ILO - BRUSSELS
NEWSLETTER N°. 2/2006
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International Women's Day
Gender equality is at the heart of the ILO's mandate. International Women's Day, on 8 March, will be the opportunity to put this issue back at the
centre of international discussions. Some statistics published by the ILO on this occasion show just how much still remains to be done to achieve
this equality. Out of the world's over 500 million extreme working poor, approximately 60% are women and 60% of the people who work unpaid in family
business throughout the world are women. Inequality persists in executive positions. In politics, for example, there are only nine female heads of
state and no national parliament can boast equal numbers of men and women. The same trend can be seen in business: in France for example, barely 7%
of the 5,000 largest private sector companies are managed by women.
The latest ILO annual jobs report also highlights a clear negative relationship between the rate of female participation on the labour market and
the difference in salaries for equal work.
Click here to find out more about the ILO's activities for promoting gender equality.
Click here to access the ILO Information Base on Equal Employment
Opportunities for Women and Men.
A further 2.2 million unemployed in the world
The new ILO annual jobs report indicates that global unemployment has reached unprecedented levels in 2005: the total number of jobless totalled
191.8 million people at the end of 2005, an increase of 2.2 million since 2004 and 34.4 million since 1995. Half of these unemployed are young people
aged between 15 and 24, whereas this age group only makes up 25% of the working-age population.
The ILO report shows that the weakness of most economies to turn GDP growth into job creation or wage increases hit the world's working poor
especially hard. Despite 4.3% global GDP growth in 2005, only 14.5 million out of the world's 500 million extreme working poor were able to rise
above the $1 per day, per person poverty line. A spate of natural disasters and rising energy prices made the situation worse.
A press release on the annual report on global employment trends is available by
clicking here. You can read a summary of the report by
clicking here.
A Masters course in trade union policies and globalisation
The Global Labour University which offers the very first Masters course in trade union policies and globalisation, is getting ready for its
third academic year. The University was created by the ILO's Bureau for Workers' Activities (ACTRAV) to facilitate exchange, foster research and
offer university-level courses on the political, economic and social dimensions of globalisation for labour and trade union experts. The course
takes place in Berlin and Kassel (Germany). Unionists interested in the Masters have until 1 March to enrol for the 2006-2007 course. If you would
like more detailed information or the application form,
click here.
Employment stability or employment flexibility?
A recent article in the ILO's International Labour Review analyses the relationship between employment stability and productivity in six major
sectors in 13 European countries. According to the authors, both extensive and short job tenure can produce adverse affects on productivity. They
propose a policy of 'protected mobility' on the labour market, together with active labour market policies seeking to combine both flexibility and
security. You can read an interview with the co-author of the article by
clicking here.
A guide for better child labour reporting
The InFocus Programme on Child Labour of the ILO (IPEC) has recently published a new practical guide to assist governments in putting together
periodic reports on child labour under the Minimum Age Convention (No. 138) and the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention (No. 182). The guide
sets out the content of the Conventions, the definitions of child labour and worst forms of child labour, the policies necessary to eradicate it
and so on. It is available by
clicking here.
New programme of courses by ILO International Training Centre
The new programme of courses run by the ILO's International Training Centre can be accessed by
clicking here. The Centre, located in Turin,
works to enhance the capacity of governments, employers' and workers' organisations and other economic and social players so that they can play an
effective role in the economic and social development of their countries and regions. This year's training courses will cover subjects as diverse as;
labour policy, understanding Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers, industrial training, health and safety at work, gender equality and the promotion of
social dialogue.
Two new studies on labour migration
The ILO's International Institute for Labour Studies has recently published two new studies on labour migration. One, entitled 'Merchants of Labour',
focuses on the merchants and intermediaries active at all levels of migration: recruitment, travel, getting a job in the destination country and so on.
It goes into detail about the best practices for controlling the merchants and intermediaries as well as innovative strategies to protect migrant
workers. It is available by
clicking here. The other study, entitled 'Competing for global talent',
addresses the migration of skilled workers and the cultural and socio-economic challenges that arise as a result. In particular, it reviews the
experiences in the United Kingdom and the United States. The study is available by
clicking here.
New publications
The following recent ILO publication may be of special interest to our readers:
- Trade union strategies in Central and Eastern Europe: Towards decent work
2005; ISBN 92-2-117852-8; €22
This study examines the complex roles and strategies of trade unions during 15 years of economic and social transition in Central and Eastern Europe.
It explores what strategies and policies unions in this region will need in order to curb negative trends and strengthen their capacities and functions
within the new industrial relations systems. It also looks at major issues stemming from the European Union integration process for the trade unions in
the countries in question. You can place an order for a copy of the publication by
clicking here.
Scheduled meetings
Please
click here for a list of ILO meetings scheduled for 2006.
Contact us
For more information on the ILO's activities, please contact the :
ILO Brussels
Rue Aimé Smekens 40
B -1030 Brussels
Belgium
Tel.: + 32 02 736 59 42
Fax: +32.02 735 48 25
E-mail: brussels@ilo.org
Website : www.ilo.org/brussels
