ILO & International Labour
Labour Laws · ILO और अंतर्राष्ट्रीय श्रम · 18 facts
ILO (International Labour Organization): Founded 1919 in Treaty of Versailles; oldest UN specialized agency; HQ Geneva, Switzerland; 187 member states.
ILO's unique structure: Only UN body with tripartite structure — governments (1 vote each), employers (1 vote), workers (1 vote); equal say for all three.
ILO Nobel Peace Prize: Awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 1969 for improving fraternity and peace among nations and workers.
India is a founding member of ILO (1919); India has been a regular member of ILO's Governing Body; Indian voices shape global labour standards.
Philadelphia Declaration 1944: Declared 'labour is not a commodity'; affirmed freedom of expression and association; fundamental ILO principles; incorporated into ILO Constitution.
ILO Core Conventions (Fundamental): 8 core (now 10 with 2018 additions) conventions covering forced labour, child labour, discrimination, freedom of association.
C87 (Freedom of Association): Workers and employers have right to establish/join organizations of their choice; ILO Convention 87; India has NOT ratified.
C98 (Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining): Protects right to collective bargaining; India has NOT ratified C98 either.
C138 (Minimum Age): Sets minimum age for employment at 15 years (14 for developing countries); India ratified in 2017 — minimum age aligned at 14 years.
C182 (Worst Forms of Child Labour): Prohibits slavery, debt bondage, forced recruitment, prostitution, drug trafficking involving children; India ratified.
Decent Work Agenda (ILO): 4 pillars — Employment (productive jobs), Rights at Work (core labour standards), Social Protection (coverage), Social Dialogue (tripartism).
ILO-India: India-ILO Decent Work Country Programme; focuses on skills, social protection, formalization of informal economy, child labour elimination.
ILO's Global Employment Trends Report: Annual publication analyzing world labour market; tracks employment, unemployment, working poverty, vulnerable employment.
World of Work Report: ILO publication on social inequalities, income distribution, labour market policies; advocacy for decent work globally.
ILO vs WTO: ILO focuses on labour standards; WTO focuses on trade; debate on whether trade agreements should include labour standards ('social clause').
Forced Labour Conventions: C29 (1930) and C105 (1957) — ILO's earliest core conventions; India ratified both; prohibit all forms of compulsory labour.
ILO SDG Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth — promote sustained, inclusive, sustainable economic growth, full productive employment, and decent work for all.
ILO Director General: Gilbert F. Houngbo (Togo, from October 2022); leads ILO secretariat; elected by Governing Body of ILO.