In accordance with a Governing Body decision of decentralizing the International Labour Organisation Office, the ILO opened its Office for the South Pacific in Suva in 1975. The Office, has since, been working with its traditional partners or Constituents, namely Governments, workers and employers organizations.

The overall theme of observing “30 Years of ILO in the South Pacific” is “Decent Work for Dignity and Development”. The purpose of the observance of 30 years is for ILO Constituents to jointly access the impacts of ILO activities in bringing positive changes in economic and social arenas, nationally and sub-regionally, and to assist them with the aim of fulfilling the goal of Decent Work.

The office serves 22 South Pacific Island countries. six of these, Fiji , (joined in 1974) Papua New Guinea (joined in 1976), Solomon Islands (joined in 1984), Kiribati (joined in 2000), Vanuatu (joined in 2004) and most recently Samoa (joined in 2005) are full members of the ILO.

ILO’s Decent Work country programme(s) is based on national consensus to reduce decent work deficits with particular reference to its Member States namely; Fiji , Kiribati , Papua New Guinea , Samoa , Solomon Islands and Vanuatu . The country programmes are commitments of ILO and its Constituents to contribute and achieve the following four global objectives:

• To promote and realize standards, and fundamental principles and rights at work

• To create greater opportunities for women and men to secure decent employment

• To enhance the coverage and effectiveness of social protection for all

• To strengthen tripartism and social dialogue

Comprehensive research , on the work done in the region and its impact , are underway. It is intended this research will assist in the compilation of a publication. The publication will be launched, to mark the Anniversary.

ILO in the 21st Century
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) was founded in 1919 in the aftermath of World War I. The opening phrase of its Constitution – “whereas universal and lasting peace can be established only if it is based upon social justice” – points to ILO’s commitment to fairness at work, in society and the economy. In recognition of its work, ILO received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1969.

The world has witnessed many changes and the ILO has sought to address not only how to manage these changes in the world of work, but what the changes aim to achieve. The heart of the matter is the management of change during peoples’ working life: change from school to work, between jobs or occupations, from one country to another and from fulltime employment to a well-earned retirement. It is about how society organises itself to have the flexibility to adapt, raise productivity, grow and compete, while maintaining a balance with the security that families and communities need to build a happy and fulfilling existence.

Global changes are taking place at all levels. But change without a sense of values or change that only benefits the few is destabilising. So the ILO’s aim in the 21st Century is to secure decent work for all. The opportunity to obtain decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity is a shared goal of ILO’s worldwide Constituency of Governments, employers’ organisations and trade unions. Decent work as a global goal is also the guiding theme for ILO’s strategic policy framework.