News

May 2003

  1. Press release

    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.

  2. Press release

    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).

  3. Press release

    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

  1. Press release

    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 ($1.25 trillion), according to the International Labour Office (ILO).

  2. Press release

    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.

  3. Press release

    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

  1. Press release

    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.

  2. Press release

    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:

  3. Press release

    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.

  4. Press release

    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".