Stories on work, peace and resilience
-
Building Haiti through training and employability programmes
06 January 2012
As a reaction to the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti in January 2010, the international community has pledged multi-billion US$ support programmes. However, the country will only be able to harvest this massive support if it finds qualified professional and technical staff for implementation. ILO Online spoke with Michael Axmann, a senior ILO skills development specialist, about a new ILO proposal for a large-scale training and employment programme to strengthen employability of Haitian workers and productivity of Haitian enterprises.
-
Questions and answers on food security
13 December 2011
Recent food price shocks threaten some 1 billion people with hunger. Meanwhile, there is growing evidence that climate change, along with rampant commodity speculation and lack of social protection are contributing to widespread food insecurity, resulting in hunger, poverty and even increased child labour. ILO On-line talked to Marva Corley-Coulibaly and Uma Rani Amara, senior economists at the ILO International Institute for Labour Studies about the growing concerns over food insecurity, and what urgent actions are needed to address the crisis.
-
Global South-South Development Expo 2011: ILO Solution Exchange Forum on social protection, decent work and food security
01 December 2011
As part of the forthcoming 2011 Global South-South Development Expo, the International Labour Organization (ILO) will be hosting a Solution Exchange Forum on social protection, decent work and food security on 6 December at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.
-
Building a social protection floor in Mozambique
10 October 2011
Mozambique is a low-income country with high levels of poverty, informal and rural labour. Seriously affected by HIV and AIDS and exposed to climatic shocks and crises such as floods and droughts, the country’s institutions only have a limited capacity to deal with such shocks and offer social protection for the poor and vulnerable population. To address these challenges, an ILO technical cooperation project financed by Portugal works, together with other UN Agencies, to improve public policies and strengthen institutional capacity for the extension of social protection in Mozambique and other Portuguese-speaking African countries.
-
Inequities in health care access in the European region
06 October 2011
The objective of providing universal health coverage is high on the agenda of countries in the broader European region, yet vulnerable groups often do not have full access to health services, according to Dr. Xenia Scheil-Adlung, Health Policy Coordinator at the ILO’s Social Security Department. ILO Online spoke to Dr. Scheil-Adlung, who has published a study looking at the situation in the region, which includes the European Union, the Commonwealth of Independent States and Central and Eastern Europe.
-
Developing self reliance – Building hope: The ILO Employment for Peace Programme in Somalia
07 April 2011
Mogadishu, the capital city of Somalia, has been racked by violence and insecurity for nearly two decades. But there are signs of hope: among them, an ILO programme which provided a visible peace dividend to poor communities by engaging them in large scale employment-intensive projects. This and similar projects will be discussed at the ILO-IGAD-African Union Conference on "Employment for Peace, Stability and Development" on 11-12 April 2011 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Conference will map out a regional strategy for the Horn of Africa built upon a “virtuous triangle” consisting of the creation of employment opportunities, social protection for the most vulnerable and empowerment of people and communities. ILO Online reports from Mogadishu.
-
Interview with Mr. Abdessalem Jerad, General Secretary of the Tunisian General Labour Union UGTT (in Arabic)
22 March 2011
ILO TV interviewed Mr. Abdessalem Jerad, General Secretary of the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) about the current economic and social situation in Tunisia, the role that trade unions can play and how they see the future of the region.
-
Interview with H.E. Dr Ahmed El-Borai, Minister of Manpower and Migration of Egypt
22 March 2011
ILO TV interviewed H.E. Dr Ahmed El-Borai, Minister of Manpower and Migration of Egypt about the recent declaration guaranteeing the rights of all Egyptian trade unions to be registered and freely pursue their legitimate activities. He expressed his interest in looking at how social protection measures, skills training and the development of a minimum wage could help tackle unemployment and fight poverty in Egypt. (in French)
-
Tunisian Trade Unions Working For Peace and Democracy (in Arabic)
21 March 2011
Mr. Abdessalem Jerad, General Secretary of the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) spoke to the ILO Governing Body in a high-level discussion on Challenges and Change in the Arab World. Mr. Jerad thanked the Director-General for his support for the Tunisian revolution and for helping to meet the people's needs for decent work, decent wages and social justice. He referred to the Director-General's statement of 19 January 2011, supporting the demands of the revolutionaries and workers of Tunisia and the workers' movement, and said it had a significant impact coming at a moment when there was no guarantee that the revolution would succeed in its efforts to overthrow the dictatorship and put an end to corruption. Other participants in the discussion included H.E. Dr. Ahmed El-Borai, Minister of Manpower and Migration of Egypt; and Mr. Habib Yousfi, President of the General Confederation of Algerian Enterprises (CGEA).
-
The Egyptian Revolution as a Model for Peaceful Change (in Arabic)
21 March 2011
H.E. Dr. Ahmed El-Borai, Minister of Manpower and Migration of Egypt, spoke to the ILO Governing Body in a high-level discussion on Challenges and Change in the Arab World. He thanked the ILO Director-General for his support and for coming to Egypt to join in their declaration for trade union freedom. He described the Egyptian revolution as a model for "peaceful and rational changes in the region and the whole world" and as the inception of a new development process leading to a better future based on freedom, dignity and social justice. Other participants in the debate included Mr. Habib Yousfi, President of the General Confederation of Algerian Enterprises (CGEA); and Mr. Abdessalem Jerad, General Secretary of the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT).