GENEVA (ILO News) - The shortage of decent work is "the fault line" in the global economy today, according to the annual report of the ILO Director-General Juan Somavia to the 89 th Session of the International Labour Conference, which meets in Geneva from 5 to 21 June.
In his report, which is addressed to Ministers of Labour and the tripartite constituents of the ILO's 175 member States, the Director-General expresses "profound concern about a global decent work deficit of immense proportions, reflecting the diverse inequalities of our societies."
He argues that "reducing the decent work deficit is the quality road to poverty reduction and to greater legitimacy of the global economy." His report also draws attention to a series of recent reforms and modernization within the Organization designed to "focus the ILO's energies on decent work as a major global demand."
12 June marks the official start of the Time-Bound Programmes to Eradicate the Worst Forms of Child Labour. Working with the ILO International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour, three countries - Tanzania, Nepal and El Salvador - have pledged to be the first to work to eliminate the worst forms of child labour in 10 years or less.
Global Report on stopping forced labour
On 15 June, in a special sitting of the Conference, delegates will discuss a global report prepared under the Director-General's responsibility on the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour. The report portrays worldwide trends and was prepared as part of the follow-up to the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, adopted by the International Labour Conference at its 86 th Session in 1998.
This year's report finds that forced labour, slavery and criminal trafficking in human beings - especially women and children - are on the rise worldwide and taking new and insidious forms. While such ancient, practices such as outright slavery and feudal bondage are becoming increasingly rare in the modern world, they are still present in a number of war-torn and impoverished countries. The forced recruitment of children for armed conflict, deemed one of the worst forms of child labour, is also on the rise.
Health and Safety in Agriculture
The Conference Committee on Safety and Health in Agriculture will undertake its second discussion on the adoption of possible new standards. While international standards and updated codes of practice already exist in the mining and construction sectors, there is no comprehensive Convention or Recommendation dealing with the safety and health problems of workers in agriculture.
Agriculture is one of the three most hazardous industries together with mining and construction in both developing and industrialized countries. The ILO estimates that out of a total of 335,000 fatal workplace accidents worldwide, some 170,000 casualties are among agricultural workers every year. Many of the world's 1.3 billion agricultural workers are seriously injured in workplace accidents involving machinery, or poisoned by pesticides and other agro-chemicals.
In addition, there is concern that the end picture of occupational safety and health for farm workers may be worse than official statistics indicate due to the widespread under-reporting of deaths and injuries worldwide. A large number of agricultural workers do not have adequate social protection. In most countries, only some categories of agricultural workers are covered by national legislation, employment injury benefits or insurance schemes.
The proposed new standards intend to construct a framework on which national policies on occupational safety and health in agriculture can be developed. Among the key issues discussed by the Committee at its first discussion in June 2000, was the principle that protection should cover all workers, including self-employed farmers, and the impact of agricultural activities on the environment should also be considered. Finding ways to improve the safety, health and working conditions of workers in the agricultural sector, remains a key challenge as it is more diverse and less rigidly organized than the industrial sector.
The major points considered in the draft Convention and Recommendation include appropriate means of risk assessment and risk management, preventive and protective measures regarding machinery safety, handling and transport of materials, chemicals management, animal handling, construction and maintenance of agricultural facilities. There are also other provisions concerning young workers and child labour, temporary seasonal workers and self-employed farmers, maternity protection for agricultural workers, insurance against injuries and sickness, welfare and accommodation facilities.
Promotion of cooperatives
The International Labour Conference will also have a first discussion on a new international labour standard on the Promotion of Cooperatives. This new instrument is expected to replace ILO Recommendation 127 on the "Role of Cooperatives in the Economic and Social Development of Developing Countries" which was adopted in 1966.
Cooperatives are playing an increasingly important role worldwide in facilitating job creation, economic growth and social development. Ranging from small-scale to multimillion dollar businesses across the globe, cooperatives are estimated to employ more than 100 million women and men, and have more than 800 million individual members. Cooperatives mainly operate in agricultural marketing and supply, finance, wholesale and retailing, health care, housing and insurance.
The ILO has prepared draft conclusions to serve as a basis for discussion by the Conference. The new instrument would ask members to adopt measures to promote cooperatives in all countries to create employment, develop their business potential, increase savings and investment and improve social well-being.
Members will be asked to consider the promotion of cooperatives as one of the objectives of national and social development, and to reflect on measures to create an enabling environment to promote the growth of economically viable and democratically managed cooperatives. In this respect, the specific roles of the social partners will be a key element of the discussion."
Social security - issues, challenges and prospects
A general discussion on social security trends worldwide will be based on a report entitled "Social security - issues, challenges and prospects". The report argues that social security is a key element of decent work and addresses the problem of the lack of any social protection for the majority of workers in many countries.
In sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, for example, statutory social security coverage is estimated at 5 to 10 per cent of the working population. In most industrialized countries, coverage is close to 100 per cent, although in a number of these countries, especially those in transition, compliance rates have fallen in recent years. The ILO estimates that only about 20 per cent of the world's workers are covered at the present time.
The report takes account of the new challenges which globalization is creating for social security, due to increased capital mobility and the implications this has had for financial markets and for economic stability. Particular attention is paid to the social and economic effects of social security, a topic which is at the centre of the debate in this field.
The report also looks at practical ways in which social security can help to promote gender equality. It analyses the implications of population ageing for the financing of social security, discusses different financing systems as well as the role of government as ultimate financial guarantor.
The report concludes that, in order to extend and improve social protection, it is necessary to expand social dialogue and to create partnerships among the various actors involved.
ILO programme and budget 2002-03
The Conference will be called upon to examine and adopt the programme and budget of the ILO for the 2002-2003 biennium and to consider other financial and administrative matters that the Governing Body decided to bring to its attention. At its March session, the Governing Body recommended adoption of a budget totalling $472,488,505.
The four basic strategic objectives remain creating jobs, promoting rights at work, social protection and social dialogue, these being the mutually reinforcing components of the ILO's decent work agenda.
Other items
In accordance with the resolution adopted by the International Labour Conference at its June 2000 Session, and following the entry into force on 30 November 2000 of the measures foreseen in that resolution, the situation of forced labour in Myanmar will be discussed at a special sitting of the Committee on the Application of Standards.
The Conference will also consider information and reports on the application of Conventions and Recommendations supplied by governments together with the report of the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations.
On 14 June, a special sitting will be held to examine the ILO Director-General's report on the condition of workers in the Occupied Arab Territories.
On 19 June, the ILO Governing Body Working Party on the Social Dimensions of Globalization will meet to discuss its future work.
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