ILO Forum to discuss impact
of economic situation on globalization, decent work
Press release
30 October 2007
LISBON (ILO News) - In the face of an increasingly turbulent and imbalanced
global economy, representatives of governments, labour and employers
will be joined by leaders from parliaments, academia and civil society
on 31 October for a three-day ILO Forum on Decent Work for a Fair Globalization.
The Forum is to discuss a wide range of globalization issues and seek
ways of promoting decent work as the key to economic, social and environmental
sustainability and inclusiveness.
The ILO Forum on Decent Work for a Fair Globalization at the AIP Congress
Center in Lisbon is expected to draw more than 300 participants. Mr
José Sócrates, the Prime Minister of Portugal, which also
currently holds the Presidency of the European Union (EU) will address
the opening. The government is hosting the meeting, which is also supported
by the European Commission.
Also speaking at the opening plenary will be the Secretary-General designate
of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Mr. Surin Pitsuwan,
ILO Director-General Mr. Juan Somavia; Dr. D. Jayatilleka, Chairperson,
ILO Governing Body; Mr. Daniel Funes de Rioja; Employer Vice-Chairperson,
ILO Governing Body; and Sir Roy Trotman, Worker Vice-Chairperson of
the ILO Governing Body, and Mr. Jose Antonio Vieira Da Silva, Minister
for Labour and Social Solidarity, Portugal. Mr. Vladimir Spidla, EU
commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities
will speak on Thursday.
The Forum will review progress toward making globalization fair and
more balanced and look at broad strategies for realizing decent work.
Key topics to be addressed at the Forum include:
" Training and skills: international action for more and better
education and training which is key to employability, economic growth
and poverty alleviation.
" The informal economy: According to the latest ILO estimates,
informal employment comprises about 65 per cent of non-agricultural
employment in developing Asia, 51 per cent in Latin America, 48 per
cent in North Africa, and 72 per cent in sub-Saharan Africa. The Forum
will discuss innovative solutions and practical responses to upgrade
informal enterprises and promote decent work in this area.
" Migration: The ILO estimates migrant workers numbered some 94
million in 2005, with almost one third of migration movements among
developing countries (South to South). The Forum will discuss ways to
secure the benefits and diminish the risks of international labour migration.
" Social security: While 80 per cent of the world's working women
and men have little or no social security, the ILO estimates that less
than 2 per cent of global GDP would be necessary to provide a basic
set of social security benefits to all of the world's poor. The Forum
will consider strategies to expand access to social security.
" Youth employment: In 2006, the ILO estimated that at least 400
million decent and productive employment opportunities will be needed
in order to reach the full productive potential of today's youth. Forum
participants will review efforts to promote decent work opportunities
for young women and men.
The Forum will also address policy coherence in the international system.
The recently agreed UN Chief Executives Board's (CEB) "Toolkit
for Mainstreaming Employment and Decent Work" could offer a practical
way forward. The Toolkit was designed to help organizations throughout
the multilateral system assess and improve employment and decent work
outcomes of their own policies, programmes and activities.
The idea of convening the Forum was put forward by the World Commission
on the Social Dimension of Globalization set up by the ILO in its 2004
report (Note 1). It launched an international dialogue on the need for
a fair and equitable globalization and received strong national, regional
and global support. The need for fair and equitable globalization and
decent work for all received worldwide endorsement by the 2005 UN World
Summit at the UN and the UN Economic and Social Council in 2006.
Weblink: http://www.ilo.org/global/About_the_ILO/Media_and_public_information/Press_releases/lang--en/WCMS_085110/index.htm
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