Sectoral Activities Action Programmes

Background

Sectoral Activities Action Programmes are a mix of research, technical advice and technical cooperation carried out using sectoral social dialogue. Held at either the national or regional level, these programmes address sectoral issues that are of high priority to the ILO's constituents. An action programme supports a social dialogue platform, through which a particular sector's issues within a given country can be addressed, and concrete activities designed and implemented by way of a national action plan or policy recommendations. Each action programme focuses resources on a limited number of countries, so as to maximize impact. Within each programme, possibilities for sustainability and replication are pursued. In 2004-05, six Action Programmes were launched (Agriculture, Construction, Education, Financial services, Tourism, and Textiles), as well as a cross-sectoral programme on HIV/AIDS. In 2006-07, three new programmes were launched in the Health services, Public services and Telecommunication sectors.

Evaluation

A Global Steering Group meeting was held on 22 September 2006 to evaluate the Action Programmes launched in 2004-05 using a summary report as a basis for the discussion. Full evaluation reports are available for the action programmes on Agriculture, Construction, Education, Tourism and Textiles. The outcomes of the evaluation meeting are contained in a Governing Body document. The Global Steering Group evaluated the programmes launched in 2006 at a meeting on 23 January 2007 based on a summary report. The outcomes are contained in a March 2007 Governing Body document. Building on the experiences and lessons learnt, a methodological framework has been developed for monitoring and evaluating future action programmes. It is intended to assist in the efficient design, management and evaluation of sectoral action programmes. The Framework for Monitoring and Evaluation is available online for information.

The Action Programmes

Agriculture

The main theme of the Action Programme on Decent Work in Agriculture is improving occupational safety and health (OSH) in agriculture, through social dialogue. The three principal types of activities are national level activities; training activities for managers and workers to improve OSH at the workplace; and the adaptation of the WIND methodology (Work Improvements in Neighbourhood Development) to rural communities. For additional information, please email .

Construction

The Construction Action Programme aims to develop multi-stakeholder platforms for social dialogue in the construction sector, with a cross-thematic approach. The action plans formulated by tripartite national steering committees guide each country's activities and reflect national priorities in the construction sector. For additional information, please email .

Education

This programme, Teachers for the future: Meeting teacher shortages to achieve education for all, brings together national education stakeholders - governments, teachers' unions and private school employers - to investigate the causes, dimensions and impact of teacher shortages affecting educational access and quality, using the ILO principles of social dialogue. National reports and regional policy dialogue outcomes have been published. A global report will be published in 2007. For additional information, please email or visit the website of the Education action programme.

Health services

The overall aim of this Action Programme is to develop and disseminate strategies and best practices for the management of health services migration, from the supplying nations' perspective. Participating countries explore the effects of health worker migration on their health systems, and analyse their existing migration practices. The findings from these countries will be compared so as to develop strategies and best practices that could then be shared with other supplying countries. For additional information, please email Ms. Christiane Wiskow.

HIV/AIDS

The Action Programme on A sectoral approach to HIV/AIDS at the workplace develops and validates sector-specific workplace or enterprise tools for addressing HIV/AIDS, in close cooperation with the ILO/AIDS programme. The Action Programme uses the ILO Code of practice on HIV/AIDS and sectoral good practice as its framework. Participating sectors are: Construction, Education, Health services, Mining and Transport. For additional information, please visit the website of the HIV/AIDS action programme.

Hotels, catering and tourism

The Action Programme Addressing more and better jobs in the hotels, catering and tourism sector, focuses on providing assistance to member States on the development of human resource policies and programmes. It is designed to strengthen social dialogue at the sectoral and enterprise level and to improve the working conditions in hotels and restaurants, in accordance with the ILO Decent Work Agenda. Within this framework, the programme envisages the improvement and/or establishment of institutionalised labour-management relations at company level through pilot activities for example in Barbados, Egypt and Croatia. For additional information, please email Mr. Wolfgang Weinz.

Textiles, clothing, leather and footwear

The Action Programme on Improving competitiveness in the textiles, clothing and footwear sectors by promoting decent work seeks to develop a strategic approach for bringing sectoral enterprises up to date in each country, in light of the national conditions. This is an integrated approach in its economic and social dimensions, with a view to promoting decent work in these industries. For additional information, please email or visit the website of the textiles, clothing, leather and footwear action programme.

Public services

The Action Programme Enabling public services to contribute to sustainable development and poverty alleviation through social dialogue and HRD is aimed at improving the capacity of public service stakeholders to engage in social dialogue, and establishing a social dialogue mechanism for national development and poverty alleviation. The programme is geared towards public administrative services that are primarily delivered through public funding. For additional information, please email Ms. Nona Iliukhina.

Telecommunication Services

The Action Programme on Skills and employability in telecommunications services in sub-Saharan Africa (2006-2007) has included research, policy guidance, training courses and activities to promote training and social dialogue. Activities have been focused on a regional meeting on skills and employability in Africa, sub-regional training courses in Eastern and Southern Africa and in Francophone Central Africa and research on the telecommunications industry in Africa. For additional information, please email or visit the website of the telecommunication services action programme.