April 2005

1. Article

   After the tsunami Preventing child exploitation in Aceh

   15 April 2005

   The Indonesian province of Banda Aceh was the worst hit by the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami on 26 December 2004. Among the victims of the disaster are many children between the ages of 15-17 who survived the initial disaster, but are now living in camps for displaced persons. To prevent child labour and exploitation of these children, the ILO launched a new training programme in the province in March.

2. Article

   After the tsunami In Thailand, the tourist industry fights back

   11 April 2005

   The December tsunami hit Thailand's tourist resorts and beaches hard, both in human terms as well as in lost incomes and livelihoods. Now, the tourist industry is making a comeback. Journalist Clifford Coonan looks at how the job situation is faring, and what the ILO and Thai authorities are doing to boost reconstruction.

March 2005

1. News

   ILO-EU Conference calls for the strengthening of labour inspection services

   31 March 2005

   The ILO-EU Conference on labour inspection 9-11 March 2005 in Luxembourg, noted that globalization requires more creative holistic approaches and presses for economic and social reforms, which can only be successful with strong, competent and independent labour inspectorates.

2. Article

   Employment Services Centres in Afghanistan In Afghanistan, "Men who work, have no time to make war"

   30 March 2005

   An estimated 30 per cent of the Afghan work force is unemployed. In addition, approximately 100,000 ex-combatants are about to enter the labour market and hundreds of thousands of refugees are returning home. Though a vast majority (70-80 per cent) of them will return to their villages and find a livelihood in the agricultural sector, a considerable number will remain in urban areas and seek employment there, many without formal education and training. In response to the need for labour market services, the ILO in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs is establishing Employment Services Centres in Afghanistan.

3. Press release

   ILO Governing Body concludes 292nd Session Considers labour rights, programme and budget for 2006-07, globalization and other issues

   24 March 2005

   The Governing Body of the International Labour Office (ILO) concluded its 292nd session here today following wide-ranging discussions by tripartite delegates on issues ranging from respect of basic labour rights in Myanmar, Nepal, Zimbabwe and other countries to strategies for new partnerships to promote a fair globalization.

4. News

   New seafarers ID cards closer to reality, says ILO Progress in achieving global interoperability in seafarers' identification

   24 March 2005

   The International Labour Organization (ILO) announces an important step forward in ensuring the proper functioning of the biometric element of its new "biometric" identity verification system for seafarers. The tests carried out in this regard could also contribute to advances in achieving biometric interoperability in other areas.

5. Article

   After the tsunami Rebuilding lives: A first step to rebuilding a community

   23 March 2005

   The Indian Ocean tsunami took some one million lives in Sri Lanka and Indonesia alone, mostly among fishing, tourism and small business workers. In Sri Lanka, the disaster also cost some half a million persons their jobs – adding to the 750,000 already out of work. An ILO survey says half of those newly unemployed could be back at work before the end of the year – if adequate aid for reconstruction and repair of shattered work places as well as replacement of lost equipment is given ( Note 1). This report shows what challenges remain.

6. Article

   Labour inspectors: Killings in 2004 highlight the need for new preventive measures

   18 March 2005

   The killing of two labour inspectors in France and three inspectors and their driver in Brazil in the line of duty last year drew media headlines. But according to the ILO, these two extreme examples are only the tip of the iceberg as far as problems facing labour inspection are concerned. Last week, a high level ILO-European Union (EU) conference in Luxembourg called for a holistic approach to labour inspection which puts the workers' rights to decent working conditions into practice.

7. Article

   7th European Regional Meeting To survive means to succeed

   15 March 2005

   After the democratic changes in October 2000, the Serbian economy opened up to the world. As a consequence, many local companies were unable to compete with foreign companies and had to close down. In 2001, the ILO started a local economic development project in South West Serbia followed by a new, more comprehensive one in 2004 covering South East Serbia. Such local economic development initiatives in Europe and Central Asia were also discussed at the recent European Regional Meeting of the ILO in Budapest, on 14-18 February. Serbian journalist Andreja Tomasevic reports.

8. Article

   7th European Regional Meeting Apples and advocacy: the ILO boosts local capacity in Kazakhstan

   14 March 2005

   Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the agricultural infrastructure of Eastern European and Central Asian countries is slowly recovering from profound structural reforms. With the aim of creating new jobs and generating income for the local population, the ILO has launched a project to revitalize the local economy in Kazakhstan. Local economic development initiatives in the region ( Note 1) were also discussed at the recent European Regional Meeting of the ILO in Budapest, on 14-18 February.