The ILO and the Active Partnership Policy

ILO Mandate

The International Labour Organization was established in 1919 and is the oldest specialized agency of the United Nations. It seeks the promotion of social justice and internationally recognized human and labour rights.

The ILO formulates international labour standards in the form of Conventions and Recommendations setting minimum standards of basic labour rights: freedom of association, the right to organize, collective bargaining, abolition of forced labour, equality of opportunity and treatment, and other standards regulating conditions across the entire spectrum of work related issues. It provides technical assistance primarily in the fields of vocational training and vocational rehabilitation; employment policy; labour administration; labour law and industrial relations; working conditions; management development; cooperatives; social security; labour statistics and occupational safety and health. It promotes the development of independent employers' and workers' organizations and provides training and advisory services to those organizations.

Active Partnership Policy

The ILO's active partnership policy is designed to bring the Organization closer to its tripartite constituency in member States and to enhance the coherence and quality of the technical services that it provides. It is based on the principle of continuous dialogue, leading to the definition of a set of Country Objectives and a programme of work on social or labour issues that the ILO and its social partners are committed to achieving in the country. Country objectives are policy documents, which spell out the priority areas of interventions and the programmes of action the ILO will undertake with its constituents over a medium-term period of 3 to 4 years. They are formulated in close consultation with the ILO's tripartite constituents in each country, but remain the responsibility of the ILO.

In the context of this policy, Country Objectives must reflect the priorities for development of the tripartite constituents as well as the values of the ILO.

In order to ensure effective implementation of the policy, a multidisciplinary approach has been adopted in operational activities. There are currently 16 multidisciplinary advisory teams, which have been established throughout the world, and SAMAT is the team responsible for the Southern African sub-Region.