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GB.274/PFA/9/2
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Programme, Financial and Administrative Committee |
PFA |
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NINTH ITEM ON THE AGENDA
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PROGRAMME AND BUDGET PROPOSALS FOR 2000-01 | |
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VOLUME 2 |
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Strategic Objectives
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Regular Budget (in US dollars)
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1998-99 Budget |
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2000-01 Estimates (in constant 1998-99 dollars) | |||||
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Strategic Objectives |
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Technical Programmes |
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148,279,658 |
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149,387,855 |
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Regional Programmes |
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139,324,873 |
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140,909,873 |
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Active Partnership, Technical Cooperation and Resource Mobilization |
3,180,261 |
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3,180,261 |
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Field Programmes in Africa |
39,615,698 |
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40,450,698 |
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Field Programmes in the Americas |
36,643,947 |
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36,793,947 |
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Field Programmes in Arab States |
7,985,753 |
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8,085,753 |
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Field Programmes in Asia and the Pacific |
39,420,668 |
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39,820,668 |
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Field Programmes in Europe and Central Asia |
12,478,546 |
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12,578,546 |
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Support Activities |
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69,482,950
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67,770,222
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Total Strategic Objectives |
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357,087,481 |
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358,067,950 | |
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SO.1. The functions covered under the Strategic Objectives item of the budget are divided into three groups; namely Technical Programmes, Regional Programmes and Support Activities.
SO.2. The table above groups together under the Technical Programmes the resources presented in the Programme and Budget for 1998-99 under 50 (International Labour Standards and Human Rights), 60 (Employment and Training), 65 (Enterprise and Cooperative Development), 75 (Turin Centre), 80 (Industrial Relations and Labour Administration), 85 (Multinational Enterprises), 90 (Working Conditions and Environment), 100 (Sectoral Activities), 110 (Social Security), 120 (Statistics), 125 (Development Policies), 130 ( International Institute for Labour Studies), 140 (Equality for Women), 145 (Interdepartmental Activities), 225 (Employers' Activities) and 230 (Workers' Activities).
SO.3. The table above groups together under the Regional Programmes the resources presented in the Programme and Budget for 1998-99 under 245 (Active Partnership, Technical Cooperation and Resource Mobilization), 250 (Field Programmes in Africa), 260 (Field Programmes in the Americas), 265 (Field Programmes in Arab States), 270 (Field Programmes in Asia and the Pacific) and 280 (Field Programmes in Europe and Central Asia).
SO.4. The table above groups together under the Support Activities the resources presented in the Programme and Budget for 1998-99 under 175 (Internal Administration), 180 (Publications), 185 (Information Technology and Communications), 190 (ILO Library), 235 (Public Information) and 240 (International Relations).
Description of changes in resource levels
SO.5. The total level of resources proposed for the Strategic Objectives item of the budget has increased by some $980,000 in real terms in comparison with the biennium 1998-99. This net increase includes an additional $1.1 million for the Technical Programmes to cover the new work related to the Follow-up of the ILO Declaration on Principles and Rights at Work. An additional $1.4 million will be made available from within the existing budget levels of the Technical Programmes to provide a total $2.5 million for this purpose. The level of resources proposed for the Regional Programmes has also been increased by some $1.6 million in real terms in comparison with the biennium 1998-99. Resources proposed for Support Activities have been decreased in real terms by some $1.7 million in comparison with the previous biennium, resulting largely from continued rationalization in internal administrative services.
SO.6. Programme descriptions for the biennium 2000-01 follow.
50. International Labour Standards and Human Rights
50.1. The final decade of the twentieth century has seen significant developments in the ILO's standards-related activities. In reaction to pressures on work-related rights in an increasingly competitive global economy, a broader consensus is emerging on the centrality and universality of the ILO's basic principles and Conventions, with particular reference to freedom of association, freedom from discrimination and freedom from forced and child labour. In all the areas covered by the ILO, there is evidence of greater awareness that the long-term sustainability of social and economic development and enterprise performance requires an increasingly skilled and dedicated workforce employed under favourable conditions. This is amply demonstrated by the adoption of the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its Follow-up, the support received in the campaign for the full ratification and implementation of the basic Conventions and the progress in the Governing Body's review of ILO standard-setting policy, including the revision of standards.
50.2. Constituents have also been emphasizing in their Country Objectives the need to address issues of development and democratization in terms of international labour standards. Priority therefore needs to be given to ensuring that the supervisory mechanisms fulfil their role of helping member States achieve the best possible observance of international labour standards and that the Office's operational activities make such observance a reality in both law and practice.
