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Articles on International Labour Organization

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Jamaica has the potential to become a regional leader in advancing decent work for domestic workers thanks to unionization efforts. Members of the Jamaica Household Workers’ Union pose for a photo. (Jamaica Household Workers' Union)

How unionization is empowering Jamaican domestic workers to demand decent work

Domestic workers in Jamaica often experience low pay, poor working conditions and informal work arrangements. Here’s how unionization could change their situation.
The International Labour Organization was founded at the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. PA Archive

The International Labour Organization was founded after the Spanish flu – its past lights the path to a better future of work

The International Labour Organization was founded in 1919 at the Treaty of Versailles after the ravages of pandemic and world war. Its model offers a way forward for us now.
The Saami have a history of colonisation and discrimination, and tend not to have easy relationships with the four modern states they inhabit. Reuters/William Webster

Despite gains, Europe’s indigenous people still struggle for recognition

Although the Saami have made political and legal gains in the past decades, progress is precarious. And recognition of their rights cannot be taken for granted.
Children’s labour entails both benefits and harm that should be assessed at the local level. Reuters/Finbarr O'Reilly

Global standards miss the nuance in local child labour

A more enlightened approach to child labour would listen to what children say about work, balance work and school, and enhance the flexibility and quality of schooling to cater for working children.
Typical day for women workers in Mumbai. Anthony Devlin/PA

India’s urban work boom is leaving women behind

Nearly 400m people live in cities in India and during the next 40 years that number will more than double. Not only is the proportion of India’s total female population that is economically active among…
What, you want all these new skyscrapers AND migrant rights? Omar Chatriwala

Less is more when it comes to migrant rights

This week the UN General Assembly is debating the global governance of international labour migration. This meeting is particularly timely, following reports of numerous deaths among Nepalese workers on…
Research on work and family policies support an approach that responds to the intensive demands of early childhood, as well as birth. Image from www.shutterstock.com

A family affair - good policy is more than paid parental leave

When the Labor government introduced a national paid parental leave (PPL) scheme on 1 January, 2011, it was late to the international party. The International Labour Organisation had been recommending…
Civilians rescue an injured worker after the eight-storey Rana Plaza garment factory collapsed in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on April 24. AAP

Mind the gap: company disclosure discrepancies not sustainable

The recent decision by two Australian retailers to sign an accord protecting suppliers in Bangladesh has highlighted discrepancies in company disclosure of sustainability issues and the need for clearer…
Laws designed to protect domestic workers could also help those trafficked from other countries. Flickr/Kara Allyson

How a simple signature can help stop people trafficking and worker abuse

Domestic workers now have greater protection from exploitative employers. The International Labour Organization (ILO) has adopted a convention which regulates working hours and prevents violence in the…

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