GENEVA (ILO News) – The International Labour Organization today announced the recipients of the first annual ILO Decent Work Research Prize, decided by a jury of eminent international experts in labour and social policy issues.
Nelson Mandela, former President of the Republic of South Africa and Nobel Peace Laureate, is awarded an exceptional prize for his extraordinary lifetime contribution to knowledge, understanding and advocacy on the central concerns of the ILO. With this prize the jury and the ILO wished to recognize and honour his sustained efforts that helped to make decent work a central objective in the policy agenda in South Africa and worldwide, furthering the vision of work which is free from discrimination and oppression, and of social justice and dialogue as the essential base for progress.
Dr. Carmelo Mesa-Lago, Professor Emeritus on Economics and Latin American Studies of the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, is awarded the prize to recognize his major scholarly contributions to the analysis of socio-economic relationships and policy instruments for the advancement of decent work, in particular on social security and pension reform which the jury stressed has had notable impact on the reform processes in Latin America for many years.
Created by the ILO’s International Institute for Labour Studies (IILS), the prize will be awarded at the closing plenary of the ILO’s International Labour Conference on 15 June before some 3,000 government, employer and worker delegates and media representatives.
Members of the jury include Ms. Gemma Adaba, Representative to the United Nations of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC); Professor Bina Agarwal, Professor of Economics, University of Delhi, India; Professor Emeritus Eduard Gaugler, University of Mannheim, Germany; Dr. Anna Tibaijuka, Under-Secretary General and Executive Director, UN HABITAT; and Dr. Carlos Tomada, Minister of Work, Employment and Social Security, Republic of Argentina, and Chairman of the ILO Governing Body, 2005-2006.
The IILS was established by the ILO in 1960 as a centre for advanced studies in the social and labour field to further a better understanding of labour issues through education and research.
For more information on the ILO Decent Work Research Prize, please see /inst or contact ILO Media at communication@ilo.org, tel.: +4122/799-7912.