Mission and impact of the ILO

Promoting jobs, Protecting people

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is devoted to promoting social justice and internationally recognized human and labour rights, pursuing its founding mission that social justice is essential to universal and lasting peace.

Only tripartite U.N. agency, the ILO brings together governments, employers and workers representatives of 187 member States, to set labour standards, develop policies and devise programmes promoting decent work for all women and men.

Today, the ILO's Decent Work agenda helps advance the economic and working conditions that give all workers, employers and governments a stake in lasting peace, prosperity and progress.

Four strategic objectives at the heart of the Decent Work agenda

  1. The ILO and the 2030 development agenda

Country data and ILO results

  1. ILO country knowledge portal

    National information and data on labour laws, standards, policies and statistics. Country profiles provide also relevant information on ILO projects and programmes, publications and good practices.

Stories of impact

  1. Lebanon’s green thumb: ILO trains workers from rural communities in landscaping activities across local agricultural schools

    20 September 2023

    The landscaping and garden maintenance competency-based training aims to build capacity and develop the skills of hundreds of trainees in the agricultural sector, eventually connecting them with in-demand jobs on the market.

  2. Empowering youth in Kenya with market-driven digital skills

    19 September 2023

    The ILO and Learning Lions are bridging the digital divide in remote areas by providing comprehensive digital skills training, mentorship and job opportunities to young people. This innovative programme is transforming the lives of vulnerable communities, including refugees, and paving the way for an inclusive digital economy in Kenya.

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Unmatched expertise and knowledge about the world of work

In support of its goals, the ILO offers unmatched expertise and knowledge about the world of work, acquired over almost 100 years of responding to the needs of people everywhere for decent work, livelihoods and dignity. It serves its tripartite constituents - and society as a whole - in a variety of ways, including:
  • Formulation of international policies and programmes to promote basic human rights, improve working and living conditions, and enhance employment opportunities
  • Creation of international labour standards backed by a unique system to supervise their application
  • An extensive programme of international technical cooperation formulated and implemented in an active partnership with constituents, to help countries put these policies into practice in an effective manner
  • Training, education and research activities to help advance all of these efforts