About the Office

The ILO was founded in 1919 to bring governments, employers and workers together for united action in the cause of social justice and better living conditions everywhere. The most unique feature of the ILO is its tripartite structure where workers’ and employers’ representatives participate in its work on an equal footing with representatives of the governments.

The ILO’s mandate of social justice as the basis for peace is expressed today as Decent Work for all. Decent work is now recognized as a global goal, the promotion of which means striving for economic growth with equity, though a coherent blend of social and economic goals, which leds to opportunities for all women and men to obtain decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and dignity. This implies not just more jobs but better jobs. The ILO’s main methods of work are research and publications, training and capacity building, technical cooperation, standard-setting and monitoring, experience-sharing and meetings as well as advisory services.

The Decent Work Technical Support Team for South Asia and Country Office for India (DWT/CO-New Delhi) is based in New Delhi. The Decent Work Technical Support Team for South Asia, mainly provides technical support to ILO constituents in countries in South Asia (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka including Bhutan which is a non-member country) to promote Decent Work Agenda through implementation of Decent Work Country Programme. The Country Office for India is responsible for ILO activities in India.


Some key areas of ILO’s work in South Asia are:

• Employment Strategies;
• Skills and employability;
• Micro and small enterprise development;
• Inclusive growth;
• Extending social protection;
• Occupational safety and health and conditions of work;
• Elimination of child labour;
• Gender equality;
• Protection of migrant workers;
• HIV/AIDS;
• Strengthening Ministries of Labour and Employment, Employers; and Workers’ Organizations;
• Labour market governance;
• Tripartism and social dialogue; and
• International Labour Standards.