” in Düsseldorf from 3-6 November 2009 to consider the potential impact of the global economic crisis on safety and health at the workplace.