50.3. Broader observance of ILO principles and standards is achieved through an ongoing dialogue with constituents designed to: enhance their understanding and awareness of international labour standards; assist member States in fulfilling their obligations under the ILO Constitution and ratified Conventions; and assist in identifying and designing measures to put them into effect.
50.4. The ILO's supervisory machinery makes an essential contribution to the more widespread observance by member States of international labour standards and principles. The impartiality and objectivity of the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations, in particular, help explain the respect in which the supervisory bodies are held and the success that they achieve in improving compliance with standards-related obligations. The complementarity between the work of the Committee of Experts and the Conference Committee on the Application of Standards ensures a high level of participation by constituents in the supervisory process. Another integral component of the supervisory machinery is the Governing Body Committee on Freedom of Association, which examines complaints brought before it by constituents alleging the non-observance of the ILO's principles of freedom of association. An essential part of this process is the guidance and assistance provided to constituents to help resolve problems of application identified by the supervisory machinery.
50.5. As one of the mainstays of the ILO's efforts to promote freedom of association and eliminate discrimination and forced labour, this work contributes extensively to the achievement of Strategic Objective No. 1 on fundamental principles and rights at work. It improves knowledge and observance of the full range of the ILO's standards, covering all the major fields of ILO action, involving important contributions to the achievement of each of the ILO's three other strategic objectives.
50.1. Departmental activities
50.6. Coordination of international labour standards and field activities. With the objective that international labour standards, and especially the principles contained in the fundamental Conventions and the Declaration, should be the guiding principles throughout ILO operational activities, information and guidance will be provided to constituents, ILO units at headquarters and in the field, and other international organizations, including UNDP. Based on the technical assistance and advice provided, there will be an increased integration of ILO standards and the comments of the supervisory bodies in Country Objectives, technical and mission reports and greater reference in the documentation produced by other international organizations. Particular attention will be given to the discussions at the 86th and 87th Sessions of the Conference in 1998 and 1999 relating to the adoption of the Declaration and technical cooperation and the decisions of the Governing Body concerning standard-setting policy, the supervisory procedures and the interaction between standards and technical cooperation.
50.2. Application of standards
50.7. Problems/needs. International labour standards embody the principles which lie at the core of the ILO's mandate and provide a framework for the achievement by constituents of development based on social justice. But the attainment of these objectives requires greater understanding of ILO standards, the more widespread ratification of its Conventions and action to improve their application at the national level.
50.8. The objectives are that:
• member States take measures to ensure that their law and practice are in conformity with ILO standards, and particularly to overcome problems of application identified by the supervisory bodies; and
• member States ratify more Conventions and fulfil their reporting requirements under the ILO Constitution on ratified and unratified Conventions and on Recommendations.
50.9. Supervision of the application of standards. This work relates to the majority of ILO Conventions in such varied fields as employment policy, labour administration, child labour, occupational safety and health, conditions of work and the maritime and other sectors. It includes the servicing of the supervisory bodies, as well as most of the tripartite committees set up to examine representations made under article 24 of the Constitution. In close collaboration with the technical departments, it also includes the analysis of the reports and information provided by governments under articles 19, 22 and 35 of the Constitution in preparation for their examination by the Committee of Experts, which notes cases of progress with interest or satisfaction. Contributions will also be made to supervising the implementation of standards adopted by other organizations, including the European Social Charter and the European Code of Social Security and its Protocol.
50.10. Active Partnership Policy and promotional activities. Based on the technical assistance provided to constituents, national law and practice will be adjusted and draft labour legislation formulated to improve compliance with ILO principles and standards. Training will continue to be organized, particularly in the form of national and subregional tripartite seminars, to improve awareness of the substance of the various standards and strengthen the capacity of constituents to prepare the reports required by the supervisory bodies. Support will be provided for training activities for employers' and workers' organizations and the courses on standards organized by the Turin Centre. Drawing on the knowledge acquired from country employment policy reviews, promotional activities for the Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122), will include the development of models of best practice. Assistance will be provided for the process of reviewing social security standards and the promotion of the new instruments on child labour which are expected to be adopted by the Conference in 1999.
50.11. Operations unit. Provision is made for the holding in Geneva of two sessions of the Committee of Experts ($416,121). Provision is also made for the registry and chancery services. The registry is responsible for the operation of the reporting procedures for the supervisory mechanisms, including communications with constituents and other international organizations, and compiling the comments of the Committee of Experts. The chancery is responsible, in collaboration with the Office of the Legal Adviser, for registering ratifications and denunciations of Conventions, reporting them to the Governing Body and the United Nations and publishing them in the Official Bulletin.
