Video News Releases

September 2012

1. 

   Labour rights recognized for Filipino domestic workers

   05 September 2012

   The Philippines' ratification of ILO Convention 189 officially extends basic labour rights to domestic workers and will bring the convention into force within the year. But what does passing this landmark legislation actually change in the life of a maid working in the Philippines?

August 2012

1. 

   Monitoring Climate Change in the Philippines

   31 August 2012

   In the southern Philippines, the lives of farmers and the weather have always been intimately connected. But now, the effects of climate change are making farmers’ livelihoods even more vulnerable. By monitoring severe weather, a project implemented by the International Labour Organization is helping protect farmers from the worst effects of climate change, and insuring those most at risk.

2. 

   Taking Decent Work on Board

   21 August 2012

   When the ILO adopted the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006) in February 2006, Director-General Juan Somavia called it "making labour history" for seafarers around the world.The MLC, 2006, will come into force 12 months after ratification by 30 ILO member States, representing a total share of at least 33 percent of the world's gross tonnage (gt) of ships. The Convention promotes a strong enforcement regime to ensure that labour standards are enforced as effectively as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) conventions on ship safety, security and environmental protection (SOLAS/MARPOL) by both flag and port States.

3. 

   To be young and profitable in Peru

   10 August 2012

   There are nearly 450,000 young people without jobs in Peru. They represent more than two thirds of the country's unemployed and of the 5 million young people who do have work, many are in "precarious" conditions, without social benefits or job security. So instead of looking for a job, many young Peruvians prefer to looking toward themselves and starting their own businesses.

4. 

   Return to Chitwan: The Bote people in Nepal

   08 August 2012

   Throughout the world, the traditional lifestyles of indigenous people are threatened by changing times, economic development and poverty. In Nepal, one group of tribal people barred from their traditional hunting grounds for nearly 40 years may yet see the old way of life return, thanks to a new law protecting their rights.

5. 

   Transitioning to Green Jobs in Sri Lanka

   03 August 2012

   “Green jobs” can be created in the most fundamental of workplaces, and the result can benefit traditional industries. That’s what is happening in Sri Lanka, where former “waste pickers” at Sri Lanka’s garbage dumps were given new skills to work more efficiently and protect their health, and that is benefitting one of the island’s iconic industries.

6. 

   Making Labour Migration Safer for Laotian Workers

   01 August 2012

   Many people dream of a better life in a foreign country, but without job skills and good connections the risk of exploitation is high. There’s a new initiative by the Laotian government to give people who want to try for a better life abroad the chance to make it work safely and legally.

July 2012

1. 

   Cambodia's Employment Injury Insurance Fund

   25 July 2012

   Cambodian workers who are injured at work or in transit to their workplace now benefit from a government-run system of insurance thanks to an ILO/Korea Partnership project. The National Social Security Fund is a worker compensation scheme that is self-sufficient and overseen by the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training. When a claim is approved, the fund provides in-kind and cash benefits regardless of whether the individual is able to return to full-time employment.

2. 

   Uruguay takes the lead to protect domestic workers

   24 July 2012

   Providing protection for the world's millions of domestic workers has taken a major step forward. In April 2012, Uruguay became the first country to ratify ILO Convention 189, the landmark treaty guaranteeing domestic workers get the same core labour protections as other workers. Uruguay has long been a leader in protecting the rights of domestic workers, but ratifying the convention demanded a unique approach; a group of Uruguayan housewives were called on to represent the employers of domestic workers at the bargaining table.

3. 

   The Job Crisis in the Eurozone

   11 July 2012

   Austerity policies designed to cut debt in the Eurozone are resulting in a steady rise in unemployment, prolonging and deepening the crisis in the single currency area, according to a report from the ILO, "Eurozone job crisis: trends and policies responses". Unemployment in the Eurozone could reach almost 22 million over the next four years, unless appropriate measures are taken to boost growth and promote job creation.