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ILO’s International Labour Conference has opened its doors

Submitted by on 06/06/2009 – 11:10 amOne Comment

From 3 June to 19 June, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) hosts this year’s International Labour Conference (ILC). The ILC, also referred to as the “international parliament of labour” is the main legislative body of the ILO which has the competence to adopt Conventions and Recommendations on international labour standards. The ILC can also adopt Declarations on social and economic issues, the last ones being the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work of 1998 and the Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalisation of 2008. The ILC also deals with the supervision of the ILO’s labour standards, and adopts the ILO’s biennial budget and work programme.

In addition, the ILC is a forum for discussions of global social and labour issues. Unsurprisingly, this year the main focus lies on the social implications of the economic crisis. Issues to be addressed include the question how the looming jobs crisis can be tackled and how a social dimension can be included in economic and financial rescue packages. In this respect, the Director General has proposed a “Global Works Pact”, a set of social and economic policy tools in order to mitigate the social effects of the crisis at the international and national level (see here fore more information).

The ILC will also discuss how the crisis affects the implementation of international labour standards, in particular basic rights such as abolition of forced and child labour, non-discrimination at work and freedom of association and collective bargaining.

Furthermore, the ILC will address the adoption of a new labour standard on HIV/AIDS and the world of work. This instrument will set out obligations and rights of workers and employers relating to the prevention and the handling of this disease, taking particular account of gender- and migrant-related problems that arise in this regard (for further information see here).

The results of the ILC will be published in a final document at the end of the conference.

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