50.3. Freedom of association
50.12. Problems/needs. Without freedom of association, or in other words, without independent and representative employers' and workers' organizations which benefit from sufficient guarantees to further and defend the rights of their members and social progress in general, the prospects for greater social justice would be seriously prejudiced. The ILO's Constitution and standards place important responsibilities on employers' and workers' organizations, which they are called upon to exercise within the Organization itself and at the national level. As reaffirmed by the Declaration, freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining are basic principles that member States are bound to respect and promote, even if they have not ratified the relevant Conventions. Yet, these fundamental rights are not observed, or are only partially observed, in a number of member States. Moreover, although Conventions Nos. 87 and 98 have received a high number of ratifications, they are not as widely ratified as some of the other basic Conventions.
50.13. The objectives are that:
• member States implement the ILO's constitutional principles and standards on freedom of association and collective bargaining more effectively; and
• more member States ratify the relevant Conventions.
50.14. Supervision of the application of standards and principles on freedom of association. The ILO makes an important contribution to overcoming problems in the observance of these principles and standards by supervising compliance with ratified Conventions on freedom of association, through the Committee of Experts and the Conference Committee, and with the ILO's constitutional principles of freedom of association, whether or not the respective Conventions have been ratified, through the Governing Body Committee on Freedom of Association. Allegations of violations of the principles of freedom of association submitted by organizations of employers and workers are analysed for examination by the Committee on Freedom of Association, which meets three times a year. Representations made under article 24 of the Constitution on matters of freedom of association are also processed. The complex and sensitive issues raised in these cases may require the sending of missions in the form of direct contacts, informal advisory missions, or high-level tripartite missions composed of Governing Body members accompanied by ILO officials. The improvements achieved through this work will include the removal of restrictions on employers' and workers' organizations and their members and the adoption of legislation promoting freedom of association and collective bargaining and protecting the social partners from interference in their activities.
50.15. Promotion of standards and principles on freedom of association. If more constituents are to improve their compliance with the ILO's principles and standards on freedom of association and ratify the related Conventions, they require information and guidance on the content of these standards and principles, their importance in strengthening tripartism and social development, and the measures that need to be taken in law and practice. Technical assistance and promotional activities for the improved ratification and observance of the Conventions on freedom of association will consist mainly of advisory missions and training seminars, both on a tripartite basis and for employers' or workers' organizations. Based on the assistance provided, the adjustments made in national law and practice to improve compliance with ILO principles and standards will be noted by the supervisory bodies. To coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Committee on Freedom of Association, a study will be published on the impact of the ILO's supervisory machinery in the field of freedom of association.
50.4. Equality and human rights coordination
50.16. Problems/needs. Forced labour and even slavery remain far too common around the world. Discrimination in employment and work, on the basis of sex, ethnicity, religion and other grounds, is still often the rule rather than the exception. Moreover, vulnerable groups, such as migrant workers and indigenous and tribal peoples, remain subject to widespread exploitation and abuse. Wider ratification and implementation of the important principles and standards covered by the subprogramme requires greater awareness among constituents and the provision of guidance on how to improve their implementation. Moreover, to strengthen the effectiveness of the ILO's work on the basic human rights for which it has special competence, it is necessary to ensure that the Office's statements and activities on human rights are consistent and that all its operational activities promote greater observance of these rights.
50.17. The objectives are that:
• constituents comply as fully as possible with the ILO's constitutional principles and ratified Conventions on forced labour, discrimination, migrant workers and indigenous and tribal peoples;
• more member States ratify the relevant Conventions; and
• the ILO's principles relating to human rights are promoted through the work of other international organizations.
50.18. Supervision of the application of standards. The identification by the supervisory bodies of problems in the application of the ILO's principles and standards on forced labour, discrimination, migrant workers and indigenous and tribal peoples leads to the adoption of changes in national law and practice to improve compliance. Representations made under article 24 of the Constitution are also analysed in preparation for their examination by the tripartite committees appointed by the Governing Body.
50.19. Promotional activities: ratification and implementation of ILO standards. Based on the technical assistance provided, obstacles to the ratification of the Conventions covered by the programme will be resolved. Assistance will be supplied to overcome difficulties identified by the supervisory bodies and for the establishment and strengthening of national institutions which promote equality of opportunity and treatment. Information and guidance will also be provided through training activities, seminars and publications.
50.20. General human rights coordination. Relations will be maintained with other international organizations, including the international financial institutions, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and UNAIDS. Through its participation in the work of the United Nations' supervisory procedures and the meetings of its human rights bodies, and through the advice provided on technical cooperation and related activities, the ILO's human rights principles and standards will be taken into account more fully in the work of other organizations. The work of other technical and regional ILO units on basic work-related rights will be coordinated through consultations and the exchange of information.
