Azerbaijan: Conference on trade unions and youth global challenges and new approaches

BAKU, 1 August 2012 (ACTRAV INFO) - The Bureau for Workers' Activities (ILO-ACTRAV) took part in an international conference on “Trade unions and youth: global challenges and new approaches” in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The main objectives of the conference were to discuss and explore areas defined by the Pan-European Region Council of the ITUC (PERC) Youth Committee as priority in 2012.

From 31 July to 1 August 2012, participants discussed several issues, especially on quality jobs for young workers and union approaches; intergenerational solidarity; renewal and relations with new movements, and finally communication and visibility of youth work.

“My main role at the conference was to present a keynote address of the global youth employment challenge and identify specific union approaches. My presentation was based mainly on the workers' perspectives at the general discussions in the Committee on Youth Employment at the 2012 International Labour Conference (ILC). In addition, I also presented the challenging perspectives that emerged from employers’ and governments’ groups leading to the negotiated ILC conclusions”, explained Mr Mohamed Mwamadzingo, Senior Economist at the ILO’s Bureau for Workers' Activities (ILO-ACTRAV).

The conference participants deliberated on effective communication strategies and renewal approaches for young women and men, and also identified mechanisms required to redefine priorities in building workers’ power. Three priorities for 2012-2014 were adopted: building workers’ power; sustainable and decent jobs; and social protection and poverty reduction.

Organised by PERC in collaboration with the Azerbaijan Trade Union Confederation (AHIK), this conference brought together about 70 young trade unionists mainly from post-USSR countries such as Azerbaijan, Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Caucasus, Moldova, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Lithuania, but also from other European countries including Bulgaria, Latvia, Hungary, Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, and Belgium.

For more information, please contact:

Mr. Mohammed Mwamadzingo
Senior Specialist in Workers’ activities
Tel: +41 22 799 7503
E-mail: mwamadzingo[at]ilo.org