• Namaskar and Good Morning!
• Honourable Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar
• Brothers and sisters from Trade Union and Employers Organisations
• Secretary Samariya and other officials from the Ministry of Labour
• Mr Pati from Department of Posts
• Officials from line ministries
• Dignitaries from multilateral and bilateral agencies and diplomatic missions
• Other Distinguished members on the dais
• Friends from media
• Esteemed colleagues

It is my pleasure to be here in India, founding member country of the ILO, and indeed an honour to be in this gathering. This event literally happens on the day the ILO Centenary year was launched in 2019 and herewith marks the start of the second centenary of the ILO and India relationship, therewith embossing it in our common history going forward.

Today, we are celebrating the relentless cooperation and trust from constituents in India that the ILO has enjoyed over the century. On behalf of the ILO Director-General, I take this opportunity to thank each one of you. One hundred years ago, when ILO was founded, many described it as a ‘wild dream’. With different work cultures, labour issues and economic priorities in different countries, the idea of International Labour Standard sounded elusive to many.

However, it is the commitment of the strong member States like India and its constituents, towards strengthening labour laws and practices, which helped the organization not just to sustain but to remain relevant, even more so now after 100 years when the world is facing unprecedented changes.

For the ILO, India has been a country of chief industrial importance even prior to its independence. The country is not just a permanent governing body member of the ILO, but representative of the world’s second largest workforce, determined to reduce vulnerabilities and inequalities from the world. I must recognise here that the Indian experience of struggle, to create a just and democratic society, has influenced the way ILO evolved over the century.

ILO and independent India share a bit of commonality in history of their evolution, albeit in different contexts. In its first 25 years, while India’s freedom struggle gathered momentum, the ILO was fighting for its survival as well. During this period, the ILO managed to support in the formulation of a few key labour legislations in India, including its guidance to the Royal Commission on Labour, which went on to set foundations for the Indian Labour Conference, a first of its kind in the region.

Half way through the century, while the ILO adopted the Declaration of Philadelphia, establishing a new constitutional principle for us that labour is not a commodity, India too established its rights-based constitution, committing to well-being of its people. Transforming this vision and paradigm shift entailed breaking the existing socio-economical hierarchies. Indeed, it has been a formidable task, but with each other’s support, we are continuing to sail through in our quest for social justice.

We know the trajectory towards industrialization and full employment, as envisioned in many newly established countries including India, hit hurdles. The ILO was challenged to meet the needs of these new States and did so by developing its technical cooperation programmes into crucial means of action. Many of them have proven to be the models of innovations and have set priorities for constituents.

The 80’s and 90’s witnessed apparent wave of liberalisation and globalisation, with emergence of private sector as an assertive and productive player. Many countries, including India embraced it. However, the change triggered a new wave of issues including income inequalities, regional disparities, compromised working conditions, thus calling for measures and frameworks to protect rights of workers.

The ILO’s response in the form of the 1998 Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work recognized that economic growth alone is not enough to ensure equity, social progress and to eradicate poverty. Despite struggling with the vast extent of informality, India has been proactive in ensuring the rights at work by prioritizing elimination of forced or compulsory labour, child labour and discrimination in the work place.

In the new millennium, the Decent Work Agenda moved the debate further, summing up the aspirations of people in their working lives. It prioritised creation of jobs, social protection, social dialogue and rights and they stand at the centre of the ILO’s strategy today. The Decent Work Agenda is at the centre of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, which today both guides the global and national development agendas.

Along with these celebrations, the Centenary that we commemorate is also a time to reflect on our purpose, and on the course we chart for the future. The world of work is undergoing unprecedented transformative changes with technology advancements, demographic movements and climate change. And while this change brings opportunity for many, for others it is generating a profound sense of instability and anxiety.

The ILO believes that the future is not decided for us, but it will be the result of the choices we make today about the future we want, and our common purpose in its realization. It is the pressing responsibility of the ILO constituents at the moment of its centenary, to ensure that - no one’s left behind.

ILO has undertaken an elaborate initiative around the future of work by holding national consultations and establishing a Global Commission on the Future of Work in 2017. I must recognize the contributions of two of the commissioners, Sister Reema Nanavaty and Mr. Didar Singh from India in shaping the Commission’s report ‘Towards a Brighter Future of Work’. I took good note of the tripartite discussion you held on it in February last year.

This also provided a valuable input to the ILO Centenary Declaration for the Future of Work, negotiated and adopted by the constituents last June, sets out a “human-centred” agenda for growth and development, one which places women and men and the work they do at the centre of social and economic policies. I respect Indian constituents who understand the urgency of the issue and thanks them for their buy in. I, now urge you to prioritize implementation of this Declaration in three ways:

First - investing in the capacities of people so they can benefit from this changing world of work;

Second - investing in the institutions of work to ensure adequate protection for al;, and

Third - investments in sustainable employment of the future.

We need to promote sustained and inclusive economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. I believe that the India Decent Work Country Programme developed by the constituents would guide us, question our actions and policies, and help us to shape and realign our priorities in these regards.

I need to equally recognize and thank other important ministries, institutions and organizations, our partners, leaders and members from the community who have supported the ILO to reach these heights. With your support, we shall continue to chase our dream of universal peace and social justice for all and assure an unrelenting support.

I am looking forward to the release of the compendium, ‘India and the ILO, chronicle of a shared journey 1919-2019’, by the hands of Honourable Minister of Labour, Mr Santosh Gangawar today. The history tells us what the cost of our failures would be, reminds us what our strengths and core values are, and shows us that no hurdle is insurmountable if we all decide to conquer it together.

Thank you.