2013

1. The 2nd Project Steering committee (PSC) Meeting of the Labour Migration Project in Bangladesh

   14 February 2013

   The 2nd Project Steering committee (PSC) Meeting of the project titled “Promoting Decent Work through Improved Migration Policy and its Application in Bangladesh” Executed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) Held on Thursday 14 Feb 2013 at the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment in Dhaka. The PSC members used the opportunity to review the project progress and gave approval for the planned implementation actions.

2. Building knowledge-base and promoting rights of the Bangladesh workers on the move

   6 February 2013

   A Tripartite Workshop titled "Building Knowledge-base and Promoting Rights of the Bangladesh Workers on the Move" co-organized by the Human Development Research Centre (HDRC) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Dhaka. The workshop included a wide range of stakeholders representing private and public sector banks, civil society organizations, migrant workers associations, international organizations, media and the Ministry of Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment (MEWOE). The workshop was conducted in order to gather information and exchange experiences to inform five comprehensive studies on international labour migration from Bangladesh.

3. Training-of-Trainers on Interest Based Negotiations and Joint Problem Solving with Employer and Union Partners

   30 January 2013

   The Promoting Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work in Bangladesh Project (FPRW) held two separate training-of-trainer (ToT) courses on Interest Based Negotiations and Joint Problem Solving (IBN) with resource persons and trainers from the project’s employer association and union organization partners. The ToT courses are the second on-the-ground components of the FPRW cooperative programs with the US Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS).

2012

1. Workshop on Using the ILO Gender Mainstreaming in TVET in Bangladesh Resource Guide

   10 - 12 December 2012

   Female participation in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and employment in Bangladesh is strikingly low. In public TVET institutions, female students make up 9 per cent to 13 per cent of student numbers. In Bangladesh’s workforce, female involvement remains at roughly 25 per cent for women aged 15 – 59. In addition, only about 10 per cent of women who are employed earn wages for their labour.

2. Working Together for the Rights of the Migrant Workers

   3 December 2012

   Trade Unions hold a consultation to develop a common minimum agenda and a plan of action on the rights of the Bangladeshi migrant workers. The opening of the event was marked by the presence of not only the trade union leaders but also the representatives of the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment (MEWOE) and the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA). Participation of all the Tripartite Constituents in the opening informed the discussions that followed during the day.

3. Policy dialogue on the Chittagong Hill Tracts Accord

   2 - 4 December 2012

   On the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the signing of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Accord, ministers, indigenous and tribal peoples’ representatives, civil society, academia and international organisations gathered at Dhaka University for a policy dialogue on the implementation of the Accord. The policy dialogue took place from the 2nd - 4th December 2012 and was arranged by the Parliamentary Caucus on Indigenous Peoples with the support of ILO, UNDP, the European Union, the High Commission of Canada, Danida and Research and Development Collective (RDC).

4. Training of Trainers (ToT) on Work Improvement in Small Enterprises (WISE)

   25 - 29 November 2012

   Young people make up a huge segment of Bangladesh’s population; almost 60 million people are below 18 years of age. Many of them, due to a lack of access to quality education, support their families through employment in the informal sector. In Bangladesh, this sector is characterized by low-skilled, repetitive work options and occupational health and safety hazards.

5. A National Workshop to discuss the ILO report “Female Employment Trends in South Asia: Case Study of Bangladesh”

   22 November 2012

   A National Workshop to discuss the ILO report “Female Employment Trends in South Asia: Case Study of Bangladesh” was held on 22 November 2012 at Ruposhi Bangla Hotel, Dhaka.

6. Training of Facilitators on ILO Participatory Gender Audit Methodology

   18 - 21 November 2012

   A Training of Facilitators on ILO Participatory Gender Audit Methodology was organized by ILO at the BRAC Centre Inn during 18-21 Nov., 2012. It was participated by different UN agencies including UNDP, UNFPA, ILO, UNWOMEN, WFP, UNESCO, WHO, UNRCO and UNICEF.

