WILLEMSTAD - ILO celebrates its 100th anniversary since its existence in 1919 as part of the Versailles treaty that ended World War I, it started with representatives from nine countries: Belgium, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, France, Italy, Japan, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Immerging from the era of the Great Depression & decolonization to an era of fair globalization and social justice, the International Labor Organization is the only one of its kind bringing together representatives of governments, employers and workers in its executive bodies, calling for social protection of workers, children, young persons and women, it is the UN agency for the world of work.
In 1944 government delegates, employers and workers from 41 countries adopted the Declaration of Philadelphia as an annex to the ILO Constitution, it still constitutes the Charter of the aims and objectives of the ILO after the end of World War II, stating that labor is not a commodity, all human beings irrespective of race, creed or sex have the right to pursue their material wellbeing and spiritual development in conditions of freedom and dignity, economic security and equal opportunity, promoting “the world of decent work”.June the 10th World leaders gathered at the Centenary International Labor Conference in Geneva also known as the world parliament of labor to reaffirm their commitment to the principle of social justice, approximately 6,000 delegates representing governments, workers and employers will discuss how to address the transformative changes in the world of work, and how to stand against violence and harassment at the workplace with a view to adopting a new international instrument, in a rapidly changing work environment where the skills of today will not match the jobs of tomorrow & newly acquired skills may quickly become obsolete.
ILO Director-General “Guy Ryder” has said that the world of work is facing the “most profound and transformative” changes seen in 100 years and has urged delegates to take responsibility for addressing this “defining challenge”. In 2002, ILO launched the World Day Against Child Labor to focus attention on its global extent and the action and efforts needed to eliminate it. Each year on June the 12th, the World Day brings together governments, employers and workers organizations & civil society to highlight the issue and come up with solutions. This year’s theme is “Children shouldn’t work in fields, but on dreams!” Yet today, 152 million children are still in child labor. They do not go to school and have little or no time to play. Many do not receive proper nutrition or care & are exposed to the worst forms of child labor such as work in hazardous environments, slavery, drug trafficking, and prostitution.
Curaçao represented by Minister of labor Mr. Hensley Koeiman is among the Kingdom delegation to the ILO, the Netherlands has been a great supporter of human rights, that all human beings are free and equal and should be treated the same way.
Nowadays the ILO helps advance the economic and working conditions that give all workers, employers and governments prosperity and progress, the Conference, which is the 108th session of the ILC, runs from June 10 to 21.
