Food; drink; tobacco and Standards & rights at work

Of the total number of women employed in the manufacturing industries, women constituted an estimated 18 % in the food, drink and tobacco industries in 2004. Recent statistics show that more workers in developing countries are benefiting from new jobs in the food and drink industry as businesses based in industrialized countries relocate certain operations and invest in processing facilities in the less developed countries. Rapid technological changes in recent years have also affected the jobs of many workers, a large majority of them women. Women also account for a large proportion of low-skilled and low-paid jobs in these industries, but there has been little progress in redressing the state of affairs in many countries. Workers in such situations are in need of training and retraining to keep up with changing skill requirements.

Useful links/resources

Pertinent international labour standards useful in dealing with these issues are:

• Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142) and Recommendation, 1975 (No. 150).

National labour legislation (NATLEX database)

• National legislation dealing with manufacturing workers , including those in food, drink and tobacco

ILO sectoral information sources

• Food; drink; tobacco sector