Work.
Whether you’ve got it,
you need it
or you depend on others to have it,
work is central to your well-being.
Work gives our lives purpose, dignity….
Work gives us….. our humanity.
Some 200 million people need work.
Millions more have work but live in poverty.
Hundreds of millions lack the basic labour rights to give them a living
that is healthy, safe and secure …
The International Labour Organization
is the UN agency for the world of work.
It was founded on the belief
that social justice is essential to universal and lasting peace.
The ILO promotes Decent Work for all
through an agenda that aims
to give people a fair stake in their working lives and in society.
The ILO was created in 1919
as part of the Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I
to ensure social justice for people at work.
It became a specialized agency of the newly formed United Nations
after the Second World War
and today has a membership of 187 countries that continues to grow.
The ILO received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1969
and today is recognized
as the world’s authority on the world of work;
its impact's seen at key moments in history.
Headquartered in Geneva
and with over 40 field offices around the globe,
the ILO is unique amongst international organizations
- where not only governments
but employers and workers as well have equal voices.
They work together to create labour standards
and policies that impact today’s global economy.
Headed by a Director-General,
the secretariat conducts research and data analysis about the world of work
and supports the work of members and constituents.
Each June, the organization meets for its annual International Labour Conference
where labour standards are discussed and adopted.
An executive council or Governing Body meets three times a year.
In the field, the ILO advises governments
and collaborates on projects at the country level
to help put standards and policies into practice
through training, education and research.
In 2008, the ILO adopted a Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization
to respond to a world faced with economic crisis.
It made Decent Work the core of ILO policy
and put a Decent Work agenda into practice.
The Decent Work Agenda has four strategic objectives;
promote decent employment opportunities;
enhance social protection;
strengthen tripartism and social dialogue;
guarantee fundamental principles and rights at work.
Decent Work is Goal 8 of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
and is an integral part of all 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
The ILO’s Decent Work Agenda
is an essential contribution to peace and security,
to sustainable economic growth
and the dignity of men and women.
Globalization,
disruptive technologies,
rising inequality…
the World of Work is changing faster than ever before.
The ILO brings nearly 100 years of knowledge,
experience and achievement,
as it considers the Future of Work:
"From the ILO, we come to this with a mandate
and our mandate in the end
is to promote social justice in the world.
And that’s the best way to keep our world peaceful."