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86th Session
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Presentation of the Report of the Chairperson of the Governing Body by Mr. El-Amawi
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I have the honour to present to you the report on the work of the Governing Body during the past year, which is contained in Provisional Record No. 2. This report focuses on the highlights of the Governing Body's year, and does not cover in detail matters that will otherwise be discussed by the Conference.
First of all, as you are aware, in order to follow up on the discussion at last year's session of the Conference devoted to the Report of the Director-General on the future of the ILO's standard-setting activities, many consultations have taken place in the Governing Body and outside of it. In the light of these consultations the Governing Body has accordingly prepared the draft text now submitted to the Conference under the seventh item on its agenda. As regards the second part of the Director-General's Report to the Conference last year concerning possible improvements to the ILO's standard-setting activities, the Governing Body will examine the various proposals at its session in November 1998.
In monitoring the follow-up to the World Summit for Social Development, the Governing Body examined the synthesis report prepared by the ILO on the basis of seven country employment policy reviews as the main output of the ACC Task Force on Full Employment and Sustainable Livelihoods, for which the ILO was the lead agency. It discussed a set of policy guidelines drawn from the country reviews for promoting employment and sustainable livelihood and proposals for international action, especially by the United Nations system agencies. A further set of country employment policy reviews is planned by the ILO as part of its activities to give effect to the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action. The Governing Body also discussed preparations and the agenda for the International Consultation on Follow-up to the World Summit for Social Development, to be held by the ILO in 1999.
The Governing Body also paid attention to the work of other United Nations agencies in following up on the World Summit for Social Development, and in particular the United Nations Commission for Social Development, and to the ILO's involvement in the two other ACC Task Forces set up in response to the World Summit for Social Development. Relations with the World Bank and the G8 group were also discussed.
The Governing Body's Working Party on the Social Dimensions of the Liberalization of International Trade continued its work over the year by examining progress in the proposed ILO case-studies aimed at analysing the social impact of globalization and trade liberalization in a number of countries. These studies are intended to provide valuable data in an area where they are lacking. The final exercise will produce a set of country studies on the countries concerned and a synthesis report. The Working Party also discussed a preliminary framework for ILO research on core labour standards and economic development in developing countries. Several research projects on the social dimensions of globalization were also discussed.
The Working Party considered the issue of social labelling and the social responsibilities of enterprises. It also considered an ILO publication on this subject, which discussed what social labelling is and explained how social labelling initiatives have arisen as one of many ways of attempting to eliminate or alleviate the problem of child labour.
The Working Party discussed a detailed Office paper giving an overview of the extensive activities of other bodies relevant to its work. The paper covered reports and studies dealing with subjects relating to the social dimension of globalization, meetings and conferences that have addressed the subject and various other regional and international activities. It noted progress in the international debate on the issue and a number of regional and local initiatives.
The reforms taking place in the United Nations system and their implications for the work of the ILO also received attention. The search for a greater unity of purpose in the United Nations, which has largely focused on economic and social concerns, also involves issues in the ILO's fields of competence and relations with civil society, an area in which the ILO has considerable experience. The reforms are most visible in the area of technical cooperation, and this also received attention, in particular as regards the United Nations Development Group, created by the Secretary-General and comprising a core membership of UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF and other United Nations bodies.
Turning to international labour standards, the Governing Body reviewed progress in the ratification and promotion of the fundamental Conventions, in particular the Director-General's campaign, which has resulted in 82 new ratifications, with more expected.
As regards the revision of standards, the Governing Body continued its examination of the needs for the revision of Conventions, and this work will continue in the coming year. Following the adoption of the amendments to the Constitution and the Standing Orders of the Governing Body and the Conference at last year's session of the Conference, the Governing Body has decided to include proposals for the withdrawal of six Conventions that have never entered into force on the Conference agenda in the year 2000.
As regards allegations concerning the trade union situation in Nigeria, which are contained in complaints brought before the Committee on Freedom of Association, the Governing Body has referred them to a Commission of Inquiry to be appointed in accordance with article 26 of the Constitution.
Last year the Governing Body set up a Working Party to evaluate the Active Partnership Policy. Its aim is to assess to what extent the Active Partnership Policy has brought the ILO closer to its tripartite constituency in member States, to what extent constituents have become increasingly involved in joint action with the ILO, and the extent of improvements in the coherence and quality of technical services provided to constituents. The Working Party has also held a number of meetings during the year, and will finalize its report this autumn.
The approach and operational aspects of the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) were also the subject of discussions in the Governing Body's Committee on Technical Cooperation. This was the first detailed assessment of the programme since its inception.
The Committee also reviewed the ILO's technical cooperation activities of the previous year and the updating of the ILO's resource mobilization strategy to take into account the most recent changes in the development environment. It also briefly reviewed the new global programmes, which include the international programme on More and Better Jobs for Women that will be the subject of the Informal Tripartite Meeting at the Ministerial Level to be held during this year's session of the Conference.
As regards the International Labour Conference itself, the Governing Body has begun a new method of selecting items for its agenda by developing a portfolio of proposals. For the year 2000, the Governing Body has decided to include on the Conference agenda items concerning human resources training and development, for a general discussion, and safety and health in agriculture, for possible new standards.
As regards regional meetings, the Governing Body examined the report and conclusions of the Twelfth Asian Regional Meeting, held in Bangkok in December 1997, and discussed a paper on action to be taken. It attached particular importance to the High-Level Meeting on Social Responses to the Financial Crisis in East and South-East Asian Countries, held in April 1998, and which was called for by the Regional Meeting, and will examine the report of that Meeting at its session following the Conference later this month.
As you are all aware, in March the Governing Body elected Mr. Juán Somavía to the post of Director-General of the International Labour Office as from the expiry of the term of office of the current Director-General, Mr. Michel Hansenne, in March 1999.
Finally, I would like to offer my thanks to my two fellow officers -- Mr. Bill Brett, the Worker Vice-Chairperson of the Governing Body, and Mr. Jean-Jacques Oechslin, the Employer Vice-Chairperson and President of this session of the Conference -- whom I congratulate on his election and to whom I wish every success in his work. I would like to thank both of them for their friendship and cooperation over the last year. I should also like to thank the Director-General and his staff for their constant support and assistance during this whole period.