GENEVA (ILO News) - The Director-General of the International Labour Office (ILO), Juan Somavia, and the Officers of the 286 th session of the ILO Governing Body, issued the following statement regarding the consequences of the Iraq conflict:
War has broken out in Iraq despite the dedicated efforts to reach decisions to solve the problem through peaceful means.
History has taught us that wars have far-reaching ramifications that affect people's lives, going beyond those directly involved in the conflict. The loss of lives on all sides will represent a tragedy for families everywhere and disruption of economic activities in the region will jeopardize the sources of income for millions of workers.
In this situation, the founding principles of the ILO, based on social justice and protection of workers, respond to the needs of people who will be affected by the war.
Looking at the immediate and daunting task of post-war reconstruction, the ILO stands firm in playing its role in assisting the efforts to create jobs and guarantee the livelihoods of the maximum number of people.
In response, the ILO is taking a number of emergency measures as part of a UN-wide initiative on Iraq designed to address immediate needs, through an action plan to protect displaced workers, assess the needs of the job market after the conflict, and launch a number of reconstruction projects designed to create jobs and ensure adequate social protection for vulnerable groups.
The ILO is ready to participate with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in the proposed programme for rebuilding Iraq.
In the longer term, the ILO will want 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 as well as in contributing to the creation of a positive environment for investment, growth and democracy, in which labour rights are fully recognized and respected.
The Statement was signed by Juan Somavia, Director-General of the ILO, Lord Brett, Chairperson of the Governing Body of the ILO, Ambassador Chung Eui-Yong, Vice-Chairperson of the Governing Body (Governments), and Daniel Funes de Rioja, Vice-Chairperson of the Governing Body, (Employers).