GENEVA (ILO News) - The Governing Body of the International Labour Office (ILO) concluded its 286 th session today after overwhelmingly re-electing Director-General Juan Somavia of Chile to a second term, adopting a provisional programme and budget for 2004-05 and reviewing the labour situation in Myanmar, the occupied Arab territories and other areas.
On 25 March, the meeting provided Mr. Somavia with a new five-year mandate. He formally begins his second term in March 2004. Mr. Somavia called the vote an endorsement of the ILO's ongoing efforts to "deliver dignity to workers and decency to work" and pledged to "work together for a new social contract based on decent work for all and a globalization that leaves no one behind".
During Mr. Somavia's first term, the ILO launched the Decent Work agenda aimed at promoting workers' rights, employment and enterprise creation, social protection, and social dialogue at the national, regional and international level. Over the past four years, the Organization has seen an unprecedented surge in ratifications of international labour standards.
The Governing Body also recommended a provisional programme and budget level of US$ 448,020,730, estimated at the 2002-03 budget rate of exchange of 1.77 Swiss francs to the US dollar. The final exchange rate and the US dollar level of the budget and the Swiss franc assessment will be determined by the International Labour Conference in June 2003.
The programme and budget continues and consolidates reforms instituted in the two preceding budgets by Mr. Somavia which set in motion a results-based management system with strategic and operational objectives and measurable performance indicators and targets. The proposals for 2004-05 seek to further consolidate this trend, most notably through strengthening ILO work at the regional and country level.
Myanmar and other areas
The Governing Body discussed the question of forced labour in Myanmar in the light of reports by the ILO Liaison Officer in Yangon, Ms. Hông-Trang Perret-Nguyen. According to her reports, the situation in the country as far as forced labour is concerned "falls far short of the expectations of the Governing Body". Negotiations between her and the government have not led to a mutually acceptable plan of action for the elimination of forced labour.
In summing up the discussion, the Chairperson of the Governing Body issued a "last chance call" to the Government of Myanmar, setting a deadline up to the International Labour Conference in June 2003 for agreeing on a meaningful plan of action. Such a plan should include, in particular, a credible and efficient mechanism for handling complaints which would allow victims of forced labour to seek remedy in full confidentiality and without government interference or fear of reprisals.
The Governing Body also discussed the progress of the enhanced programme of technical cooperation for the occupied Arab territories, and considered the organization of a donor meeting for a Palestinian Fund for Employment and Social Protection as proposed by the Director-General and endorsed by the Arab Labour Conference held in Tunis from 24 February to 3 March.
The Director-General and the officers of the Governing Body also issued a statement regarding the consequences of the conflict in Iraq and pledging to play a major role in the international community's efforts for reconstruction, focusing on a strategic response to the employment consequences of the conflict.
Globalization
The special guest for the 286 th session, Mr. Trevor A. Manuel, Minister of Finance, Republic of South Africa, addressed the Working Party on the Social Dimension of Globalization on 24 March. According to Mr. Manuel, "one especially pernicious aspect of globalization has been the degrading of the idea that the State should balance social and economic goals".
Mr. Manuel contributed to a first discussion of the Working Party on "governance, social partnership and globalization", which started from the assumption that bad governance blocks out many of the potential benefits of globalization and that in the absence of strong social institutions, the social costs of globalization will be aggravated. The ILO has been a pioneer in this field as it is involved in the promotion of a key aspect of governance, which is social partnership between governments, workers' and employers' organizations.
Labour standards
The Governing Body reviewed the annual reports required under the 1998 ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its Follow-up on the basis of an introduction prepared by seven independent Expert-Advisers. The reports provide an annual review of the situation in countries that have not ratified one or more of the ILO's core Conventions on freedom of association and collective bargaining, forced labour, child labour, and discrimination in employment and occupation.
The Governing Body launched an appeal to the donor community for substantial and durable extra-budgetary support for ILO technical cooperation, to meet the high demands expressed by governments and employers' and workers' organizations in countries which have not ratified all core Conventions.
The Governing Body adopted a report by the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association which cites Belarus, China, Colombia, Ethiopia, Guatemala and Venezuela for serious infringements of the principle of freedom of association and violations of trade union rights.
The Governing Body is the executive body of the International Labour Office (the Office is the secretariat of the Organization). It meets three times a year, in March, June and November. It takes decisions on ILO policy, decides the agenda of the International Labour Conference, adopts the draft Programme and Budget of the Organization for submission to the Conference, and elects the Director-General.
It is composed of 56 titular members (28 Governments, 14 Employers and 14 Workers) and 66 deputy members (28 Governments, 19 Employers and 19 Workers). Ten of the titular government seats are permanently held by States of chief industrial importance (Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States). The other Government members are elected by the Conference every three years.