Statements and speeches

2023

  1. © C. Lepetit / Only World 2023
    Statement following the New York Times story on the ILO’s work in Qatar

    11 March 2023

2022

  1. ILO Director-General opening statement at the 17th Asia-Pacific regional meeting

    06 December 2022

    Check against delivery

  2. Joint Statement by the ILO and UN Women on the occasion of the Global Day of Action for Care

    29 October 2022

  3. ILO Director-General’s address to the Arab Labour Conference 2022

    18 September 2022

    In a recorded video address, ILO Director-General Guy Ryder addresses Arab governments, workers and employers meeting in Cairo, Egypt, with a call to pursue with the ILO a shared mission of promoting social justice.

  4. Effective measures are needed to ensure adequate Occupational Safety and Health for workers during extreme heat in Iraq

    08 August 2022

    ILO Country Coordinator in Iraq Maha Kattaa highlights the importance of adequate measures to mitigate some of the risks workers are exposed to due to soaring temperatures in Iraq.

  5. On “Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day”, the UN calls for support to MSMEs as effective agents of change to help advance in rebuilding and recovery efforts

    27 June 2022

    UN agencies in Iraq share a statement to recognize MSMEs at the heart of any resilient recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts, and climate crisis.

  6. On this World Day Against Child Labour, ILO and UNICEF call for joint work among all stakeholders to create a protective and inclusive environment for children in Iraq

    12 June 2022

  7. Young people address challenges and explore opportunities of transition from learning to employment in the Middle East and North Africa/Arab States region

    23 May 2022

    Home to the highest rates of unemployed youth in the world, the region needs to create more than 33.3 million new jobs by 2030.

  8. Syrians and the communities that host them urgently need immediate decent jobs

    09 May 2022

    Statement by ILO Assistant Director-General and Regional Director for Arab States Dr. Ruba Jaradat to the Sixth Brussels Conference on “Supporting the future of Syria and the region”

2021

  1. Ministerial Forum Declaration

    17 December 2021

    The future of Social Protection in the Arab Region: Building a vision for a post-COVID-19 reality

  2. © ILO 2023
    Speech of Dr. Ruba Jaradat, ILO Regional Director for Arab States at the 47th Arab Labour Conference

    05 September 2021

    The speech highlights the need for a multi-pronged strategy in the Arab States region to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

  3. © ILO/A.Khemka 2023
    UN Network on Migration for Arab States marks World Day against Trafficking in Persons

    30 July 2021

    The network calls on states in the region to take urgent action to combat trafficking in persons and identify, protect, and assist victims of human trafficking.

  4. A better future for Palestinians

    03 March 2021

    Prioritizing employment, workers’ rights, social protection and social dialogue will be essential if Palestinians are to create a human-centred recovery from COVID-19 that is sustainable and inclusive, ILO Director-General Guy Ryder told Palestinian tripartite constituents.

2020

  1. Hurtling toward a precipice: with no parachute attached

    07 December 2020

    Making the case for immediate establishment of social guarantees in Lebanon. By Yukie Mokuo, UNICEF Representative in Lebanon, and Ruba Jaradat, ILO Regional Director for Arab States.

  2. © SEWA Cooperative Federation 2023
    Cooperatives play an active role in tackling global crises, says ILO Director-General

    03 July 2020

    By adhering to environmental standards and promoting local production, consumer and producer cooperatives can help limit greenhouse gas emissions and sustain supply chains for essential goods and services, says ILO Director-General Guy Ryder, on the International Day of Cooperatives 2020.

  3. Statement by the ILO Director-General to the Brussels IV Conference supporting Syria and the region

    30 June 2020

    “Let us focus on building back better with a human-centred approach with and for refugees and their host communities,” ILO Director-General Guy Ryder has said to the Brussels IV Conference on supporting the future of Syria and the region, convened by the EU.

2019

  1. Protecting the most vulnerable: Why protecting the rights of migrant workers remains a critical priority

    18 December 2019

    ILO Regional Director for Arab States Dr. Ruba Jaradat reflects on the importance of International Migrants Day for millions of workers in the Middle East

  2. Message from ILO's Director-General Guy Ryder for International Cooperative Day 2019

    05 July 2019

    The 2019 International Day of Cooperatives will be celebrated on Saturday 6 July. This year, in commemoration of the ILO’s centenary, the theme is "cooperatives for decent work" which is closely linked to SDG8. On this occasion ILO Director-General Guy Ryder has issued a video message.

  3. © Tran Van Yen / ILO 2023
    How we treat our children is a reflection of our societies and values

    12 June 2019

    In a statement released for World Day Against Child Labour, ILO Director-General Guy Ryder urges Governments, workers and employers to make a final push to end child labour.

  4. ILO Regional Director Ruba Jaradat’s address to the 46th Session of the Arab Labour Conference

    21 April 2019

    At the Arab Labour Conference in Cairo, Jaradat spoke of the challenges and opportunities presented by the labour market in Arab States, and highlighted some of the results achieved by countries in the region with the support of the ILO. During the conference, ILO officials also presented the key findings of the ILO Global Commission on the Future of Work’s flagship report.