50.5. Standard-setting policy and information
50.21. Problems/needs. The ILO's standards can only be effective in promoting its principles and values if they are the product of an extensive process of consultation with constituents. To maintain the relevance of the ILO's body of existing standards, constituents need to be involved in a systematic review process to identify instruments which need revision or have become obsolete. An efficient information service on current legislation, international labour standards and other relevant texts is also required to improve constituents' understanding of standards, assist in the development of national legislation, facilitate compliance with reporting procedures and support the work of the supervisory bodies.
50.22. The objectives are that:
• international labour standards are strengthened and updated through the close involvement of constituents in developing new standards, improving their content and systematically reviewing standard-setting policy; and
• constituents and the supervisory bodies have greater access to information on national legislation and international labour standards.
50.23. Standard-setting policy and the preparation of standards. The work of the subprogramme involves servicing and supporting the standards-related work of the Governing Body, its Committee on Legal Issues and International Labour Standards (LILS) and the Working Party on Policy regarding the Revision of Standards. A portfolio of proposals for the agenda of the Conference will be maintained and developed as a basis
for an informed choice of subjects for new standards. Assistance will be provided for the identification of standards which are in need of revision and for the inclusion of the appropriate items on the agenda of the Conference. The involvement of constituents in this process is strengthened through information and consultation activities.
50.24. Legal information services. The access of constituents and the supervisory bodies to legal information on labour and social issues will be improved through the maintenance and development of the following information tools:
• the ILOLEX database of international labour standards, available on CD-ROM and the Internet, containing some 75,000 documents, which will be expanded to include the report forms on all Conventions in the three working languages and the texts of Conventions and Recommendations in Arabic, Chinese, German, Russian and other languages in which translations are available;
• the NATLEX database, published as a CD-ROM and available on the Internet, which contains over 45,000 documents covering national labour, social security and related human rights legislation for more than 200 countries and territories, as well as over 150 full texts translated into one of the ILO's working languages, rising to over 500 full texts by the end of the biennium; and
• the legal information centre, which will be enhanced through the conversion into electronic format of many printed legislative texts to facilitate their distribution.
60. Employment and Training
60.1. Virtually no country is spared from the individual hardship, social exclusion and the other threats to democracy and social cohesion engendered by the lack of employment opportunities, with the recurrence of financial crises making joblessness an even more global problem. Indeed, the true extent of unemployment and underemployment is often unknown, due to the lack of labour market information. Moreover, the quality of jobs is giving rise to serious concern nearly everywhere, with newly created jobs often paying very low wages. Not surprisingly, feelings of insecurity run high.
60.2. These problems are compounded by changes in the nature of jobs and working life. Intensified competition, globalization and technological change have led to economic and enterprise restructuring through measures such as privatization, the downsizing of the workforce, subcontracting and the increased importance of small firms and self-employment. These trends have led to a greater turnover of jobs and have accelerated the decline in traditional full-time permanent employment relationships and the standard life sequence of education, work and retirement. At the same time, a pressing demand has emerged for new skills and competencies.
60.3. Against this background of far-reaching change, the ILO remains at the vanguard of those who are seeking solutions for employment problems. Designated by the Social Summit as the lead agency in the field of employment policy, the ILO is guided in its work by international labour standards, including the Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122). It is also inspired by the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its Follow-up which, inter alia, draws attention to the need for policies to resolve the social problems of the unemployed, and reaffirms the principle that discrimination in employment and occupation should be eliminated.
60.4. The ILO remains fully committed to pursuing the objective of full employment, which was described by the Conference in 1996 as a desirable and feasible goal, but also a special challenge in the era of globalization. Emphasis is therefore given to policies which create jobs, enhance the quality of employment, improve the adaptability and employability of the labour force and promote the social inclusion of vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. Throughout this work, constant contact is maintained with employers and workers and their respective organizations and support is provided to strengthen their participation in the formulation and implementation of employment, labour market and training policies. Compared to previous biennia, the ILO will go beyond policy analysis and design, and put much greater emphasis on the application, testing and improvement of policy instruments, and on more direct assistance to constituents.
60.5. The work of the programme will contribute principally to the achievement of Strategic Objective No. 2 on employment. Through the collection of labour market information and increased awareness of the positive effects of labour market regulation, it will also contribute to Strategic Objective No. 3 on social protection. Particular emphasis will be placed on strengthening the capacity of organizations of employers and workers to participate in policy setting, as well as tripartite machinery related to employment and training, in response to Strategic Objective No. 4 on social dialogue.
60.6. The use of Internet and other applications of information technology will be expanded along with printed publications to disseminate the analyses and policy recommendations resulting from the programme. Analysis of the country reports on the application of the Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) will be provided to assist the Committee of Experts. The programme provides the support services for the Governing Body's Committee on Employment and Social Policy.
