Mission and impact of the ILO

Promoting jobs, Protecting people

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is devoted to promoting social justice and internationally recognized human and labour rights, pursuing its founding mission that social justice is essential to universal and lasting peace.

Only tripartite U.N. agency, the ILO brings together governments, employers and workers representatives of 187 member States, to set labour standards, develop policies and devise programmes promoting decent work for all women and men.

Today, the ILO's Decent Work agenda helps advance the economic and working conditions that give all workers, employers and governments a stake in lasting peace, prosperity and progress.

Four strategic objectives at the heart of the Decent Work agenda

  1. The ILO and the 2030 development agenda

Country data and ILO results

  1. ILO country knowledge portal

    National information and data on labour laws, standards, policies and statistics. Country profiles provide also relevant information on ILO projects and programmes, publications and good practices.

Stories of impact

  1. “Women have great business ideas, creativity and innovation. They should make use of those talents”

    07 March 2023

    Following years of displacement and uncertainty, Samar from Mosul has set up a business making and selling sweets and pastries. She talks about her journey of becoming a successful entrepreneur, with the support of an ILO financial inclusion initiative providing entrepreneurs with trainings and loans to start or expand their businesses.

  2. A journey through Yemen’s labour market

    05 March 2023

    A new collection of ILO photos captures Yemeni workers and employers at work, demonstrating their struggles, perseverance and optimism for a better future.

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Unmatched expertise and knowledge about the world of work

In support of its goals, the ILO offers unmatched expertise and knowledge about the world of work, acquired over almost 100 years of responding to the needs of people everywhere for decent work, livelihoods and dignity. It serves its tripartite constituents - and society as a whole - in a variety of ways, including:
  • Formulation of international policies and programmes to promote basic human rights, improve working and living conditions, and enhance employment opportunities
  • Creation of international labour standards backed by a unique system to supervise their application
  • An extensive programme of international technical cooperation formulated and implemented in an active partnership with constituents, to help countries put these policies into practice in an effective manner
  • Training, education and research activities to help advance all of these efforts