Discussion of the Reports of the Director-General and of the Chairperson of the Governing Body.

Download texts of delegates' statements

Website of the 111th International Labour Conference

The International Labour Organization will hold its 111th annual International Labour Conference in Geneva from 5–16 June 2023. Worker, employer and government delegates from the ILO's 187 Member States will tackle a wide range of issues, including: a just transition towards sustainable and inclusive economies, quality apprenticeships, and labour protection.

More information on the <a href="https://www.ilo.org/ilc/ILCSessions/111/lang--en/index.htm">official website of the 111th International Labour Conference</a>

More information on the official website of the 111th Conference

The opening sitting of the 111th International Labour Conference will elect the Conference President and Vice-Presidents, adopt the operational arrangements for the conduct of the Conference and the constitution of committees. It will also hear the opening addresses of the President of the Conference, the Employers’ group and Workers’ Group Chairpersons as well as the opening statement by the ILO Director-General and the presentation by the Chairperson of the Governing Body of her report.

Geneva

Opening of the 111th International Labour Conference

Plenary debates – Morning sitting

Every year, representatives from Governments, Workers' and Employer's Organizations of the ILO Member States come together at the International Labour Conference. Often called the international parliament of labour, they discuss the latest challenges facing the world of work and propose solutions to overcome them. This episode of the ILO World of Work Show will focus on the conference, its aims and the issues on the agenda.&nbsp;

What’s at stake at the International Labour Conference? 

Plenary debates – Afternoon sitting

An essential part of the ILO’s supervisory system is the Committee on the Application of Standards. It provides the opportunity for representatives of governments, employers and workers to examine how ILO Member States uphold the International Labour Standards that they have ratified. As the ILC discusses the creation of a new international standard on apprenticeships, the World of Work Show will look at how labour standards are created, implemented, and their effect on working lives.&nbsp;

Labour standards, what are they and why do they matter?

Labour protection is at the core of social justice and decent work. But what does that mean exactly and are labour protection systems fit for purpose in a rapidly changing world of work? To explore this, the ILO World of Work Show will explore the role of labour protection at a time of multiple crises. Join us as well to look back at the first week of the 111th International Labour Conference.&nbsp;

Inclusive Labour Protection for All 

To mark World Day Against Child Labour, held every June 12, the ILO&nbsp;World of Work Show&nbsp;looks at what else needs to be done to protect the 160 million children worldwide who are in child labour - many in dangerous conditions. We will also explore the critical role of social protection in protecting workers and their families.&nbsp;

What’s the key to ending Child Labour?

The World of Work Summit will take place on June 14-15 around the central theme of “Social Justice for All”. Ahead of this high level forum, the ILO&nbsp;World of Work Show&nbsp;will offer a sneak peak of what is expected over the two days and will introduce some of the global figures who will attend. With domestic workers continuing to be one of the most overlooked categories of workers worldwide, we will also explore what more needs to be done to ensure they too have access to decent work and social justice.&nbsp;

How can we achieve Social Justice?

Plenary sitting – Afternoon

Plenary sitting – Morning

2023 is the 25th anniversary of the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, a historic commitment by governments, employers' and workers' organizations to uphold basic human values in our social and economic lives. At last year’s ILC the right to a safe and healthy working environment was declared as the fifth fundamental principle and right at work. So, the&nbsp;World of Work Show&nbsp;will explore what difference the Declaration has made to the working lives of women and men around the world and what more still needs to be done. The show will also wrap up the 111th International Labour Conference and discuss its achievements.&nbsp;

Labour Rights are Human Rights

Adoption of Committee reports and Closing ceremony.

Closing of the 111th International Labour Conference

Davos

Switzerland

ILO Headquarters

Room IV

Palais des Nations

111th International Labour Conference

A source of income amidst a crisis, a sense of ownership amongst a community

Education empowered me to fight for women’s rights in Kenya

You're watching ILO Live

We can eliminate gender inequality in Asia's garment sector

Social protection at the crossroads in pursuit of a better future

How domestic workers got organized in Kuwait

The ILO at Work

Green jobs and Decent work in Mongolia

We won’t need to beg for water anymore

Entrepreneur turns problems into profit

ILO set to implement emergency employment scheme in earthquake-damaged neighbourhoods in Aleppo (Syria)

An apprenticeship changed my life

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The COVID-19 pandemic confirmed the vital role social protection plays against both systemic shocks and ordinary life-cycle risks. As the world enters a period of multiple and interconnected crises, in which poverty and inequalities are increasing alarmingly, can social protection take on the greater task of supporting fundamental human rights? ILO Director-General, Gilbert F. Houngbo and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, discuss how this might be done.

How can social protection support human rights and advance social justice?

