Features

2012

1. 

   South-South cooperation

   “Alien plants” boost green jobs in South Africa

   20 November 2012

   South Africa has become a success story when it comes to creating jobs and protecting the environment through its Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP). Many other countries in the global south are also benefitting from similar programmes.

2. 

   Microinsurance

   Insuring livestock to protect the poor

   12 October 2012

   Livestock insurance has the potential to reduce the vulnerability of poor populations. The challenges are formidable, but recent technology offers hope.

3. 

   Article

   Cape Verde: How social protection can help the elderly

   04 June 2012

   The International Labour Conference is considering adoption of a Recommendation on Social Protection Floors. The ILO is convinced every country can move towards social security for all, and cites the example of impoverished Cape Verde.

4. 

   Feature

   Social Protection for Thailand’s Informal Economy Workers

   05 April 2012

   People working in the informal economy are vulnerable and often lack social protection. When natural disasters such as the 2011 flood in Thailand strike, they are frequently left without adequate support. But now the International Labour Organization (ILO) and other United Nations agencies are working with the Thai Government to change this and create a suitable social protection system. Alice Molinier and Kakkanang Ghettalae, ILO Social Protection Consultants, and Poonsap Tulaphan, Foundation for Labour and Employment Promotion report.

2011

1. 

   Feature story

   Building a social protection floor in Mozambique

   10 October 2011

   Mozambique is a low-income country with high levels of poverty, informal and rural labour. Seriously affected by HIV and AIDS and exposed to climatic shocks and crises such as floods and droughts, the country’s institutions only have a limited capacity to deal with such shocks and offer social protection for the poor and vulnerable population. To address these challenges, an ILO technical cooperation project financed by Portugal works, together with other UN Agencies, to improve public policies and strengthen institutional capacity for the extension of social protection in Mozambique and other Portuguese-speaking African countries.

2. 

   Feature story

   Inequities in health care access in the European region

   06 October 2011

   The objective of providing universal health coverage is high on the agenda of countries in the broader European region, yet vulnerable groups often do not have full access to health services, according to Dr. Xenia Scheil-Adlung, Health Policy Coordinator at the ILO’s Social Security Department. ILO Online spoke to Dr. Scheil-Adlung, who has published a study looking at the situation in the region, which includes the European Union, the Commonwealth of Independent States and Central and Eastern Europe.

3. 

   Feature story

   Questions and Answers on the Convention Concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers

   21 June 2011

   The landmark treaty setting standards for the treatment of domestic workers that was adopted at the International Labour Conference in Geneva has been widely hailed as a milestone. The Convention and accompanying Recommendation on decent work for domestic workers aim at protecting and improving the working and living conditions of domestic workers worldwide - estimated to number anywhere between 53 million and 100 million. ILO Online spoke to Manuela Tomei, Director of the ILO’s Conditions of Work and Employment Programme.

4. 

   Article

   Questions and answers on Growth, Productive Employment and Decent Work in the LDCs

   06 May 2011

   In preparation for the Fourth UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC-IV), the International Labour Organization (ILO) has produced a report “Growth, Productive Employment and Decent Work in the LDCs,” which argues for transformative policies for decent work in LDCs. UN-NGLS (United Nations Non-Governmental Liaison Service) interviews José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, Executive Director for Employment, ILO, on the key insights and recommendations of the report.

5. 

   Article

   Developing self reliance – Building hope: The ILO Employment for Peace Programme in Somalia

   07 April 2011

   Mogadishu, the capital city of Somalia, has been racked by violence and insecurity for nearly two decades. But there are signs of hope: among them, an ILO programme which provided a visible peace dividend to poor communities by engaging them in large scale employment-intensive projects. This and similar projects will be discussed at the ILO-IGAD-African Union Conference on "Employment for Peace, Stability and Development" on 11-12 April 2011 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Conference will map out a regional strategy for the Horn of Africa built upon a “virtuous triangle” consisting of the creation of employment opportunities, social protection for the most vulnerable and empowerment of people and communities. ILO Online reports from Mogadishu.

2010

1. 

   Social protection

   Paid sick leave pays off in times of crisis

   24 June 2010

   Paid sick leave plays a crucial role especially in times of crises where many workers fear dismissal and discrimination when reporting sick. A new ILO study shows that paid sick leave is not only affordable but pays off in terms of health and economic gains for employers, workers and the economy at large. ILO Online spoke with Xenia Scheil-Adlung, co-author of the study and ILO Health Policy Coordinator.