60.7. Approximately $39.5 million of extra-budgetary technical cooperation is expected to be implemented in the biennium in the fields of employment and training. It will enhance the capacity of member States to prepare national development strategies to expand employment, to set up labour market information systems, to set up and evaluate targeted employment programmes for the disadvantaged, to introduce life-long learning systems for employable skills, and to improve the organization and management of training systems, including new roles for the social partners. Assistance will also be provided on more and better jobs for women, and for countries emerging from conflict. In addition some $8 million is expected to be implemented on vocational rehabilitation, including drug and alcohol abuse at the workplace.
60.8. During 1998-99, activities on migrant workers were transferred to the Working Conditions and Environment Department. A new programme has been added on international economic policies and labour to provide a proactive, in-depth economic analysis capability.
60.1. Departmental activities
60.9. World Employment Forum. The objective of holding the Forum is to review outstanding issues in the employment field and seek new and innovative approaches to the creation of more and better quality jobs, consistent with commitments made at the World Summit for Social Development (Copenhagen, 1995).
It will be attended by representatives of governments, workers' and employers' organizations, NGOs and the academic community.
60.10. International Programme on More and Better Jobs for Women. The labour force participation of women has been rising steadily over recent decades. Nevertheless, gender discrimination in employment and working conditions remains a serious problem in most countries. Women continue to work for less pay and under worse conditions than men. They tend to suffer higher unemployment and underemployment rates and account for more than 70 per cent of those living below the poverty line. In response to requests from constituents for assistance and as part of its follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women and the Social Summit, the ILO launched the International Programme on More and Better Jobs for Women in June 1997, with the objectives that:
• constituents in the member States which participate in the programme formulate, implement and monitor effective and sustainable policies and programmes to provide more and better jobs for women; and
• constituents and other international organizations, especially the international financial institutions, identify and adopt good practices and innovative approaches which improve the quantity and quality of women's employment and working conditions, as well as pro-active measures to address emerging trends and concerns.
60.11. The international programme reinforces the ILO's longstanding commitment to the promotion of full, productive and freely chosen employment in conditions of equality of opportunity and treatment. It is therefore essentially aimed at promoting and implementing the basic Conventions on non-discrimination and the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its Follow-up. Based on the assistance provided, national action plans on more and better jobs for women will be developed and implemented in at least five more countries, bringing the total number of countries with operational action plans to between 15 and 20. These comprehensive and multidisciplinary action plans include components on: institution- and capacity-building; the promotion of Conventions Nos. 100 and 111, including technical assistance for legislative reforms; and the design and implementation of model schemes which improve the quantity and quality of employment for specific vulnerable groups of women.
60.12. Global concern for women's employment and equality issues will be sharpened and information will be disseminated on good practices, with particular reference to employment and other schemes for specific groups of vulnerable women workers, such as home-based women workers in the informal sector, women in micro and small enterprises, women workers in export-processing zones, women in rural agricultural activities, women migrant workers and women with disabilities. Constituents will also have improved access to information on model legislation and innovative approaches to eliminate discrimination and promote gender equality. Based on the guidance provided, awareness will be raised of women's issues at the national and international levels, institutional mechanisms will be established and strengthened to improve their situation and programmes will be implemented to provide more and better jobs for women.
60.2. Employment and labour market policies
60.13. Problems/needs. Faced with globalized markets and the need to adapt to technological progress, member States are finding it increasingly difficult to balance considerations of economic efficiency and social development. ILO constituents are experiencing greater problems in ensuring that due weight is accorded to improving the quantity and quality of employment. Yet it is becoming steadily clearer that long-term national economic performance depends on the development of a skilled and dedicated workforce, harmonious industrial relations and the integration of vulnerable groups into the economy, so that they are able to strengthen rather than hamper national development.
60.14. To present their case effectively and forcibly, and to reject approaches which jeopardize employment objectives, constituents need to evaluate the employment implications of economic policies and analyse the functioning of the labour market, with particular reference to its regulatory framework. Reliable labour market information has to be collected and analysed as a basis for designing and advocating labour market programmes and institutions which raise the number and quality of jobs and improve the situation of vulnerable categories of the population.
60.15. The objectives are that:
• national policy-makers take greater account of the impact of both the globalization process and their economic policies on employment and adjust them to maximize employment-intensive economic growth;
• the social partners, by improving their contribution to policy formulation, give a new impetus to consultation machinery on employment policy;
• constituents evaluate, target and, where necessary, revise their labour market policies and programmes with a view to maximizing their impact on employment and ensuring that they are targeted at those in greatest need; and
• constituents produce and use relevant and timely data on labour market issues, including data on movements between jobs and in and out of employment, as a basis for policy formulation and programme implementation.
