August 2005

1. Article

   International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition Invisible prisoners: The trafficking and exploitation of Chinese immigrants in France

   18 August 2005

   According to an ILO study, some 50,000 illegal Chinese immigrants living in France are easy prey to exploitation through forced labour. Resulting from major economic and social change in China, the movement has been growing for the past ten years, with more than 6,000 Chinese immigrants arriving each year in Paris and the surrounding region. Victims of trafficking, at the end of their dangerous journey through transit countries where they run the risk of racketeering, violence and sometimes death, the migrants have little choice but to integrate themselves into a parallel ethnic economy where they can remain trapped for years, mainly in the clothing and catering sectors. The report describes this inhuman and invisible life, in the words of the Chinese migrants themselves, following a survey conducted in close collaboration with the French authorities.

2. Article

   International Day of the World's Indigenous People 2005 Indigenous and Tribal Peoples' Rights - still a long way to go

   03 August 2005

   GENEVA (ILO Online) - The ILO has adopted the only international legal instrument now open to ratification that pertains specifically to the 350 million indigenous and tribal peoples worldwide: the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (No. 169). It has been ratified by 17 countries and is internationally recognized as the foremost instrument on the subject. It covers a wide range of issues, including land rights, access to natural resources, health, education, vocational training, conditions of employment and contacts across borders.

3. 

   Publication

   Waving through history: how the ILO finally got an official flag

   01 August 2005

4. Publication

   The new era of textile trade Taking stock in the post-MFA environment

   01 August 2005

   In the six months since the quota system held over from the Multifibre Agreement (MFA) expired, much public debate has taken place over the social, economic, and employment impact of this new state of play in the textile sector. Will the new paradigm mean more or less jobs for workers in the developing, transition, and developed countries? The ILO will take on this issue in October 2005 when tripartite delegates meet to discuss the future and work toward a fair globalization.

5. Publication

   The burden of gold Child labour in small-scale mines and quarries

   01 August 2005

   This year's World Day Against Child Labour focused the world's attention on the plight of child labourers in small-scale mines and quarries. The ILO estimates that about one million children aged 5 to 17 are engaged in small-scale mining and quarrying activities worldwide. These children toil under dangerous conditions and go without access to schools, health clinics, and other basic necessities. Pilot programmes are underway with the help of the ILO and its partners to eradicate the need for child labour by building sustainable communities and offering the opportunity for a better future.

6. Publication

   Microfinance in south-eastern Europe: How small business helps to create jobs

   01 August 2005

   Experience in Western countries shows that microfinance can be a useful tool in the fight against unemployment, by helping people start their own viable small businesses. An ILO project is now bringing these successful experiences to three countries in south-eastern Europe, helping to introduce microfinance as a tool in active labour market policy. The effort is particularly timely, as 2005 has been designated the "International Year of Microcredit" by the United Nations.

7. Publication

   Girl-combatants: Women warriors fight their way back into Liberian society

   01 August 2005

   For thousands of women during Liberia's savage civil war, taking up arms was a case of kill or be killed. Now that the war is over, fear and uncertainty still stalk some of the women fighters. Their experiences have helped the ILO develop gender-sensitive policies and programmes that may help reintegrate them into society. ILO consultant Irma Specht reports.

8. Publication

   Education for HIV/AIDS prevention at work in the Russian North

   01 August 2005

   Today, 1 385 people are registered with the Oblast Center for Preventing and Combating AIDS. In the northern Russian city of Murmansk, 1 out of every 100 men is HIV-positive, as is 1 out of every 200 women, aged 20 to 29. In December 2004, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and US Department of Labour launched a programme to bring education on HIV/AIDS prevention to the workplace.

9. Publication

   New ILO Report: A global alliance against forced labour

   01 August 2005

   Is forced labour a thing of the past? A major new ILO study, A global alliance against forced labour, reveals that not only is it a present-day issue, but it is also one of the most hidden problems of our era. The ILO estimates that 12.3 million people worldwide, half of them children, are trapped in forced labour. The study challenges conventional views about the issue and serves as a worldwide call to action against forced labour.

10. Publication

    Modern daddy: Norway's progressive policy on paternity leave

    01 August 2005

    After a baby is born, Mom is entitled to maternity leave, but what about Dad? Shouldn't he have some time off to adjust, too? Norway tops the European league table of family-friendly nations as far as new dads are concerned, and the government is now proposing to extend the "daddy quota" from four to five weeks, for exclusive use by the father.