Volker Türk

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

Gilbert F. Houngbo

International Labour Organization (ILO)

Director-General

ILO and OHCHR are organizing an event to mark the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the ILO Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87). The event aims to inspire more decisive action to preserve and expand both human and labour rights. It will celebrate the contributions of the OHCHR and of the ILO and its tripartite constituents to the promotion of Freedom of Association and related civil liberties for the protection of civic space.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Freedom of Association: The double helix of civic space and labour rights

The ILO Sri Lanka’s flagship ’Local Empowerment through Economic Development and Reconciliation’ (LEED+) project is nearing its closure after two successful phases initiated from 2011 onwards. This panel discussion is a part of&nbsp; the larger knowledge forum; a culmination of the project’s 12-year journey, highlighting key achievements, success stories, lessons learnt, good-practices and way-forward.

Colombo

The A to Z of successful value chains and enterprise promotion

Local Empowerment through Economic Development and Reconciliation in Sri Lanka 

On World Day Against Child Labour, a high-level side event will be organized by the ILO during the 111th Session of the International Labour Conference. The discussion will focus on the link between social justice and the elimination of child labour. Panellists will highlight examples of how ILO constituents have followed up on their commitments and how these are important steps towards increasing social justice.&nbsp;

World Day Against Child Labour - Social Justice for All: How to end Child Labour

The multiple crises the world has faced in recent years have highlighted the extent of pre-existing inequalities and the consequences. These crises have led to further increases in different types of inequality, and the most disadvantaged populations have often been the hardest hit.

Addressing inequality and informality requires combined, coordinated and coherent interventions and a policy mix aimed at prioritizing employment creation, protection of workers’ rights, non-discrimination and non-stigmatization, equal opportunities, access to basic needs and essential services (such as water, food, shelter, health services, energy) and fair distribution of the fruits of progress to combat inequality and realize social justice.

The panel will hear from Governments, employers and workers and UN agencies from all regions about global and national responses to these challenges, as well as concrete, coordinated and coherent actions needed to accelerate the advancement of social justice.

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Opening - Addresses by Heads of State - Panel on Addressing inequalities, informality and facilitating inclusion

World of Work Summit: Social justice for all

Over 244 million children and young people are still out of school, including one third of children in child labour and an estimated seven out of ten children in low- and middle-income countries who cannot read and understand a simple text at age ten.

In developed countries, significant education disparities remain, which are often based on income, race and gender, and they are particularly acute in crisis contexts. All regions of the world need more teachers, especially those countries that have rapidly growing school-aged populations. To this end, countries need well-coordinated systems and policies, supported by a whole-of-government approach, and engage in social dialogue with the social partners.

The panel will hear from Governments, employers and workers and UN agencies from all regions about global and national responses to these challenges, as well as concrete, coordinated and coherent actions needed to accelerate the advancement of social justice.

Addresses by Heads of State - Panel on Fostering equal opportunities and full, freely chosen and productive  employment for all through education, lifelong learning and skills development

The devastating impacts of climate change together with rising levels of debt and the risk of fiscal austerity require a significant shift in the global response, with a greater focus on creating decent jobs and extending social protection to facilitate inclusive transitions and structural transformations. Against this backdrop, the UN Secretary-General launched the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions in September 2021, which aims to increase the level and coordination of the multilateral system’s efforts to support countries in creating 400 million decent jobs, including in the green, digital and care economies, and to extend social protection coverage to the 4 billion people currently excluded.

The panel will hear from Governments, employers and workers and UN agencies from all regions about global and national responses to these challenges, as well as concrete, coordinated and coherent actions needed to accelerate the advancement of social justice.

Addresses by Heads of State - Panel on Jobs and social protection for just transitions

This panel will explore policy solutions and partnerships to enhance the social dimensions of trade, in particular trade, industrial and sectoral policies that promote decent work, enhance productivity and contribute to the transition from the informal to the formal economy. It will examine the potential of new initiatives – including through social dialogue and ILO collaboration with multilateral development banks and other international organizations – to advance socially fair trade, for example through provisions based on international labour standards in trade and investment arrangements, responsible business conduct, investment frameworks and development cooperation.

The panel will hear from Governments, employers and workers and UN agencies from all regions about global and national responses to these challenges, as well as concrete, coordinated and coherent actions needed to accelerate the advancement of social justice.

Addresses by Heads of State - Panel on Trade, Employment and Sustainable development: advancing human and labour rights - Closing

This online event will disseminate the conclusions of analytical briefs on Rwanda, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal and Uganda and a cross-country review on youth employment, school-to-work transition and the impact of COVID-19 on youth labour market outcomes in the African region. It will also underpin the ongoing engagements on promoting decent work for youth in the African region, and explore possibilities for shaping follow up actions in line with the ILO’s Youth Employment Action Plan (YEAP) 2020-30.&nbsp;

Plenary debates – Morning sitting

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