Press releases

October 2002 

• More children, fewer teachers:New UNESCO-ILO study sees global teacher shortage causing decline in quality education
  05 October 2002 - PARIS/GENEVA (ILO News) - Relentless population growth and declining working conditions are creating a severe shortage of teachers in the world's classrooms that may lead to a slide in education standards, according to a new global study by UNESCO and the Geneva-based International Labour Office.
• Visit of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan to the International Labour Office
  03 October 2002 - GENEVA (ILO News) - Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan will visit the International Labour Office (ILO) on Thursday 3 October to meet ILO Director-General Juan Somavia and other senior officials of the Organization.

September 2002 

• Machinery/electronics sector needs a shift
  20 September 2002 - GENEVA (ILO News) - Recent developments in the mechanical and electrical engineering (MEE) industries show the need for a shift from purely vocational education and training to lifelong learning, if the sector wants to remain a growth and employment engine, says an ILO report released here ahead of a five-day meeting of industry experts beginning on 23 September.
• ILO Director-General on official visit to France
  17 September 2002 - GENEVA (ILO News) - The Director-General of the International Labour Office (ILO), Juan Somavia, is to make an official visit to France on 19-20 September during which time he will meet with French President Jacques Chirac, Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, the Minister of Labour François Fillon and worker and employer representatives.
• Experts meet to discuss right to a basic income
  10 September 2002 - GENEVA (ILO News) - The Basic Income European Network (BIEN) will hold its 9 th Congress from 12 to 14 September at the Geneva Headquarters of the International Labour Organization (ILO).
• ILO Appoints Liaison Officer in Myanmar
  04 September 2002 - The Director-General of the International Labour Office (ILO) announced today the appointment of Ms. Hông-Trang Perret-Nguyen as the ILO Liaison Officer in Myanmar. Ms. Perret-Nguyen was born in Viet Nam and holds degrees in political science and law from the Institut d'Etudes politiques and the Sorbonne in Paris. ...

August 2002 

• ILO Director-General addresses Johannesburg Summit
  29 August 2002 - JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (ILO News) - The Director-General of the International Labour Office (ILO), Juan Somavia, today made the following statement to the plenary of the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa:
• ILO Director-General in South Africa for World Summit on Sustainable Development
  23 August 2002 - JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (ILO News) - The Director-General of the International Labour Office (ILO), Juan Somavia, will head a tripartite delegation including, government, worker and employer representatives from the ILO Governing Body, to the World Summit on Sustainable Development when it gets underway on Monday 26 August.

July 2002 

• ILO Director-General to visit Russian Federation on 15-19 July
  12 July 2002 - GENEVA (ILO News) - The Director-General of the International Labour Office (ILO), Juan Somavia, begins a five-day official visit to the Russian Federation on 15 July where he is expected to hold talks with high-level government, worker and employer representatives on a wide range of economic and social issues critical to one of the ILO's largest members.
• ILO says HIV/AIDS impact on African development "underestimated"
  11 July 2002 - BARCELONA (ILO News) - The economic and social impact of HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa is far more severe than previously thought and will seriously undermine the development prospects of affected countries, the International Labour Office (ILO) says in a new analysis released today.
• High level meeting on ILO technical assistance to Palestinian workers
  11 July 2002 - GENEVA (ILO News) - A high-ranking delegation from the Occupied Arab Territories will meet the Director-General of the International Labour Office (ILO), Juan Somavia, on 12 July to discuss urgent plans for technical assistance, especially the establishment of a Palestinian Fund for Employment and Social Protection.
• ILO finds "encouraging signs of improvement" in working conditions in Cambodian garment factories
  01 July 2002 - GENEVA (ILO News) - The International Labour Office (ILO) today reported "encouraging signs of improvement" of working conditions in some 30 garment factories located in Cambodia which produce apparel for sale in North America, Europe and other developed countries.
• ILO welcomes new foundation to eliminate abusive child and forced labour practices in cocoa farming
  01 July 2002 - GENEVA (ILO News) - The International Labour Office (ILO) today welcomed the establishment of a new initiative to fight child labour and adult forced labour in cocoa cultivation and processing.

June 2002 

• Lord Brett, U.K. Worker Representative elected Chairman of ILO Governing Body for 2002-2003
  21 June 2002 - GENEVA (ILO News) - The Governing Body of the International Labour Office (ILO) elected Lord Brett, United Kingdom, as Chairman for its 2002-2003 Session. The Governing Body also heard an appeal for the establishment of a Palestinian Fund for Employment and Social Protection for workers in the Occupied Arab Territories.
• ILO annual Conference adopts new measures to tackle the challenges of globalization
  20 June 2002 - GENEVA (ILO News) - The International Labour Organization (ILO) concluded its 90 th annual Conference today after adopting a series of measures designed to promote a more rigorous approach to tackling the challenges of globalization and create an "anchor" for personal security through poverty reduction, job creation and improved workplace health and safety.
• Rt. Hon. Owen Arthur, Prime Minister of Barbados addresses the International Labour Conference
  13 June 2002 - GENEVA (ILO News) - The Rt. Hon. Owen Arthur, Prime Minister of Barbados, guest of honour at the 90 th Session of the International Labour Conference, today condemned the linkage of labour standards and trade as "immoral and counter productive," saying the International Labour Office (ILO) should have the "teeth" to enforce labour standards in developed and developing countries alike.
• Rt. Hon. Dato' Sei Dr. Mahathir Bin Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia addresses the International Labour Conference
  11 June 2002 - GENEVA (ILO News) - The Rt. Hon. Dato' Sei Dr. Mahathir Bin Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia, the guest of honour of the 90 th Session of the International Labour Conference, today called for "globalization with a social dimension" and denounced the financial actions of the former colonial powers and current multinationals.
• ILO calls for urgent support for occupied territories, urges social dialogue
  10 June 2002 - GENEVA (ILO News) - The Director-General of the International Labour Office (ILO) said today the ILO would establish an urgent plan for creating jobs in the occupied Arab territories and appealed to Palestinians and Israelis to "take the risk of embarking on social dialogue" to achieve peace.
• ILO launches first "World Day Against Child Labour" 12 June 2002
  05 June 2002 - GENEVA (ILO News) - The first World Day Against Child Labour will be observed worldwide on 12 June 2002. The International Labour Organization (ILO) will formally launch this global day with an event at its Geneva offices on 11 June, the eve of the first World Day.
• International Labour Conference opens
  03 June 2002 - GENEVA (ILO News) - The 90 th Session of the International Labour Conference opened today, electing as its president, Mr. Jean-Jacques Elmiger, Secretary of State of the Federal Department of the Economy of Switzerland.