Impact and people
2007
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International Day of the World’s Indigenous People 2007 - The “Khoriya” farming system in Nepal: Promoting socially and environmentally sustainable development
07 August 2007
A significant number of indigenous communities in Nepal practice shifting cultivation, as it is often the only viable way to farm the steep slopes they inhabit. Nevertheless, as in many other countries across Asia, indigenous peoples in Nepal face a hostile policy environment that either discourages such traditional farming systems or ignores its existence all together. Two ILO Conventions on indigenous and tribal peoples and discrimination in employment and occupation are being put to work in the field. ILO intern Niskua Kinid, part Kuna Indian from Panama and part Swedish Sami, reports on the situation in Nepal.
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The globe goes green
01 August 2007
While ILO Director-General Juan Somavia in his speech to the International Labour Conference in June called for sustainable development and green jobs, the outside world had a few news stories as well. Planet Work looks at some of climate change’s news, stories and events making headlines around the world today and also at how businesses are adapting to this issue.
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Spotlight on working time
01 August 2007
Nearly a century after adopting its first international standard on working time, a new ILO study estimates that one in five workers around the world – or over 600 million persons – are still working more than 48 hours a week, often merely to make ends meet.
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A voice for dialogue and decent work
01 August 2007
In June, the ILO awarded its first annual Decent Work Research Prize to Nobel Peace laureate and former South African President Nelson Mandela and the eminent academic and specialist in social security, Professor Carmelo Mesa-Lago...
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Preventing occupational accidents and diseases: Japan becomes first country to ratify ILO Convention No.187
24 July 2007
On 24 July, Japan became the first country to ratify ILO Convention No. 187 committing itself to reinforce its OSH system. The Convention which establishes a promotional framework for occupational safety and health (OSH) was adopted by the International Labour Conference in June 2006. ILO Online reports from Japan where a number of serious occupational safety and health problems highlighted the need to further reinforce prevention programmes.
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Timor-Leste: Setting the STAGE for a brighter future
13 July 2007
Despite a significant boost in national income last year from oil revenues, Timor-Leste is amongst the world’s poorest nations. While unemployment in rural areas is at least 20 per cent, it reaches 43 per cent among urban youth. ILO Online reports from Timor-Leste where the ILO’s STAGE programme supports an enabling business environment that will be critical in the years ahead to create decent and gainful employment and reduce income poverty.
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When global leaders discuss business and labour principles - Global Compact Leaders Summit 2007
09 July 2007
What are the benefits and challenges of implementing labour principles in supply chains? What support from the ILO or the Global Compact would be useful for implementing such principles? These and other questions were the gist of the discussion on labour during the Global Compact Leaders’ Summit here. ILO on-line reports.
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International Day of Cooperatives 2007 - Seeds of change: cooperatives in Ethiopia
05 July 2007
Celebrated annually on the first Saturday of July, the International Day of Cooperatives highlights this year how cooperatives can promote corporate social responsibility by their very nature as enterprises that balance economic, environmental, and social imperatives. ILO Online reports from Ethiopia where the ILO helped to organize more than 100,000 coffee producers in 115 cooperatives.
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Promoting sustainable enterprises: safe work is also good business
21 June 2007
“Sustainable enterprises cannot afford to have injuries and diseases at work, which would not only interrupt operations but may have strong economic and reputational consequences”. Eleven enterprises from the Leningrad region in Russia’s North-West had a chance to check this statement from an ILO report to the International Labour Conference against daily practice. Olga Bogdanova reports from North-West Russia.
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“For fishers their ship is their home, and for many the crew is their only family”
19 June 2007
On the 14th of June, the ILO’s 96th International Labour Conference adopted a new Convention and Recommendation on work in the fishing sector. The new instruments are aimed to ensure decent living and working conditions for some 30 million workers in the global fishing industry. ILO Online reports from Ukraine where the fishing industry is currently in crisis.