News

April 2008

1. 

   UNCTAD XII: The opportunities and challenges of globalization

   18 April 2008

   In a statement to the Twelfth United Nations Conference on Trade and Development in Accra, Ghana (21-25 April), the ILO calls on the international community to grasp the opportunities offered by globalization by creating an environment conducive to full and productive employment and decent work for all. It focuses on the synergies between the work of UNCTAD and the ILO, with particular emphasis on building an international response to the risks of a marked slowdown in global growth following the financial turmoil sparked by the US financial situation and the sharp rise in food prices worldwide.

2. 

   ILO sees a significant improvement in Workplace attitudes to HIV/AIDS

   14 April 2008

   New report says some 1 million workers in 24 countries are now benefiting from the HIV/AIDS strategic responses in Enterprises (SHARE) project.

3. ILO announces availability of microinsurance grants

   10 April 2008

   he International Labour Office (ILO) has announced the availability of grants from its new “Microinsurance Innovation Facility” aimed at producing new ideas and innovative approaches for insurance products for low-income people.

4. 

   ILO Director-General calls for new multilateral consensus to head off global slowdown and recession

   09 April 2008

   Citing threats to stability and progress in the world of work due to instability in the world of finance, International Labour Office Director-General Juan Somavia has called for a new multilateral “consensus” to head off a global slowdown and recession.

5. 

   Luxembourg ratifies 20 ILO Instruments including 15 in the field of occupational safety and health

   08 April 2008

   The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg has ratified 20 Instruments of the International Labour Organization – 18 conventions and 2 protocols, most of which are related to occupational safety and health. A combined ratification of such magnitude is relatively rare in the history of the ILO. As a result, Luxembourg has now ratified a hundred ILO Instruments.

March 2008

1. 

   ILO Governing Body concludes 301st session - Considers labour situation in Myanmar, Colombia and other countries, welcomes growing links with World Bank

   20 March 2008

   The Governing Body of the International Labour Office concluded its 301st session following wide-ranging discussions on basic labour rights in Myanmar, Colombia, Belarus and other countries, as well as strengthening cooperation with the World Bank to forge an inclusive and sustainable globalization.

2. 

   World Bank President cites growing ties with ILO on globalization and decent work agenda, welcomes “partnership through dialogue”

   17 March 2008

   World Bank President Robert B. Zoellick cited increasing ties with the International Labour Organization in pursuit of “an inclusive and sustainable globalization” and a broad range of other issues of joint concern including job creation and other elements of the ILO’s Decent Work Agenda.

3. Joint communiqué from ILO, IMO and WHO: New International Medical Guide for Ships (Third Edition) launched jointly by ILO, IMO and WHO

   13 March 2008

   A new edition of the International Medical Guide for Ships has been published by the World Health Organization (WHO), on behalf of the International Labour Organization (ILO), International Maritime Organization (IMO), and WHO itself. Copies of this book are now available from WHO and IMO.

4. 

   ILO Convention No. 187 on occupational safety and health to come into force following ratification by the Republic of Korea

   13 March 2008

   The Republic of Korea has recently ratified a new ILO Convention, the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health, Convention No. 187. This ratification will bring this important international labour standard designed to promote a “preventive safety and health culture” into force in the next 12 months.

5. 

   ILO Governing Body opens 301st session: Labour situation in Myanmar will be discussed, along with migration, discrimination and freedom of association

   06 March 2008

   The Governing Body of the International Labour Office (ILO) will address a range of issues at its 301st session beginning here today, including basic labour rights in a number of countries, public-private partnerships, as well as ILO action on migrant workers and discrimination in employment and occupation.