The meeting took place on 11-12 November at the ILO International Training Centre (ITC) in Turin. Representatives of all CIS centres – regional, national or collaborating – were invited to this important event for the future of the network.

The main objective of the 51st meeting was to review and modernize the terms and conditions governing the participation of agencies, institutions and organizations in the CIS network of national and collaborating centres, as a means to improve its functioning and ensure further development.

For over 50 years CIS has been coordinating the activities of the network. New network functioning modalities will likely call for an enhanced role of the CIS centres in its governance and undertaking of key activities. Building on last year’s meeting, the discussions in the 2013 meeting aimed at making this a reality in the coming years.

The ILO Knowledge for Prevention Initiative: A proposal for discussion

The network has to reassert its true purpose by defining its work programme, and adopting new working arrangements for its effective implementation. Principles for broadening and structuring its membership base to welcome other stakeholders, as well as practical steps towards its renewal are outlined in the supporting document for the 51st meeting.

The overall aim is to rebuild working relationships with occupational safety and health (OSH) institutions and other stakeholders having a role in OSH knowledge and information around the world. From there it shall be possible to engage into a major capacity-building technical cooperation programme focussed on enhancing access to knowledge for prevention.

The participants at the 51st meeting of the CIS network