The ILO in Action: Artists for fundamental principles and rights at work
The ILO’s artist engagement programme, ArtWorks, has continued to bring together the Organization and artists committed to promoting fundamental rights in the world of work.
Following the 2014 adoption of the Forced Labour Protocol, the ILO launched the 50 for Freedomcampaign to achieve 50 national ratifications by 2018. In order to mobilize support, the artist engagement programme has focused on enlisting well known personalities to endorse the campaign. This has resulted in the ILO securing its first regional Goodwill Ambassador, Brazilian actor Wagner Moura.
As part of the 50 for Freedom campaign, a series of “Voice of the Voiceless” videos have been developed to tell the real life stories of people trapped in forced labour. A number of well-known artists have lent their voice to these stories, including Wagner Moura and fellow actors Robin Wright and David Oyelowo. The videos have proved very successful in raising the profile of the issue, have been shared widely on social media, and have increased sign-ups to the campaign.
There have also been similar videos on other world of work issues, including HIV and AIDS, for which actress Sharon Stone voices the story of a woman who lost her job after testing HIV-positive. More broadly, the impact of artist support has led to requests for more artist engagement, particularly on issue-specific international days. For example RJ Mitte, who played a lead role in the television series Breaking Bad, recorded a video message for the ILO event for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
In June 2015, award-winning artist and musician Pharrell Williams delivered a video message to the World of Work Summit at the International Labour Conference, on climate change and the world of work. The video was carried on the front page of the Guardian website, the Huffington Post and other mainstream media.
Making economies green could create millions of decent jobs all around the world."
Pharrell Williams
Williams is now a long-time supporter of the ILO, and in June 2014 joined producer, composer and guitarist Mike Einziger, and composer Hans Zimmer to record an original song for the Red Card to Child Labour campaign. The song, Till Everyone Can See, has since been viewed almost 380,000 times. It has captured the imagination of campaigners in many countries, and a Thai version of the song by Thai rock band Body Slam has been viewed over 6.7 million times on YouTube. A Nepali version is now in the works.
Williams is now a long-time supporter of the ILO, and in June 2014 joined producer, composer and guitarist Mike Einziger, and composer Hans Zimmer to record an original song for the Red Card to Child Labour campaign. The song, Till Everyone Can See, has since been viewed almost 380,000 times. It has captured the imagination of campaigners in many countries, and a Thai version of the song by Thai rock band Body Slam has been viewed over 6.7 million times on YouTube. A Nepali version is now in the works.