OP-ED
Heartfelt Congratulations to the Republic of Türkiye!
Yasser Hassan - Director, ILO Office for Türkiye
29 October 2023
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Türkçe
Today is 29th October 2023. It is the Centenary of the Turkish Republic. Türkiye and all its friends around the world proudly celebrate it. As the Director of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Office for Türkiye, I extend my heartfelt congratulations from the oldest of the International Organizations, the ILO, founded in 1919 to promote social justice as the surest means of preserving peace.
The Republic was founded by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk after a long struggle for independence, driven by the determination and resolve of the Turkish nation. When proclaimed, it was embraced by the public with pride and joy. Its birth was a significant rendez-vous with history, with its people and the community of nations. Over the course of 100 years, the Republic sustained, developed, and progressed by aspirations and hard work for social and economic progress.
The ILO, similarly, came out of the ashes of World War I.
Its birth as one of the principal instruments of the Treaty of Versailles was more than just a symbol. It marked a profound and powerful recognition that economic and social progress must evolve in tandem, and that ensuring just conditions for workers through effective international cooperation is a necessary condition for a lasting peace.
It was established based on a straightforward, yet profoundly influential concept that ”labour is not a commodity” and that “universal and lasting peace can only be possible through the establishment of social justice”.
For more than a century, governments, employers, and workers of the world have strived together unceasingly to advance social justice and promote decent work.
In Türkiye 1923 marked the beginning of a significant political and social change that gave rise to Republic equipped with a sense of solidarity among its people, which played a critical role for its progression, nation-building, reforms, social and economic development.
It was in that period when the Turkish Republic’s had its initial contacts with the ILO, in conjunction with Atatürk's reforms focused on peace, social and economic progress and the social and economic rights of the people.
Türkiye became a Member State of the ILO on 18 July 1932. From the outset, there was a strong focus on establishing a robust social foundation, and the ILO and Türkiye collaborated diligently to promote social justice for all. Since Türkiye’s accession, our partnerships have become deeper in various labour – related areas for achieving the objectives of decent work agenda including employment, rights at work, social protection, social dialogue as well as occupational safety and health.
As of today, the country has ratified 59 Conventions, including all 10 Fundamental Conventions, three Governance Conventions and 46 Technical Conventions. This is a strong commitment by the Republic to the International Labour Standards.
Represented on the membership of the ILO tripartite Governing Body, first during 1948-1951 up-till the current term of 2021-2024, Turkish government and social partners have been actively contributing to ILO’s endeavours to achieve social justice.
The International Labour Conference of 2019, the “Centenary Conference”, was honoured by the presence of Vice President of the Republic of Türkiye, who’s message to the global assembly of the world of work was loud and clear: “ILO has proven its relevance by not only in establishing social peace but also in contributing to international peace.”
Our mission is to have a strong, and proactive presence in Türkiye by effectively engaging with the government, employers’ and workers’ organizations, as well as international organizations and partners to promote decent work for all. We are committed to ensure that the core ILO priorities, standards, interests, policies are promoted, and its experience is disseminated to all related institutions and agencies in Türkiye.
Since Türkiye’s accession, our partnerships have become deeper in various labour-related areas for achieving the objectives of decent work agenda including employment, rights at work, social protection, social dialogue, fighting discrimination on all grounds, the informal economy, the just transition to green economy, employability, skills and life-long learning, occupational safety and health and much else. We work together with the Turkish government, employers and workers organizations to unpack these concepts and to turn them into realities in the world of work simply because we know that much in our lives depend upon them.
The Centenary that we commemorated in the ILO four years ago was not only a cause of celebration, but also a time of reflection on our purpose, and the course we chart for the future. Amongst many other lessons, our history tells us that whatever our collective future will hold, it will be the outcome of our shared values, our joint efforts, our capacity, and our will to act upon them.
As I congratulate 100th year of the Republic, I am confident that its future will uphold the values of the dignity of work, solidarity, prosperity, and progress with social justice for all.
That is how our mandates will coincide and therefore our destinies will necessarily converge.
The ILO Office for Türkiye and I remain committed to supporting the advancement of social justice in Türkiye.
