Media Advisory ILO Governing Body opens 295th Session

GENEVA (ILO News) - The Governing Body of the International Labour Office (ILO) will hold its 295th session here on 16-31 March and discuss a wide range of subjects including forced labour in Myanmar, the global jobs crisis, youth employment and globalization issues.

The meeting will also consider ILO activities in the field of employment promotion and social protection, adopt the latest report of its Committee on Freedom of Association and discuss the recently adopted Maritime Labour Convention, 2006.

The Governing Body's Working Party on the Social Dimension of Globalization will discuss the implications for the ILO of the Outcome Document of the 2005 World Summit, such as opportunities for making decent work a global goal and UN system-wide reform, on Monday 27 March. Mr. Louis Michel, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid will address the Working Party on the morning of that day.

The Governing Body will consider the question of the Government of Myanmar's observance of the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) during the last week of its meeting. On Wednesday 29 March it will also discuss a report on follow-up action on the resolution on youth employment adopted by the 93rd Session (2005) of the International Labour Conference.

For background and a complete agenda of the meeting, please see: www.ilo.org/public/english/standards/relm/gb/

The Governing Body is the executive body of the International Labour Office (the Office is the secretariat of the Organization). It meets three times a year, in March, June and November and takes decisions on ILO policy, the agenda of the International Labour Conference and the draft Programme and Budget of the Organization for submission to the Conference.

It is composed of 56 titular members (28 Governments, 14 Employers and 14 Workers) and 66 deputy members (28 Governments, 19 Employers and 19 Workers). Ten of the titular government seats are permanently held by States of chief industrial importance (Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States). The other Government members, and the worker and employer members, are elected by the Conference every three years.