The fight against poverty and for social justice is a central concern of the ILO. The Philadelphia Declaration commits the Organization to wage a war against want based on the fundamental principles that labour is not a commodity; that freedom of association is essential to sustained development; and that poverty anywhere constitutes a danger to prosperity everywhere. On this basis, the ILO reaffirms that all human beings have the right to development; that the attainment of the conditions for this must constitute the central aim of national and international policy; and that such policies and measures, should be judged and accepted only in so far as they promote the achievement of this fundamental objective. This constitutional mandate and the fact that trade unions have always been about eradicating poverty, has motivated the Bureau for Workers' Activities to develop a work programme to strengthen the capacities of trade unions in poverty reduction strategies.

Activities     - ACTRAV Symposium 05     - ACTRAV Projects     - AU Summit 04 ILO and Poverty Reduction Publications Relevant Topics     - PRSPs     - MDGs     - GCAP ACTRAV Coordinator     - Mr. Claude Akpokavie

ACTRAV: International Workers' Symposium 17-21 Oct. 05
The Bureau for Workers' Activities is organising an International Workers' Symposium in Geneva from the 17th to 21st October 2005 on "The role of trade unions in the global economy and the fight against poverty". The aim of the international symposium is to: review the state of the global economy in the light of the report of the World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalisation and assess progress being made towards building a just globalisation; focus on the Millennium Development Goals, particularly that of reducing poverty, and consider the role of trade unions in the fight against poverty; and provide an opportunity for senior officials of trade unions to develop strategies to promote global governance and the eradication of global poverty. Participants will be senior trade union leaders from some 60 countries worldwide. On the 17th October, participants will observe the UN International Day for the Eradication of Poverty together with representatives of organisations involved in the Global Call to Action Against Poverty.
Background document (English) / (French) / (Spanish)
Programme (English) / (French) / (Spanish)
Conclusions (English) / (French) / (Spanish)
Poster

ACTRAV: Projects
India - Hope Dawns as Women Beat Poverty (July 04)

AFRICAN UNION: Extraordinary Summit on Employment and Poverty Reduction, 03-09.09.04

Social Partners' Forum, 03-04.09.04: "Decent Work, a new development strategy for Africa"
Conclusions
Programme
List of workers' delegates
Memorandum on the preparation
ACTRAV newsletter Jun 04

AU Summit web sites
ILO WEB Site about the AU Summit
AU Summit official WEB Site
African Union (AU)

 ILO and Poverty Reduction

"The ILO is concerned with decent work. The goal is not just the creation of jobs, but the creation of jobs of acceptable quality. The quantity of employment cannot be divorced from its quality. All societies have a notion of decent work, but the quality of employment can mean many things. It could relate to different forms of work, and also to different conditions of work, as well as feelings of value and satisfaction. The need today is to devise social and economic systems which ensure basic security and employment while remaining capable of adaptation to rapidly changing circumstances in a highly competitive global market."

The National Policy Group (INTEGRATION/NPG)
Decent work and Poverty Reducation Strategies, A reference manual to ILO staff and constituents
Decent work for Africa's development, 2003

 Publications

ACTRAV
Trade unions and poverty reduction strategies, Labour Education 2004/1-2, No. 134-135
Unions and Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers - an overview
Central African Republic: Debt relief on hold, by workers on edge
More of the same - Niger's PRSP experience
African PRSPs - unions dialogue with World Bank and IMF
Building a fair society - Kyrgyzstan's unions and poverty reduction
Poverty and reform in the magical kingdom: Nepal's PRSP
In doubt but on board - Ghana's unions and the PRSP
Unions and PRSPs - an analysis of the World Bank's view
Uncomfortable but taking part - Cambodia's unions and the PRSP
Structural adjustment and poverty reduction in Africa
Pro-poor growth: linkages and policies
India: Hope dawns as women beat poverty
Equality and poverty reduction
Union rights - a competition factor?
Profiting from the poor: privatization and poverty reduction
Social dialogue for poverty reduction - ILO points the way
Minimum wage: does it cut poverty?
Trade Unions and Poverty Alleviation in Africa, 2003
The challenge of globalization in Africa: The trade union response (Labour Education 2001/2 No. 123)

ILO
Poverty in Africa (Fact Sheet)
Working out of Poverty - Report of the Director-General to the 91st ILC, 2003
PRSPs: An Assessment of the ILO's experience. A report to the Committee on Employment and Social Policy of the ILO GB, Nov 02
Decent Work and Poverty Reduction Strategies, A reference manual for ILO staff and constituents
Other publications on poverty

Other Organizations
World Bank: World Development Report 2000/2001: Attacking Poverty
The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time (Prof. Jeffrey D. Sachs, Foreword by Bono)

"...poverty (is) the absence of possessions, knowledge and power."

ACTRAV: Trade Unions and Poverty Reduction Strategies
ILO: Decent Work and Poverty Reduction Strategies, A reference manual for ILO staff and constituents
GURN: Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers and International Financing Institutions (PRSPs/IFIs)
ICFTU: Guide to IMF/World Bank Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers
World Bank Poverty Net
IMF
Report on the Evaluation of Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) and The Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF)
Joint World Bank/IMF 2005 PRS Review

UN: Overview of MDGs
UN: The Millennium Development Goals Report, New York, 2005
UN Millennium Campaign: voices against poverty
The UN Millennium Project
UNDP: Human Development Reports

"Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings. And overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life. While poverty persists, there is no true freedom... I say to all those leaders: do not look the other way; do not hesitate. Recognise that the world is hungry for action, not words. Act with courage and vision. ...Make Poverty History in 2005. Make History in 2005. Then we can all stand with our heads held high."

GCAP: The Global Call to Action against Poverty is a worldwide alliance committed to making world leaders live up to their promises, and to making a breakthrough on poverty in 2005

Trade Unions and the GCAP:
ICFTU: The Global Call to Action against Poverty
WCL


ACTRAV and the GCAP : Fight Poverty - Organize!
"The fight against poverty and for social justice has always been the cornerstone of the trade union's mandate and work. When poor workers organize themselves into trade unions they become actors in development: they have collective strength, their rights are defended; their interests protected; and avenues for social dialogue open up for them to improve their living and working conditions. Organizing is therefore a route out of poverty and trade unions, an instrument to fight poverty."

Background Paper, ACTRAV Symposium on "the Role of Trade Unions in the Global Economy and the Fight against Poverty".

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 Related ACTRAV Web Pages

Standards, Fundamental Principles, Rights at Work
Employment
Social Protection
Social Dialogue
Child Labour
Environment
Gender Promotion
Research
Youth Forum
Education and International Training Centre

Updated by LO. Approved by JB. Last updated: 7 December 2005