News

September 2012

  1. Press release

    "Immediate and urgent change of policy needed", says Guy Ryder, Director-General elect of the ILO

    07 September 2012

    Assessing the employment situation in the EU at the European Commission’s Jobs for Europe conference on 6 and 7 September 2012, the ILO Director-General elect Guy Ryder said that the "drama of the European unemployment crisis" shows the need for a new policy approach. There is evidence "that the currently predominant mix of austerity and structural reforms is unacceptable and has produced negative results", he pointed out.

  2. Convention N° 189

    Landmark treaty for domestic workers to come into force

    05 September 2012

    The ILO’s Convention on Domestic Workers has now been ratified by two countries, meaning it will come into effect in a year’s time. The Convention extends basic labour rights to tens of millions of domestic workers worldwide.

  3. From the Philippines

    Labour rights recognized for Filipino domestic workers

    05 September 2012

    The Philippines' ratification of ILO Convention 189 officially extends basic labour rights to domestic workers and will bring the convention into force within the year. But what does passing this landmark legislation actually change in the life of a maid working in the Philippines?

  4. News

    Youth suicide underlines ILO call for action on jobs in the occupied Palestinian territory

    05 September 2012

    The recent suicide of a young jobseeker in Gaza City has highlighted the serious concerns raised by the International Labour Organization (ILO) about the precarious situation of workers in Gaza and the West Bank.

  5. Global Employment Outlook

    Youth unemployment getting even worse

    04 September 2012

    An ILO paper shows that the impact of the euro crisis is spreading as far afield as East Asia and Latin America, worsening the situation for many young jobseekers.

August 2012

  1. Sustainable development

    Monitoring Climate Change in the Philippines

    31 August 2012

    In the southern Philippines, the lives of farmers and the weather have always been intimately connected. But now, the effects of climate change are making farmers’ livelihoods even more vulnerable. By monitoring severe weather, a project implemented by the International Labour Organization is helping protect farmers from the worst effects of climate change, and insuring those most at risk.

  2. Press release

    ILO to release new figures on youth unemployment

    31 August 2012

  3. Working conditions

    South Africa could do more for miners, says ILO mining specialist

    24 August 2012

    The killings of more than 30 workers in the Marikana platinum mine have put the spotlight on working conditions in South Africa’s mining industry.

  4. Article

    Internships: Head start or labour trap?

    22 August 2012

    Internships can provide valuable work experience to young people. But as they become more common, so does the risk of abuse, especially during economic downturns. ILO News looks at the benefits and drawbacks of this practice.

  5. Video News Release

    Taking Decent Work on Board

    21 August 2012

    When the ILO adopted the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006) in February 2006, Director-General Juan Somavia called it "making labour history" for seafarers around the world.The MLC, 2006, will come into force 12 months after ratification by 30 ILO member States, representing a total share of at least 33 percent of the world's gross tonnage (gt) of ships. The Convention promotes a strong enforcement regime to ensure that labour standards are enforced as effectively as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) conventions on ship safety, security and environmental protection (SOLAS/MARPOL) by both flag and port States.