7. Third Policy Working Group Meeting : Trade and Employment in Services (IT Sector)

   7 October 2012

   The third meeting of the Policy Working Group of Assessing and Addressing the Effects of Trade on Employment (ETE) project was held on 7 October at Hotel Ruposhi Bangla. The theme of the meeting was Trade and Employment in Services : IT Sector

8. Capacity building of indigenous women leaders from the Plains of Bangladesh

   4 - 5 October 2012

   A training for indigenous women leaders was jointly organized by Kapaeeng Foundation and Achik Michik Society in October with the support of International Labour Organization. The participants, that included women from seven different indigenous communities of the Plains, was introduced to a number of key issues on indigenous women's rights on national and international level including ILO Convention 169, CEDAW and the National Women's Policy.

9. Book launching ceremony for multi language education material in Garo language

   2 October 2012

   The Cultural and Development Society (CDS) organized a book launching ceremony of pre-primary education material in Garo with the support of ILO on 26 June 2012. Around 80 participants from government, NGOs, indigenous leaders and experts on multi lingual education came together to discuss policies and strategies and the importance that children get the opportunity to be taught in their mother tongue.

10. Implementation Agreement between the Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) for the Project “Promoting Decent Work through Improved Migration Policy and its Application in Bangladesh”

    1 October 2012

11. Training Program on Interest Based Negotiations and Joint Problem Solving with Tripartite Partners

    30 September - 3 October 2012

12. Tripartite Meeting on ILO Code of Practice

    30 September 2012

    The ILO’s Project on Promoting Gender Equality and Preventing Violence against Women at Workplace supported by the Government of Bangladesh organized a “Tripartite Meeting on ILO Code of Practice – Workplace Violence in Service Sectors and Measures to Combat This Phenomenon” on 30 September 2012 at the Conference Hall of the Chamber Building in Dhaka. Government officials, representatives from different trade unions and employers‟ associations attended the meeting and shared their views about the ILO Code of Conduct addressing violence against women at workplaces in Bangladesh perspective.

13. National level training of trade union representatives on indigenous and tribal peoples’ issues in Bangladesh

    10 September 2012

    ILO organized a national level training for trade union representatives on ILO C107 and C169 and indigenous and tribal peoples’ (ITPs) issues in Bangladesh on 10th September 2012. 20 representatives from national level trade unions affiliated with National Coordination Committee for Workers Education (NCCWE) and 20 representatives from indigenous and tribal workers’ organizations attended the training.

14. National level training for government officials on indigenous and tribal peoples’ issues

    8 - 9 September 2012

    ILO and the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs (MoCHTA) jointly organized a two days long national level training for government officials on UN Human Rights Instruments and national laws concerning indigenous and tribal peoples of Bangladesh. 40 government officers from different line ministries including 12 Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs) from the plain land districts participated in the training programme.

15. Green Jobs in Asia Regional Conference

    29 - 31 August 2012

    On 29-31 August 2012, a tripartite regional workshop will discuss the Green Jobs in Asia project to highlight successful approaches, areas of improvement and the way forward. Representatives from GJA will include Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal, the Philippines and Sri Lanka. They will be joined by additional countries with Green Jobs experience: China, Fiji, India and Thailand.

16. Project Steering Committee Meeting of the “Promoting Decent Work through Improved Migration Policy and its Application in Bangladesh Project

    5 July 2012

    The 1st Project Steering Committee (PSC) meeting of the project titled “Promoting Decent Work through Improved Migration Policy and its Application in Bangladesh” was held under the chairpersonship of Dr. Zafar Ahmed Khan, Secretary, MEWOE on Thursday the 5th of July 2012 at the Conference Room of the MEWOE. The PSC comprises of 18 representatives from the tripartite constituents – Government, Trade Unions, Employers Associations – and other important actors in the area of labour migration, including, the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC), who is a donor to this project, migrant workers associations, migration research institutions and other civil society actors.

17. Second Policy Working Group Meeting : Trade and Employment in Agriculture

    24 June 2012

    The second meeting of the Policy Working Group of Assessing and Addressing the Effects of Trade on Employment (ETE) project was held on 24 June at Conference Room, Chillies. The theme of the meeting was Trade and Employment in Agriculture.