Girl-combatants: Women warriors fight their way back into Liberian society For thousands of women during Liberia's savage civil war, taking up arms was a case of kill or be killed. Now that the war is over, fear and uncertainty still stalk some of the women fighters. Their experiences have helped the ILO develop gender-sensitive policies and programmes that may help reintegrate them into society. ILO consultant Irma Specht reports.
Microfinance in south-eastern Europe: How small business helps to create jobs Experience in Western countries shows that microfinance can be a useful tool in the fight against unemployment, by helping people start their own viable small businesses. An ILO project is now bringing these successful experiences to three countries in south-eastern Europe, helping to introduce microfinance as a tool in active labour market policy. ...
The burden of gold Child labour in small-scale mines and quarries This year's World Day Against Child Labour focused the world's attention on the plight of child labourers in small-scale mines and quarries. The ILO estimates that about one million children aged 5 to 17 are engaged in small-scale mining and quarrying activities worldwide. These children toil under dangerous conditions and go without access to schools, health clinics, and other basic necessities. ...
The new era of textile trade Taking stock in the post-MFA environment In the six months since the quota system held over from the Multifibre Agreement (MFA) expired, much public debate has taken place over the social, economic, and employment impact of this new state of play in the textile sector. ...
April 2005
7th European Regional Meeting In Europe and Central Asia, a newly expanded social agenda The European Region of the ILO is vast, spanning Europe and Central Asia from the Atlantic to the Pacific, as well as a diversity of cultures and societies. Despite this, the 50 member States of the European Region found common ground for "a common future of democracy, economic prosperity and social justice" at the 7th ILO European Regional Meeting held in Budapest from 14 to 18 February.
AROUND THE CONTINENTS A regular review of the International Labour Organization and ILO-related activities and events taking place around the world.
Global Employment Trends 2004-2005 Global Report: More jobs, but not enough growth Despite robust economic growth, the global employment situation improved only slightly in 2004, with employment increasing and unemployment down marginally. The ILO's annual Global Employment Trends says employment creation is still a major challenge for policy makers.
After the Tsunami: In the wake of the disaster, ILO helps rebuild lives and livelihoods The massive earthquake and Tsunami that hit Asia last December left hundreds of thousands dead. What's more, an estimated 4 million people in India, Indonesia, the Maldives, Malaysia, Myanmar, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Somalia and Thailand faced the loss of their livelihoods and the risk of sinking deeper into poverty. ...
A tailor-made future for prosperity: Cambodia In the past few years, a great deal of progress has been made in improving the working conditions of textile factory workers in Cambodia. An ILO monitoring process has helped employers and workers create not only a safer working environment, but better working conditions. ...
Promoting ILO Conventions and Recommendations The cooperatives experience The adoption of new ILO Conventions and Recommendations by the annual International Labour Conference typically follows many months and years of preparatory work and debate. What happens then, however, is not the end of a process but rather the beginning. ...
Checking your pay online Feeling underpaid? Check "Wage Indicator"! If one thing is certain, few people feel overpaid for their work. But many of us worry that we may be earning less than the next person. Usually, this is privileged information. Now, a new on-line service, "Wage Indicator on-line" is changing that. Journalist Andrew Bibby explains how www.wageindicator.org offers new transparency to the age-old question of who earns what.
Tanzania: A life-cycle approach to gender equality and decent work The Government of Tanzania, in partnership with the ILO, is seeking to alleviate poverty through education and training for poor women and children, as well as promoting gender equality. This article explains how ILO projects have contributed to change the lives of poor women and their families in the country
November 2004
First global analysis: HIV/AIDS to have major impact on world of work An estimated 36.5 million people of working age have HIV, and by next year the global labour force will have lost as many as 28 million workers due to AIDS since the start of the epidemic. So says a new global report ( Note 1) by the International Labour Office (ILO) that paints a grim picture of the impact of HIV/AIDS on the world of work.
European Companies and Nordea "Societas Europeae": Ancient name, new concept After years of debate and discussion, the European Union's plan to allow multinational companies to incorporate as "European Companies" is about to become a reality. The statute, together with an accompanying directive covering worker involvement, was passed in October 2001, to come into force three years later. ...
Global economic security in crisis: New ILO report finds "world full of anxiety and anger" A new ILO report ( Note 1) says that economic security promotes personal well-being, happiness and tolerance, while benefiting growth and social stability. Yet it finds the overwhelming majority of people in a state of economic insecurity, and raises doubts over rich countries' ability to turn wealth into happiness.
Ten years after: A decade of progress for indigenous peoples The United Nations International Decade for the World's Indigenous People has focused new attention on the plight of these vulnerable peoples. Now, more than a decade after the adoption of the ILO Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (No. 169) - World of Work examines what progress has been made, and what problems still face these people in today's globalized world.
Mining out child labour in Santa Filomena They still mine for gold in Santa Filomena, a remote mining community far from Lima, Peru. But these days, they do it without the children. With the help of the ILO, this village of 1,500 inhabitants was able to declare itself child labour free this past June - providing a new sheen to the miners and their community.
Youth unemployment at all time high Half the world's unemployed are under 24, according to a new ILO study that charts the skyrocketing of youth unemployment over the past decade. Global Employment Trends for Youth, 2004 ( Note 1) puts the global youth unemployment rate at 14.4 per cent in 2003, a 26.8 per cent increase in the total number of unemployed young people over the past decade. ...
June 2004
From cockle pickers to computer programmers: New approaches for migrant workers In February 2004, 20 Chinese citizens were drowned on the coast of northwest England while picking cockles (a speciality shellfish). The workers were irregular migrants, employed by an organized gang. Their fate highlighted the precariousness of many migrants' existence, their exposure to exploitation, and the need for action to regulate migration around the world. ...
The new postal sector: Why "snail mail" still matters How did this copy of World of Work reach you? If it's a printed copy, the answer is likely to be simple - through the postal services. Despite today's high-speed electronic mail, so-called "snail mail" still reaches an enormous number of people and provides some five million jobs worldwide. This article explains why the post still matters.
