88th Session, 30 May - 15 June 2000 |
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Submission
of the Report of the Chairperson of the Governing Body |
I have the honour to present to you the report on the work of the Governing Body during the past year which is to be found in Provisional Record No. 2.
The report focuses on the highlights of the past year and does not cover matters that are currently before the Conference. I will briefly touch on the main points.
The Governing Body pursued its work in the spirit of reform initiated by the Director-General in all the areas of activity and structures of the Office. For the first time in the Organization’s history it endorsed a budget based on major strategic guidelines. Furthermore, the Governing Body noted the progress made in the implementation of the human resources strategies and endorsed the approach proposed by the Director-General.
To facilitate the promotional implementation of the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work the Governing Body has taken a number of decisions on the Standing Orders and on the organization of the annual review carried out by the Governing Body and of the Global Report to this Conference. In March it carried out the first annual review of the reports presented by countries which have not ratified one or more of the Conventions concerning the four categories of fundamental principles and rights.
The Governing Body recognized the success of the Working Party on the Social Dimensions of the Liberalization of International Trade, which is now deemed to be a useful forum for discussing the major issues raised by globalization. It is also recognized by all organizations as an international forum where the social dimensions of the liberalization of international trade and globalization can be discussed frankly and openly.
The Working Party therefore still exists, though now under the name of the Working Party on the Social Dimensions of Globalization. Proposals have been adopted on seven possible areas of research for the future.
The Governing Body has also examined the follow-up to the major world conferences, namely the Special Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations to Follow-up on the World Summit for Social Development of 1995, which will be held in Geneva immediately after this session of the Conference, and the Special Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations entitled Women 2000, which will take place in New York next week as a follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women of 1995.
The ILO has provided a substantial impact to both of these events in terms of policy aspects, the content of documentation and the analysis of the implementation of the Commitments and Programmes of Action adopted in Copenhagen and Bejing respectively in 1995.
Turning to international labour standards, the Governing Body has examined the improvements that might be made to standard-setting activities and has reviewed its procedure for the consideration of representations submitted under article 24 of the Constitution. Discussion on both of these issues will resume in November of this year.
The Governing Body has noted the continuing success of the Director-General’s campaign for the ratification and promotion of the ILO’s fundamental Conventions, which has so far resulted in 167 new ratifications of these seven Conventions.
In examining further action to be taken on the findings of the Commission of Inquiry that examined the complaint concerning the observance by Myanmar of the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29), the Governing Body has included an item on the agenda of the present session of the Conference concerning various forms of action that it has recommended under article 33 of the Constitution in connection with the implementation of the Commission of Inquiry’s recommendations.
In the field of employment and social policy, the Governing Body examined ILO policy and activities on economic and financial crises and ILO strategy and activities on employment and social concerns in crisis situations. These discussions focused mainly on the informal sector and on the ILO’s Key Indicators of the Labour Market project, launched in response to a request by the Conference in 1996.
Relations with the Bretton Woods institutions were discussed in the light of recent developments in the policies and approaches of those organizations and the new role played by the ILO in relation to their activities.
Concerning technical cooperation, the Governing Body has approved a set of arrangements for two on-the-spot reviews of field activities in each year of the 2000-01 biennium. Reviews will be carried out in Europe and the Americas in 2000 and in Africa and Asia in 2001. The Governing Body also took note of an Implementation Plan prepared by the Office to address not only the specific issues raised by the Conference in its discussion last year but also the other measures required to take the technical cooperation programme in the direction set by the Conference.
Regarding the agenda of the International Labour Conference, the Governing Body has decided to place on the agenda of the Conference in 2002 an item relating to the withdrawal of various Recommendations, and has deferred all other decisions concerning the agenda of that session of the Conference until November 2000, when it will be able to discuss the report of the Meeting of Experts on Workers in Situations Needing Protection, held last month in accordance with the Conference resolution of 1998.
Finally, I should like to express my gratitude to my two fellow Officers – Mr. Thüsing, Employer Vice-Chairperson, and Lord Brett, Worker Vice-Chairperson of the Governing Body, for their valuable cooperation and hard work on a wide variety of difficult issues over the past year. I should also like to thank the Director-General and all the staff of the Office for their constant support and assistance.
Updated by HK. Approved by RH. Last update: 2 June 2000.