Press releases

March 2004 

• More women are entering the global labour force than ever before, but job equality, poverty reduction remain elusive
  05 March 2004 - Women are entering the global labour force in record numbers, but they still face higher unemployment rates and lower wages and represent 60 per cent of the world's 550 million working poor, says a new report by the International Labour Office (ILO) prepared for International Women's Day.
• International Women's Day events at the ILO Geneva, Monday 8th March 2004
  02 March 2004 - Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Shirin Ebadi and international war crimes prosecutor Carla Del Ponte will participate in a panel discussion on women and the judiciary at the International Labour Organization (ILO) on International Women's Day.

February 2004 

• World Commission says globalization can and must change, calls for urgent rethink of global governance
  24 February 2004 - Globalization can and must change, says a new, groundbreaking report presented today to the International Labour Organization (ILO) urging that building a fair and inclusive globalization become a worldwide priority.
• India, U.S. and ILO join forces to fight child labour; new project targets directly some 80,000 children in hazardous work
  16 February 2004 - The Government of India, in cooperation with the US Department of Labor and the International Labour Organization (ILO) today launched a US$ 40 million programme aimed at eliminating child labour that targets directly some 80,000 children in ten hazardous industries. This is the largest child labour programme ever undertaken by the ILO at the country level.
• International cooperative alliance, ILO sign partnership agreement
  10 February 2004 - The International Labour Office (ILO) and the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) today signed an agreement to implement a "Common Cooperative Agenda" aimed at creating decent jobs and reducing poverty.
• New ILO study says economic benefits of eliminating child labour will vastly outweigh costs
  03 February 2004 - A new study by the International Labour Office (ILO) says the benefits of eliminating child labour will be nearly seven times greater than the costs, or an estimated US$ 5.1 trillion in the developing and transitional economies, where most child labourers are found.

January 2004 

• ILO to launch new study on economic costs and benefits of eliminating child labour
  28 January 2004 - What is the projected cost of eliminating child labour worldwide? How will global society benefit - especially developing and transitional economies?
• ILO expresses "shock and sadness" at killing of Cambodian labour leader
  23 January 2004 - The International Labour Organization (ILO) today expressed its "shock and sadness" at the killing by unidentified assailants of Mr. Chea Vichea, President of the Free Trade Union of Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia, calling his death an "irreplaceable loss".
• Global unemployment remains at record levels in 2003 but annual ILO jobs report sees signs of recovery
  22 January 2004 - Overall global unemployment rose in 2003 to 185.9 million, remaining at record levels for men and women and escalating more sharply among young people despite a pickup in economic growth after a two-year slump, the International Labour Office (ILO) said in its annual jobs report released today.

December 2003 

• ILO Director-General welcomes G8 call for stronger social and employment dimension of globalization
  17 December 2003 - General of the International Labour Office (ILO), Juan Somavia, today welcomed the conclusions of the G8 Labour and Employment Ministers Conference as a "positive step toward a fairer and more inclusive globalization process that ensures opportunities for all."
• Regional meeting concludes with pledge to strengthen ILO role in African development "Decent Work for Africa's Development"
  05 December 2003 - Xth African Regional Meeting concluded today with a broad set of recommendations on putting employment at the centre of Africa's development strategies and strengthening the organization's role in poverty reduction on the continent.
• ILO delegates lay groundwork for African summit on poverty and employment
  03 December 2003 - Xth African Regional Meeting.
• Xth African Regional Meeting Opens with Calls for Changes in International Policies on Poverty Alleviation
  02 December 2003 - centred approach to alleviating the continent's chronic poverty, and international policies must change to recognize this. That was the message heard by delegates to the International Labour Organization's Xth African Regional Meeting at its opening session this morning in the Ethiopian capital.
• Xth ILO African Regional Meeting - Addis Ababa, 2-5 December Africa meeting opens: Decent work for Africa's development
  01 December 2003 - With the challenges of reducing poverty and promoting job-centered development topping their agenda, African labour ministers and representatives of workers' and employers' organizations will open the International Labour Organization's Xth African Regional Meeting tomorrow in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

November 2003 

• ILO Governing Body concludes 288th session
  21 November 2003 - Governing Body of the International Labour Office (ILO) concluded its 288th session today following two weeks of discussion over issues ranging from the social dimension of globalization to a new code of practice on workplace violence in the services sector and labour rights in Belarus, Myanmar and other countries.
• ILO Governing Body establishes Commission of Inquiry to examine violations of trade union rights in Belarus Latest report of ILO Committee on Freedom of Association cites Belarus, Cuba, Zimbabwe, others
  20 November 2003 - Constitution against the government of Belarus for non-observance of the fundamental freedom of association Conventions Nos. 87 and 98, the Governing Body decided to establish a special Commission of Inquiry to examine violations of trade union rights in the country.
• Seventh European regional meeting to be held in Budapest
  19 November 2003 - Governing Body of the International Labour Office (ILO) decided today to hold the Seventh European Regional Meeting in Budapest (Hungary) in February 2005 following Hungary's candidature.
• Xth ILO African Regional Meeting, Addis Ababa 2-5 December Delegates to examine how to fight poverty, create jobs
  18 November 2003 - Xth African Regional Meeting of the International Labour Organization (ILO) is to hammer out priorities for action for the 53 ILO African member States and create a platform of support for the Extraordinary Summit on Employment and Poverty Alleviation in Africa to be convened by African Union (AU) Heads of State and Government in Burkina Faso in 2004.
• ILO Governing Body convenes 288th session: Social dimension of globalization, freedom of association in Belarus and forced labour in Myanmar on the agenda
  06 November 2003 - Governing Body of the International Labour Office (ILO) is to hold its 288th session on 6-21 November, during which it will consider a host of current labour issues ranging from the social dimensions of globalization to questions related to freedom of association in Belarus and forced labour in Myanmar.

October 2003 

• ILO reports strong job growth in the chemical industries in East Asia
  24 October 2003 - ILO report issued here today.