March 2015

1. Skills Development and Placement Opportunities for Tourism in Cebu (SPOT Cebu) Trainees’ Orientation

   18 March 2015

   The International Labour Organization (ILO), in collaboration with the Provincial Government of Cebu (PGC) and the St Jude Foundation (SJF), and with funding from the Government of Japan and the International Maritime Employers’ Council (IMEC), trained 350 individuals (275 women, 75 men) in various tourism-related skills (beauty care, cookery, and tour guiding).

2. Launch of Code of Conduct and National Action Plan on Ethical Recruitment

   18 March 2015

   Pakistan Overseas Employment Promoters Association (POEPA) will unveil their National Action Plan (NAP) on Ethical Recruitment and will sign it to show their commitment and action to promote ethical recruitment practices in Pakistan. POEPA has developed their sectoral Code of Ethical Conduct and NAP with the technical and financial support from ILO under EU funded project South Asia Labour Migration Governance. Action Plan focus on POEPA strengthening, protection of migrant workers, lobbying and advocacy for easy and low cost migration processes, better anticipation of skills needs, exchange good practices at regional level and promotion of ethical recruitment.

3. ILO/Regional Skills Programme/Japan: Regional Workshop and Study Programme on "Strengthening quality assurance mechanism through capacity building and knowledge sharing"

   17 - 19 March 2015

   Quality assurance plays an important role in ensuring that the right skills are available to meet the needs of individuals, businesses and economies. An effective quality assurance system is a critical factor in reducing the gaps between the supply of skills and labour market needs. The ILO through its Regional Skills Programme is hosting this workshop with the support of the Japanese government. The workshop aims to provide opportunities for discussion on the challenges of implementing quality assurance mechanisms and strengthening quality assurance systems across the region.

4. ILO-LRP's Strategy on DRR

   15 March 2015

   : Soliciting innovative ideas from stakeholders and the partner UN agencies on how to increase the resilience of informal jobs and micro- enterprises against the recurring disasters, insecurities and threats? Ideas will culminate into ILO-LRP’s DRR strategy.

5. Tripartite consultation workshop to prepare India’s report on standards related to migrant workers (General Assembly Question 2016)

   13 March 2015

   In collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, a tripartite consultation is being held, to incorporate constituents inputs to the India report on Unratified Conventions related to Migrant workers.

6. Baseline Survey on Access to Mainstreaming Vocational Training Schools/Centres

   9 March - 30 May 2015

   Key findings of the baseline survey report has contributed to the National Action Plan on providing support to implementation vocational training for persons with disabilities phase 2 (2016-2020).

7. Launch of the ILO/EFC/CIMA Partnership for Sustaining Competitive and Responsible Enterprises

   6 March 2015

   The International Labour Organization (ILO), together with the Employers Federation of Ceylon (EFC) and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) launched a comprehensive partnership agreement to roll out the Sustaining Competitive and Responsible Enterprises (SCORE) short programme.

8. UNIDO team visits TVET Reform project

   5 March 2015

   A six person UNIDO team visited the TVETR project to discuss UNIDO contributions to a joint concept note by UN agencies on skills development currently being prepared. The concept note has the National Skills Development Policy as a central theme to which agency activities can be linked.

9. Zamboanga Internally Displaced People (IDPs) Recovery, Rehabilitation and Development Plan for Livelihood and Food Security Cluster Workshop on Coordination and Decent Work Principles and Standards

   3 March 2015

   The International Labour Organization (ILO) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of United Nations initiated a one-day workshop for the food security and livelihood cluster in Zamboanga City last 3 March 2015.

10. Dialogue with Trade Unions on Quality Apprenticeships

    3 - 5 March 2015

    Trade unions play a key role in the design and implementation of apprenticeships in countries with successful apprenticeships. Their involvement is crucial in safeguarding decent working/training conditions of apprentices.

11. Workshop on Quality Apprenticeships and Youth Employment

    3 - 5 March 2015

    Escaping the middle-income trap by investment in skills development is one of Indonesia's most eminent policy challenges. Skills development is featured in the national five year development plan (RPJMN 2015-19) and an integral component of the current Decent Work Country Programme.

12. Social protection and prevention of Child Labour

    2 March - 3 February 2015

    Two day workshop on Social protection and prevention of Child Labour for Labour Officers, Probation Officers & Education  Project Officers in Ratnaputa District

13. Russian Language Courses for Employees in Tourism-related Businesses in Khanh Hoa Province

    1 March - 31 October 2015

    Consultations with related stakeholders such as Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism (DoCST), Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (DoLISA), training institutions, businesses and social partners in Khanh Hoa provinces shows that the skills most in need of upgrading for the labour force in the tourism industry in Khanh Hoa province is Russian language.

February 2015

1. ‘Buyers Forum’ on Textiles in Pakistan

   27 February 2015

   Members of the buyers forum, formed as a result of the Buyers meeting in Dec 2014, will meet to organise themselves, endorse and agree on a Governance Structure that will facilitate the operation of the Buyers’ Forum on Textiles in Pakistan. The outcomes of the preparatory session will be taken up as key discussion points for the First Buyers Forum Meeting to be held in April 2015. This preparatory session is being planned in Karachi on the side of the upcoming Textile Expo Fair on 27 February.

2. Trade Union Capacity Building Training on Trade Union Administration

   26 - 28 February 2015

   Improving labour standards in the global supply chains is an important part of a pro-poor development strategy. Ensuring that workers’ rights and entitlements are protected would help distribute the benefits of trade. In order to take advantage of these opportunities, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) collaborate in developing the Better Work programme for better labour standards in global supply chains and extending the coverage to Indonesia.

3. Stakeholders’ Workshop on the Cross-Country Agriculture Value Chain Study (Competitiveness for Job Creation)

   25 February 2015

   The ILO conducted a workshop at the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Martyrs and Disabled (MoLSAMD) for the key stakeholders to present the preliminary results of the cross-country Agriculture Value Chain Study funded by JICA. The meeting was attended by the key stakeholders.

4. National Workshop on Mutual Recognition of Skills for the ASEAN Economic Community 2015

   24 February 2015

   The national workshop convened by Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS) with the support of the ILO presents an overall objective of pushing forward the MRS agenda in Myanmar. It will also address the objectives of the ILO-Korea’s project “Towards a Mutual Recognition of Skills in Cambodia, Lao PDR and Myanmar 2014-15” which is to facilitate mobility of skilled labor through the mutual skills recognition mechanism and accelerate economic integration of the CLM countries, (i.e. Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Myanmar) towards the AEC goal by 2015.

5. Economic and Social Council 2015 Integration Segment - "Achieving sustainable development through employment creation and decent work for all": Indonesia country level consultation

   24 - 25 February 2015

   For 2015, the Integration Segment is being organized by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO). It aims to bring together key stakeholders to focus on how the creation of good quality jobs could be a tool for promoting the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development, and to identify policy choices and possible trade-offs that could arise from an integrated approach.

6. Round Table on child care with parliamentarians from Sindh

   24 February 2015

   Round table discussion bridging to share low cost child care models and devise resolutions on issues child care providers, working parents, employers and government face.

7. Training of trainers course for trade unions in Pakistan on Decent Work for migrant workers

   24 - 25 February 2015

   The ILO under its EU funded “South Asia Labour Migration Governance Project” will organize a two days ToT course for trade unionists in Pakistan. The aim of this capacity building initiative is to equip the trade union management with latest knowledge around international, regional and national legal instruments and framework for the protection of the migrant workers’ rights and skills to perform their role and responsibilities in the contemporary world to ensure decent work for migrant.