60.16. Action will focus on helping constituents analyse and improve national employment and labour market policies. This work covers many issues relating to structural reform and labour market regulation which are important in the ILO's dialogue with other international organizations, including the international financial institutions and the OECD. Responsibilities include the ILO's follow-up to the Social Summit and the organization of a special session of the United Nations General Assembly on the follow-up to the Social Summit.
60.17. Globalization and employment. Given that national policies are being continuously affected by processes of globalization, assistance will be focused on aiding constituents to undertake policy reforms in ways that will generate employment and improve job quality. Consultation mechanisms will be strengthened so that constituents can participate more closely in the formulation of consensual employment policies. Constituents' understanding of the impact of global economic forces on countries' relative position in the world and, on the distribution of earnings domestically, will be strengthened by analysis of the ways in which capital mobility, trade liberalizations, and the merging and restructuring of enterprises across borders entail job losses and employment risk. Particular attention will be paid to the impact of labour market institutions and regulations on the pattern and flow of foreign direct investment and on enterprise decisions on relocation.
60.18. National employment policies. Building on the methodological approaches developed in previous biennia, major economic issues will be analysed in the light of national experience and a new set of country employment policy reviews will be carried out. Assistance will be provided to constituents in analysing the conditions under which employment creation can be maximized, with emphasis on the policy signals which influence recruitment. Based on the guidance provided, all aspects of public policy, including taxation, government financing and public sector investment, will be reviewed to increase their effectiveness in generating employment and stimulating private investment. Constituents will be assisted in preparing contingency plans to meet major falls in the demand for labour, building on the previous biennium's action programme on structural adjustment, employment and the role of the social partners.
60.19. Active labour market policies and programmes. The support provided to constituents will be designed to increase their understanding of the role that can be played by active labour market policies and programmes in reducing unemployment and promoting equity. Based on the guidance provided, programmes will be designed and implemented for the unemployed and those categories of the labour force which experience particular difficulties in finding work. Assistance will be provided in the design of redeployment and retraining programmes, particularly to combat the displacement caused by the closure of large enterprises, including public enterprises in transition countries. As a follow-up to the resolution on youth employment of the 1998 International Labour Conference, constituents will be helped to design, implement and evaluate programmes to promote the employment of young people particularly from disadvantaged social and ethnic groups. Special emphasis will be placed on participation of the social partners in implementing programmes which facilitate the transition from school to work.
60.20. Social dialogue for more and better jobs. The key role of social dialogue in employment policy will be analysed. A synthesis of national experience will cover the contribution of social dialogue both to improved employment and labour market performance and to developing employment systems which combine labour market flexibility with job security. Specific activities will be undertaken to promote and contribute to social dialogue in Central and Eastern Europe on the persistence of irregular employment. This work will contribute to refining the ILO position in the international debate on labour market flexibility, particularly with other international organizations, including the OECD, the European Commission and the Bretton Woods institutions.
60.21. Key indicators of the labour market and labour market dynamics. With the assistance that is offered, systems for the collection and analysis of labour market data will be established and strengthened. In addition to monitoring the static indicators (i.e. employment, underemployment, employment and poverty) which are all that have hitherto been available, dynamic indicators of labour markets and labour flows will be developed. These will cover the movement of workers between jobs, between employment and unemployment, and in and out of the labour force. Emphasis will also be placed on the development of new indicators in such areas on job quality and gender equity. Key labour market information will be disseminated by the ILO in the form of both CD-ROM and a publication. It will include an analysis of trends in the global labour market so as to provide a better basis for policy-making by constituents.
60.3. Training policies and systems
60.22. Problems/needs. The development of the global economy continues to pose major challenges for training policies and systems. To improve their competitiveness, enterprises demand multiple skills from their employees so that they can adjust to frequent workplace changes. But large numbers of low-skilled workers risk social exclusion and poverty as they become unemployed or end up in low-income, informal or insecure jobs. International debates on employment issues, for example in the G-8, the European Union or in the wake of the Asian crisis, regularly highlight the central role of training in strategies to promote sustainable and high-quality employment.
60.23. Training policies and systems need to have a dual objective. In the first place, both young persons entering the labour market and those already in work have to be able to acquire the new skills and competencies that are required in a rapidly changing economic environment. Secondly, vulnerable groups of workers and those in low productivity work need to have access to the skills and aptitudes that will help them obtain better jobs and higher incomes. The ILO's constituents have demonstrated their concern for these issues by placing human resources development and training on the agenda of the Conference in the year 2000.
60.24. The objectives are that:
• constituents formulate and implement training policies and programmes, including life-long learning strategies, which assist workers and enterprises to adapt to changes in technology, the organization of work and enterprise structures;
• constituents and training professionals introduce greater equity when reforming training systems; and
• constituents, training providers, enterprises and individuals base their training decisions on the improved measurement of the labour force's qualifications and skills.
