On 13 June 2008, the 97th annual Conference of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) concluded by adopting a landmark declaration designed to strengthen the promotion of Decent Work and develop new ways of responding to the growing challenges of globalisation. This International Labour Conference (ILC) with around 4,000 government workers and employer leaders from the ILO’s 182 member States met in Geneva from 28 May 2008, to discuss a wide range of issues, including rural poverty reduction, the latest developments in labour rights and enhancing skills development. The conference also held wide-ranging discussions on rural poverty reduction and enhancing skills development, and considered a number of issues regarding adherence to international labour standards. In addition, it hosted a high-level panel discussion on the global food crisis and marked the annual World Day Against Child Labour.

At the conclusion of the Conference, Juan Somavia ILO Director-General said, “This Conference once again demonstrated the vitality of tripartism at the heart of the organisation, now re-energised to fully discharge its mandate in the context of the challenges of today.” Mr. Somavia said the Conference had “placed decent work at the heart of the ILO’s institutional system” through the adoption of the “Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalisation”.

The ILC also considered strategic challenges in terms of obtaining decent work and on 11 June hosted a high-level panel discussion on ‘Tackling the Food Crisis through Investment, Production and Decent Work’. On 9 June, the ILO Director-General, Juan Somavia, provided delegates with an overview of ILO issues and concerns in his address and presented a new report on `Decent Work—Some Strategic Challenges Ahead` that examines the role of the ILO’s Decent Work agenda in promoting balance and equity in the world at the economic, financial, social and environmental crossroads.

Among other special events, the plenary marked the World Day against Child Labour on 12 June under the theme ‘Education, the Right Response to Child Labour’. 

The conference also elected new members to the ILO’s Governing Body for the coming three years, and discussed ways of strengthening the capacity of the ILO to assist the efforts of its member States to reach its objectives in the context of globalisation, and enhance employment, social protection, fundamental rights and social dialogue, which are the four main pillars of Decent Work.

Since around 3.4 billion people—slightly below half of the world`s population—now live in rural areas, one of the main agenda of ILC was to work out options for promoting rural employment for poverty reduction, fundamental both to the realisation of the Millennium Development Goals and the ILO’s Decent Work agenda. The Committee underscored the central role of agriculture as an engine of growth and poverty reduction. A wide range of topics were analysed, including trends in rural employment and decent work deficits, extending social protection coverage and the application of international labour standards in rural areas, as well as promoting better governance, empowerment and institutions.

The delegates also examined recent trends in skills development and forward-looking skills policies, fostering a ‘virtuous circle’ in terms of higher productivity, more employment of better quality, income growth and development.

The Conference Committee on the Application of Standards considered information and reports supplied by governments on the effect given to ILO Conventions and Recommendations. The normal practice is to discuss 25 cases of the application of standards by individual countries. The Committee also had a special sitting to examine forced labour in Myanmar.

The Committee discussed a general survey on the social dimension of public procurement and reviewed ways for promoting social sustainability of public procurement, and how ILO Convention No. 94 on Labour Clauses can be used to this end.

The conference plenary discussed the ILO’s new Global Report on Freedom of Association on 6 June. The report, ‘Freedom of Association in Practice: Lessons Learned’, says that despite a global trend towards wider recognition of civil rights, millions of workers and employers around the world still lack fundamental rights. The report is issued under the follow-up of the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work adopted in 1998.

During the discussions in the plenary, tripartite delegates, including labour ministers and leaders of workers’ and employers’ organisations from most of the ILO’s 181 member states discussed the latest ILO report on the situation of workers in the occupied Arab territories.

The Committee on Skills adopted a set of conclusions to guide governments and social partners in strengthening the linkages between skills, productivity, employment, development and decent work. Improving the quality and availability of education and training for women and men can engender a virtuous circle in which skills development fuels the innovation, investment, technological change, enterprise development, economic diversification and competitiveness that are needed to accelerate the creation of more and better jobs and improve social cohesion.

The role of the ILC is to adopt and oversee compliance with international labour standards, establish the budget of the organisation and elect members of the Governing Body. Since 1919, the Conference has served as a major international forum for debate on social and labour questions of worldwide importance. Each member country has the right to send four delegates to the conference: two from the government and one each representing workers and employers, each of who may speak and vote independently.