Press releases

June 2003 

• EU accession labour ministers to discuss pension reform issues
  09 June 2003 - Labour ministers of the 13 European Union (EU) accession countries - 10 of which are expected to become members of the EU on 1 May 2004 - are to meet during the ILO's annual International Labour Conference here to discuss pension reforms in their respective states.
• ILO Director-General calls for immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi from detention in Myanmar
  09 June 2003 - The Director-General of the International Labour Office (ILO) today called on the government of Myanmar to take "immediate measures" to release Aung San Suu Kyi and those of her supporters who have reportedly been detained by the authorities in that country recently.
• Working out of Poverty: Somavia presents new anti-poverty proposals to ILO annual conference
  06 June 2003 - Global efforts aimed at cutting poverty in half by 2015 will fail unless new ways are found to create opportunities for the world's poor to work for a decent living, says Juan Somavia, Director-General of the International Labour Office (ILO).
• ILO Conference opens talks on new seafarer identity cards: Initiative receives new impetus from G8
  05 June 2003 - The International Labour Organization (ILO) has launched negotiations on a new, more rigorous identity regime for seafarers with the aim of developing effective protection against terrorism, while at the same time ensuring the rights and freedoms of the world's 1.2 million maritime workers.
• Vanuatu becomes 176th ILO member State
  04 June 2003 - The Pacific Ocean island State of Vanuatu became the 176th member of the International Labour Organization following receipt in Geneva of a letter from Mr Joe Natuman, MP, Minister for Internal Affairs, stating, on behalf of the Government, that Vanuatu formally accepts the obligations of the Constitution of the ILO.
• International Labour Conference opens
  03 June 2003 - The 91 st Session of the International Labour Conference opened today, electing as its president, the Hon. Michael Christopher Wamalwa, Vice-President and Labour Minister of Kenya.
• H.E. Mr. Luíz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil addresses ILO
  02 June 2003 - In his first address to a United Nations organization since becoming President of Brazil, Luíz Inácio Lula da Silva told the International Labour Organization (ILO) today the industrialized countries were failing to reconcile "words and deeds", and that "the war against hunger and poverty is the only one we are interested in".

May 2003 

• Conference Preview 91st International Labour Conference opens on 3 June
  30 May 2003 - The 91st International Labour Conference, which gets underway in Geneva on Tuesday, 3 June, is to consider a host of issues ranging from a new plan for fighting poverty worldwide, to enhancing safety and security in the workplace and eliminating discrimination.
• ILO sees further tourism job losses due to travel woes
  14 May 2003 - Reduced travel due to new concerns over the disease SARS, combined with the ongoing economic downturn, may cut another 5 million jobs in the battered world tourism sector this year, bringing to 11.5 million the total number of jobs lost in the sector since late 2001, according to a new analysis (see note 1) by the International Labour Office (ILO).
• ILO, Myanmar agree on facilitator to help end forced labour
  14 May 2003 - The Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Juan Somavia, today welcomed a formal understanding negotiated between the ILO and the Union of Myanmar for the establishment of a facilitator to assist possible victims of forced labour in Myanmar.
• ILO launches first global report on discrimination at work
  12 May 2003 - Says workplace discrimination remains a persistent global problem, with new, more subtle forms emerging.

April 2003 

• International events to mark World Day for Safety and Health at Work
  24 April 2003 - GENEVA (ILO news) - Tens of thousands of workers and employers from Lima to London and Bangkok to Sao Paulo will mark the World Day for Safety and Health at Work on 28 April, drawing attention to work-related accidents and illnesses which annually take some 2 million lives and cost the global economy an estimated $1,250,000 million US dollars ($1. ...
• ILO Director-General to attend 26 th Session of the Labour and Social Affairs Commission of the African Union in Mauritius
  11 April 2003 - GENEVA (ILO News) - The Director-General of the International Labour Office (ILO), Juan Somavia, begins a four-day official visit to Mauritius on 12 April where he is expected to attend the 26 th Session of the Labour and Social Affairs Commission of the African Union.
• ILO mourns death in Beijing of senior official
  07 April 2003 - GENEVA (ILO News) - The Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO) today issued the following statement regarding the death in Beijing on Sunday of Pekka Aro, a senior ILO official:

March 2003 

• ILO Governing Body concludes 286th session Juan Somavia re-elected as ILO Director-General
  28 March 2003 - GENEVA (ILO News) - The Governing Body of the International Labour Office (ILO) concluded its 286 th session today after overwhelmingly re-electing Director-General Juan Somavia of Chile to a second term, adopting a provisional programme and budget for 2004-05 and reviewing the labour situation in Myanmar, the occupied Arab territories and other areas.
• Statement on consequences of the Iraq conflictand response by the ILO
  28 March 2003 - GENEVA (ILO News) - The Director-General of the International Labour Office (ILO), Juan Somavia, and the Officers of the 286 th session of the ILO Governing Body, issued the following statement regarding the consequences of the Iraq conflict:
• Latest report of ILO Committee on Freedom of Associationcites Belarus, China, Colombia, Venezuela, others
  28 March 2003 - GENEVA (ILO News) - Belarus, China, Colombia, Ethiopia, Guatemala and Venezuela are among the urgent cases cited today by the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association, whose report was adopted by the 286 th meeting of the ILO Governing Body, for infringements of the principle of freedom of association and violations of trade union rights.
• Juan Somavia elected to second term as ILO Director-GeneralPledges to work for a “New Social Contract”
  25 March 2003 - GENEVA (ILO News) - Juan Somavia, a Chilean and the first representative of the Southern Hemisphere to head the International Labour Office (ILO), was overwhelmingly re-elected to a second term as Director-General today. He pledged to "work together for a new social contract based on decent work for all and a globalization that leaves no one behind".
• ILO reports continuous job growth in commerce worldwide
  14 March 2003 - GENEVA (ILO News) - Employment in wholesale and retail trade, stimulated by technology, consumer demand and trade liberalization, continues to grow despite consolidation of the industry, according to a new ILO report * issued here today.
• Eminent women journalists mark International Women's Day at the ILO
  07 March 2003 - GENEVA (ILO News) From Geneva to Baghdad, in person and via satellite, eminent women journalists met at the International Labour Organization (ILO) today to spotlight the role of women reporters in covering dangerous assignments and conflicts and through this work to bring attention to the rights of all women.