Long live Türkiye Cumhuriyeti!
The Republic was founded by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk after a long struggle for independence, driven by the determination and resolve of the Turkish nation. When proclaimed, it was embraced by the public with pride and joy. Its birth was a significant rendez-vous with history, with its people and the community of nations. Over the course of 100 years, the Republic sustained, developed, and progressed by aspirations and hard work for social and economic progress.
The ILO, similarly, came out of the ashes of World War I.
Its birth as one of the principal instruments of the Treaty of Versailles was more than just a symbol. It marked a profound and powerful recognition that economic and social progress must evolve in tandem, and that ensuring just conditions for workers through effective international cooperation is a necessary condition for a lasting peace.
It was established based on a straightforward, yet profoundly influential concept that ”labour is not a commodity” and that “universal and lasting peace can only be possible through the establishment of social justice”.
For more than a century, governments, employers, and workers of the world have strived together unceasingly to advance social justice and promote decent work.
In Türkiye 1923 marked the beginning of a significant political and social change that gave rise to Republic equipped with a sense of solidarity among its people, which played a critical role for its progression, nation-building, reforms, social and economic development.
It was in that period when the Turkish Republic’s had its initial contacts with the ILO, in conjunction with Atatürk's reforms focused on peace, social and economic progress and the social and economic rights of the people.
Türkiye became a Member State of the ILO on 18 July 1932. From the outset, there was a strong focus on establishing a robust social foundation, and the ILO and Türkiye collaborated diligently to promote social justice for all. Since Türkiye’s accession, our partnerships have become deeper in various labour – related areas for achieving the objectives of decent work agenda including employment, rights at work, social protection, social dialogue as well as occupational safety and health.
As of today, the country has ratified 59 Conventions, including all 10 Fundamental Conventions, three Governance Conventions and 46 Technical Conventions. This is a strong commitment by the Republic to the International Labour Standards.
Represented on the membership of the ILO tripartite Governing Body, first during 1948-1951 up-till the current term of 2021-2024, Turkish government and social partners have been actively contributing to ILO’s endeavours to achieve social justice.
The International Labour Conference of 2019, the “Centenary Conference”, was honoured by the presence of Vice President of the Republic of Türkiye, who’s message to the global assembly of the world of work was loud and clear: “ILO has proven its relevance by not only in establishing social peace but also in contributing to international peace.”
“ILO Office in Türkiye is working with Turkish Constituents to make decent work a reality for all”
The first ILO Office in Türkiye was opened in İstanbul in 1952 as the “Manpower Field Office for the Near and Middle East”. Moving to Ankara in 1976, “ILO Office for Türkiye” continues to closely collaborate with Turkish constituents to make decent work a reality for all.Our mission is to have a strong, and proactive presence in Türkiye by effectively engaging with the government, employers’ and workers’ organizations, as well as international organizations and partners to promote decent work for all. We are committed to ensure that the core ILO priorities, standards, interests, policies are promoted, and its experience is disseminated to all related institutions and agencies in Türkiye.
Since Türkiye’s accession, our partnerships have become deeper in various labour-related areas for achieving the objectives of decent work agenda including employment, rights at work, social protection, social dialogue, fighting discrimination on all grounds, the informal economy, the just transition to green economy, employability, skills and life-long learning, occupational safety and health and much else. We work together with the Turkish government, employers and workers organizations to unpack these concepts and to turn them into realities in the world of work simply because we know that much in our lives depend upon them.
The Centenary that we commemorated in the ILO four years ago was not only a cause of celebration, but also a time of reflection on our purpose, and the course we chart for the future. Amongst many other lessons, our history tells us that whatever our collective future will hold, it will be the outcome of our shared values, our joint efforts, our capacity, and our will to act upon them.
As I congratulate 100th year of the Republic, I am confident that its future will uphold the values of the dignity of work, solidarity, prosperity, and progress with social justice for all.
That is how our mandates will coincide and therefore our destinies will necessarily converge.
The ILO Office for Türkiye and I remain committed to supporting the advancement of social justice in Türkiye.
Long live Türkiye Cumhuriyeti!