60.25. These challenges will be approached in two main ways. Firstly, new developments and concerns will be reflected in policy development and advisory services based on recent work, including the conclusions of the 1998-99 World Employment Report on training for employment. In the second place, a small number of new research and development activities will focus on critical developments, including: the shift of emphasis towards life-long learning in enterprises to adapt to continuous change; the new demands for skills generated by the globalization of production systems, and their implications for employment growth and quality; problems arising from the tendency for training resources to be concentrated on a relatively small proportion of the workforce; and problems related to the concepts and measurement of skills, which render training decisions and policies difficult for all concerned.
60.26. Training policy analysis and development. Through the technical assistance provided, more effective and equitable training policies and systems will be designed and implemented, including strategies to combat youth unemployment and develop training options for displaced workers. Guidance on training issues will also be provided to constituents through regional training policy papers focussing on important regional training issues. The assistance supplied will lead to greater tripartite dialogue on training policy issues and the development of training systems which meet the needs of employers and workers more effectively.
60.27. Life-long learning and its implications for training systems. The concerns of constituents with regard to life-long learning and its impact on human resources development, productivity and competitiveness will be identified. Based on the experience of countries which have made progress in this area, guidance and recommendations will be developed on the organization and financing of life-long learning, with emphasis on the role of the social partners and training delivery methods. Using this guidance, an increasing number of countries will take practical steps to promote life-long learning. The results of this work will serve as a basis for possible future standard-setting activities on human resources development.
60.28. Economic restructuring, labour force adaptability and new skill requirements. Priority will be given to ensuring that constituents have access to better information on two key issues as a basis for their policy decisions. The first of these relates to the needs of workers and enterprises in terms of initial training, workplace training and life-long learning in response to changes in technology, work organization, enterprise structures and attitudes. The second relates to the impact of different types of training on job quality and individual and enterprise performance. A review will be carried out of skill development strategies at various levels and their impact on productivity, competitiveness, employment and incomes, with emphasis on strategies which encourage organizations to become learning organizations and take the high-skill, high performance road. Case studies will be conducted of the types of training delivery which have been successful in improving labour force adaptability, as well as the extent and quality of training provision for new forms of work, such as telework, contract work, home work and work in cooperatives and networks of small enterprises. Based on the guidance that is developed, training policies will be reoriented to promote greater adaptability among the workforce.
60.29. Equitable access to training. Work will focus on two important aspects of inequality in access to training. The first of these is between enterprises of different types and sizes, and the second relates to inequality between men and women in training. Based on a systematic review of inequality and discrimination in access to training, analysis will focus on differences in returns on training investment in enterprises of various sizes and types, particularly comparing informal sector and micro-enterprises with medium and large enterprises. An examination will be carried out of differences in returns on investment in training for men and women and how they affect employment and career opportunities, as well as of new developments in production systems and learning options which affect equality of access to skills. The guidance that is developed will serve as a basis for the design and implementation of more effective equity strategies in training.
60.30. Better measurement of skills. Building on previous work, and particularly the support provided for the development of employment and training "observatories" in French-speaking Africa and Latin America, existing concepts and data collection methods for the integration of skills and training in data systems will be reviewed and assessed. The focus will be on improving the measurement of skills and competencies in developing countries. Case studies will be carried out in selected developing countries on the use of labour force and enterprise surveys and other data collection methods for the measurement of training and skills in both the formal and informal sectors. Based on the guidance that is provided, new and improved information and indicators on training and the qualifications of the workforce will be published in several developing countries and used in decisions regarding training.
60.4. Vocational rehabilitation
60.31. Problems/needs. Despite the programmes and measures adopted in an increasing number of countries, people with disabilities and individuals with drug and alcohol problems are experiencing growing difficulties in finding and keeping employment. The risk of their social exclusion is heightened under the prevailing conditions of structural unemployment, increased competition and greater constraints on the allocation of public resources for social support programmes and measures. Constituents therefore need to design, implement and evaluate policies and measures which improve the labour market integration of workers with disabilities and reduce drug and alcohol-related risks to workers and enterprises.
60.32. The ILO can make an important contribution in this respect by raising awareness of the need to develop workplace prevention and rehabilitation measures as standard elements of good human resource management practices. Constituents also require assistance in bringing national law and practice into conformity with the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983 (No. 159), and the 1995 Code of practice on the management of alcohol- and drug-related issues in the workplace.
