Crisis response

El Salvador kicks off the first ILO jobs pact pilot programme

The first pilot programme for the implementation of the Global Jobs Pact is to be launched in El Salvador with ILO technical support.

News | 11 May 2010

President Mauricio Funes of El Salvador announced that the International Labour Organization (ILO) has selected his country to develop the first pilot programme for the implementation of the Global Jobs Pact. President Funes made the announcement on the eve of May 1st, International Workers Day, at the inauguration of “Centro Obrero Dr. Humberto Romero Alvergue”, a new community sports and entertainment facility for workers and their families in Conchalíofue.

The President called upon his Government and the Ministry of Labour to support the Jobs Pact pilot programme and seek appropriate means to be used in its timely implementation. A tripartite committee will start working immediately on proposals to be submitted to the Social Economic Council. On the immediate agenda, the president announced the launch of a health programme providing medical coverage for thousands of domestic workers not previously affiliated with the Salvadoran Social Security Institute (ISSS). "Today, I announce the implementation of special arrangements for the integration of domestic workers into ISSS health system. This initiative means that more than 100,000 people who work every day in our households will have the same rights as the workers in the formal sector," added the President.

Minister of Labour, Victoria Marina Velasquez de Aviles, commended the decision and added that her Ministry is working to promote a new concept of a healthy family environment. Velasquez said that newly created centres for employees such as the Alvergue Center will certainly contribute to improving the working lives for thousands of people in El Salvador.

For more information on the Global Jobs Pact, please contact jobspact@ilo.org