ILO & International Labour — Set 9

Correct Answer: C. Social justice

The Preamble to the ILO Constitution states that 'universal and lasting peace can only be established if it is based upon social justice.' This foundational statement reflects the belief that economic injustice and poor working conditions were among the root causes of World War I and could lead to future conflicts. The Preamble goes on to identify specific conditions that endanger peace, including long working hours, insufficient wages, and denial of the right of association. This philosophical foundation distinguishes the ILO's approach to peace as inseparable from social and economic justice.

Correct Answer: C. Hours of Work in Industry

ILO Convention No. 1, adopted at the first International Labour Conference in Washington in 1919, dealt with Hours of Work (Industry), establishing the principle of the 8-hour workday and 48-hour working week in industrial establishments. This was a landmark achievement, as the 8-hour workday had been a central demand of the labour movement for decades. The convention limited the maximum daily hours of work to 8 hours and the maximum weekly hours to 48 hours. India ratified this first ILO Convention in 1921.

Correct Answer: B. Labour practices and social policies of multinational enterprises

The ILO's Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE Declaration), first adopted in 1977 and updated subsequently, provides guidance to multinational enterprises, governments, and employers' and workers' organisations on employment policies, training, conditions of work and life, and industrial relations. It encourages multinational enterprises to observe standards not less favourable than those observed by comparable employers in the countries where they operate. The MNE Declaration is a voluntary instrument but represents the consensus of governments, employers, and workers at the international level regarding responsible business conduct.

Correct Answer: B. Preventing forced labour and trafficking of migrant workers

The ILO's 'Work in Freedom' programme focuses on preventing forced labour and human trafficking among women migrant workers, particularly from South Asia migrating to Gulf countries and from South East Asia. The programme addresses forced labour risks throughout the migration journey, from recruitment to work abroad and return. It works with governments in origin and destination countries to improve regulatory frameworks for migration, supports migrant workers with information and services, and addresses root causes of vulnerability. India is one of the major countries of origin covered by the programme.

Correct Answer: B. Managed migration with protection of migrants' rights

The ILO's approach to migration is guided by the principle of managed migration with full protection of migrants' rights. The ILO promotes fair migration, which ensures that migration processes are conducted in a safe, orderly, and regular manner, and that migrants are protected from exploitation and discrimination. The ILO has developed various conventions and recommendations on migrant workers, including Convention No. 97 (1949) and Convention No. 143 (1975). The ILO also works with the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and international partners to improve the governance of migration.

Correct Answer: B. 47

India has ratified approximately 47 ILO Conventions as of 2024, including all the conventions related to forced labour, equal remuneration, discrimination, and child labour. However, India has notably not ratified Conventions No. 87 and 98 on freedom of association and collective bargaining. India's ratifications reflect a selective approach that has largely aligned with domestic constitutional provisions and labour legislation. The ILO regularly engages with India through the reporting mechanism on the conventions it has ratified.

Correct Answer: B. Social Protection Floors

ILO Recommendation No. 202 (2012) on Social Protection Floors provides guidance on establishing and maintaining social protection floors – sets of basic social security guarantees that should ensure that all people in need have access to essential health care and basic income security over the life cycle. The recommendation recognises that social protection is both a human right and a social and economic necessity. It calls on member states to establish, within national circumstances, social protection floors that include access to essential health care, basic income security for children, working-age persons unable to earn sufficient income, and older persons. India's social protection programmes like PM-JAY and PM-KISAN align with these principles.

Correct Answer: B. Reduce the annual toll of work-related accidents, injuries, and diseases

The ILO's SAFEWORK programme was established to reduce the annual toll of work-related accidents, injuries, and diseases globally, which cause enormous human suffering and significant economic losses. SAFEWORK supports the development and implementation of national occupational safety and health policies and systems, promotes international labour standards on occupational safety and health, and provides technical assistance to countries. The World Day for Safety and Health at Work, observed on April 28, is a SAFEWORK initiative. SAFEWORK also coordinates the ILO's contribution to the UN's Inter-Agency Committee on Occupational Safety and Health.

Correct Answer: B. SDG Target 8.7 on eliminating forced labour, modern slavery, and child labour

Alliance 8.7 is a global partnership committed to achieving SDG Target 8.7, which calls for taking immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking, secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, and end child labour in all its forms by 2025. The alliance was established in 2016 and builds on the work of IPEC (International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour). It brings together governments, international organisations, civil society, the private sector, and workers' organisations to accelerate progress toward SDG 8.7.

Correct Answer: C. 2019

The ILO's Global Commission on the Future of Work released its landmark report titled 'Work for a Brighter Future' in January 2019, ahead of the ILO's centenary in June 2019. The commission was established in 2017 and co-chaired by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven. The report proposed a human-centred agenda for the future of work, centred on investing in people's capabilities, investing in institutions of work, and investing in decent and sustainable work. Its findings significantly informed the ILO Centenary Declaration adopted in 2019.