60.33. The objectives are that:
• constituents formulate, implement and assess legislation, policies and programmes which promote the equal access of persons with disabilities to the world of work, in conformity with Convention No. 159; and
• constituents, enterprises and other partners develop policies and programmes for the reduction of drug and alcohol abuse in the workplace, including prevention programmes at the enterprise level and programmes to assist workers in their recovery and return to work.
60.34. Disability. Research will continue to be carried out to identify effective strategies to promote and achieve job retention and return to work of workers with disabilities. Other work will focus on supported employment and sheltered employment programmes. Dissemination of information and the provision of technical guidance and assistance to governments, employers' and workers' organizations, particularly in transition and developing countries, will form part of the main activities of this subprogramme. Close collaboration will be maintained with national and international organizations of and for persons with disabilities, member organizations of the ILO-initiated "Global Applied Disability Research and Information Network on Employment and Training" (GLADNET) Association and with other partner organizations in the United Nations.
60.35. Tripartite Meeting of Experts on the Management of Disability at the Workplace. The objective of the Meeting is to review, revise and adopt a Code of practice on the management of disability-related issues in the workplace. Components of the draft Code will include: enterprise measures, incentives and practices for the employment of persons with disabilities; job retention and the return to work of workers who become disabled; and best practices and means to prevent and protect against the occurrence of workplace illness, injury and disability and their costs. The Meeting will also develop special workplace integration strategies and models ensuring equal rights for workers with disabilities.
60.36. Drug and alcohol abuse at the workplace. Based on the ILO's Code of practice on the management of alcohol- and drug-related issues in the workplace, policies will be formulated and prevention and assistance programmes developed which combine action at the workplace with community resources and services. Using as a model the experience gained with the maritime industry, further partnerships will be established with specific industries for the design and implementation of drug and alcohol prevention programmes. Through these partnerships, the effectiveness of prevention and awareness programmes will be evaluated, good practices will be identified and information dissemination and awareness campaigns will be launched.
60.5. International economic policies
60.5. and labour
60.37. With a view to advocating policy approaches at the national and international levels which best advance economic development based on social justice, the ILO needs to play a more proactive role in analysing the increasingly rapid changes in international economic relations and their effects on employment and social policy. The Asian financial crisis and its widening repercussions are an important example of developments where the ILO's capacity to act quickly and in depth needs to be reinforced. In this and other cases constituents and international development partners need up-to-date information and analysis of key trends and policy issues in the global economy, including trade liberalization, multilateral agreements on investment, the reform of the international financial system and major trends in technology and the organization and location of production. This information is required by constituents to help them make informed policy choices in a rapidly developing and therefore potentially confusing environment. It is needed by the Office so that it can play a prominent role in international policy dialogue to ensure that the ILO's principles and values are taken duly into account by other international organizations, including the international financial institutions.
60.38. The objectives are that:
• constituents are better informed about salient developments in the global economy, with particular reference to the relationship between economic and social policy; and
• the Office raises its profile in international debates by speaking out more authoritatively on international economic issues.
60.39. The objectives of the programme will be achieved by maintaining a flexible capacity to address priority issues as they arise. The production of authoritative policy papers and reports based on sound economic research will provide the economic reasoning and empirical evidence to support the ILO's positions on a range of policy questions. The clear and accessible style in which the policy papers and reports, including the World Employment Report, are written will facilitate the dissemination of the ILO's policy messages in the media and make them better known to policy-makers and constituents.
60.40. Special studies and reports. Guidance will be provided for policy thinking at the national and international levels through the preparation of studies on three to four key issues of international economic policy, as well as one edition of the World Employment Report, during the next biennium. The topics that are selected will depend on a number of factors, including the calendar of important meetings, the conjuncture of economic events and the issues which come to occupy centre stage in international discussions. It is likely, however, that they will include such subjects as the social impact of further trade and investment liberalization, measures to strengthen social protection in the face of greater economic volatility and the reform of labour market institutions and social policy in an era of increasing globalization. The topic to be covered by the World Employment Report will be decided at a later date. These activities will be supplemented by media outreach activities, seminar presentations and the preparation of non-technical summaries. Based on their thorough preparation and dissemination, the studies and reports produced will be widely cited by other international organizations, policy-makers and ILO constituents and will receive favourable reviews in influential policy journals, as well as wide media coverage.
60.41. Monitoring key economic trends and policy issues. The abundance, or even surfeit of information on key trends and current policy issues in the global economy will be monitored, processed and analysed from the standpoint of what is most important for the ILO and most relevant to the needs of constituents. Simplified explanations will also be developed of complex technical papers that are particularly relevant to the ILO and periodic policy briefs will be prepared on new and significant work. This information will be made accessible to constituents, headquarters and the field structure by being placed on the ILO's Website, with the result that the materials produced will be widely used by constituents and the Office.