ILO Governing Body concludes 285th session.
28 November 2002
The ILO Governing Body concluded its 285th session on November 22 2002 following two weeks of spirited discussion over issues ranging from strengthening tripartism among its social partners, to the situation of workers in the occupied Arab territories, Colombia and forced labour in Myanmar.
The Governing Body also approved establishment of a pilot project to test the concept of a “Global Social Trust” which could ultimately help to provide basic social security for up to 100 million people in the least developed and low-income countries.
Regarding the appointment of the Director-General, delegates confirmed that the election should take place at its 286th session in March 2003. The five-year-mandate of the Director-General will take effect on 4 March 2004. The current Director-General Juan Somavia of Chile was elected to his position in March 1999, and his first term will be completed by March 2004. During the discussion several speakers expressed their support for a second term for Mr. Somavia.
The Governing Body also followed up on a resolution adopted by the International Labour Conference in June designed to strengthen the tripartite structure of the 83-year-old Organization and enhance the role of its employer and worker representatives. Under the resolution on tripartism, delegates approved proposals for concrete action, including “social dialogue audits. The Governing Body requested the Director-General to put in place a comprehensive cross-cutting plan of action for strengthening tripartism and social dialogue throughout the office.
Global Social Trust
The Governing Body authorized the Office to initiate a project to test the idea of addressing the challenge of alleviating poverty through an internationally-financed social protection mechanism known as a Global Social Trust. With 1.3 billion people living on less than US$ 1 a day – and with the world community resolved in the Millennium Development Goals to halve that number by 2015 – the Global Social Trust concept is to raise family income in the poorest countries through the provision of basic social security. Financing would come from networks of individuals in developed countries, who would systematically make regular, voluntary donations of a few dollars a month to create basic social protection systems in developing countries and support benefit payments until those systems become self-supporting.
The core benefits would consist of basic income security benefits, education and health services. Following up on a study authorized last year by the ILO Director-General and presented this week, the Governing Body authorized the test include one donor country and one developing country together in setting up a concrete anti-poverty social protection benefit in the developing country. The pilot project would last several years and the Governing Body and the public will be informed about the progress at regular intervals. The project will be accompanied by an advisory board that will monitor the progress of the pilot and the Global Social Trust concept in general.
The Governing Body also approved establishment of a pilot project to test the concept of a “Global Social Trust” which could ultimately help to provide basic social security for up to 100 million people in the least developed and low-income countries.
Regarding the appointment of the Director-General, delegates confirmed that the election should take place at its 286th session in March 2003. The five-year-mandate of the Director-General will take effect on 4 March 2004. The current Director-General Juan Somavia of Chile was elected to his position in March 1999, and his first term will be completed by March 2004. During the discussion several speakers expressed their support for a second term for Mr. Somavia.
The Governing Body also followed up on a resolution adopted by the International Labour Conference in June designed to strengthen the tripartite structure of the 83-year-old Organization and enhance the role of its employer and worker representatives. Under the resolution on tripartism, delegates approved proposals for concrete action, including “social dialogue audits. The Governing Body requested the Director-General to put in place a comprehensive cross-cutting plan of action for strengthening tripartism and social dialogue throughout the office.
Global Social Trust
The Governing Body authorized the Office to initiate a project to test the idea of addressing the challenge of alleviating poverty through an internationally-financed social protection mechanism known as a Global Social Trust. With 1.3 billion people living on less than US$ 1 a day – and with the world community resolved in the Millennium Development Goals to halve that number by 2015 – the Global Social Trust concept is to raise family income in the poorest countries through the provision of basic social security. Financing would come from networks of individuals in developed countries, who would systematically make regular, voluntary donations of a few dollars a month to create basic social protection systems in developing countries and support benefit payments until those systems become self-supporting.
The core benefits would consist of basic income security benefits, education and health services. Following up on a study authorized last year by the ILO Director-General and presented this week, the Governing Body authorized the test include one donor country and one developing country together in setting up a concrete anti-poverty social protection benefit in the developing country. The pilot project would last several years and the Governing Body and the public will be informed about the progress at regular intervals. The project will be accompanied by an advisory board that will monitor the progress of the pilot and the Global Social Trust concept in general.