Nigeria has been elected the Chair of the Governing Body of the International Labour Organisation, ILO.
The election was one of the activities that concluded this year’s International Labour Conference ILC, which took place in Geneva Switzerland from 5th to 16th June 2023.
With the election done on Friday, Nigeria will Chair her first meeting of the Governing Body on Saturday.
Nigeria’s Ambassador to Switzerland, Ambassador Richard Abiodun Adejola, thanked the members for the confidence reposed on Nigeria, promising that the trust would be held with all sense of responsibility.
He expressed the hope that “for the period of one year that Nigeria will lead the Governing Body, decisions would be reached by consensus”.
Support
Ambassador Adejola also solicited the support of members of the Governing Body during this period of Nigeria’s leadership.
Nigeria will lead the Governing Body of the ILO from June 2023 to June 2024.
As the conference ends, the Delegates as part of the outcomes of this year’s ILC, adopted a new apprenticeship standard among other keys decisions.
The new labour standard aims to support opportunities for people of all ages to skill, re-skill and up-skill continuously in rapidly changing labour markets.
It provides a clear definition of apprenticeships, specifies inspirational standards for quality apprenticeships, including rights and protection for apprentices.
The Conference also passed resolutions on a Just Transition, saying that it was imperative to advance a Just Transition to achieve social justice, eradicate poverty and support decent work.
They also endorsed the ILO Guidelines for a Just Transition towards environmentally sustainable economies and societies as a basis for action and the central reference for policymaking, as well as the adoption of the Conclusions of the Recurrent Discussion Committee on Labour Protection.
According to the delegates, the adopted resolutions chart a way forward towards more inclusive, adequate and effective labour protection for all workers, and creates a basis for developing a plan of action.
Also, The plenary sitting approved the report of the Committee of the Application of Standards CAS, which is a core supervisory body of the ILO’s standards system.
It said that the CAS examined 24 individual country cases related to the observance of ILO Conventions and also considered the Committee of Experts’ General Survey on Achieving gender equality at work.
The tripartite members of the Committee also resolved that there was “urgent need to eliminate all forms of discrimination in employment and occupation, guarantee full and effective maternity protection, ensure the right of workers with family responsibilities to engage in employment’’.
Ratifications
During the conference, 13 ratifications of International Labour Conventions were registered.
This was mainly in respect of the recently adopted convention against violence and harassment in the world of work (C190) and conventions concerning occupational and safety and health.
The conference also adopted the ILO Programme and Budget for 2024/25 session.
The delegates also resolved and reaffirmed the commitment expressed by all the ILO’s tripartite constituents to “combat all forms of discrimination and exclusion on any ground for the benefit of all while recognizing the different positions expressed on some issues”.
The 2023 International Laabour Conference was attended by about 5,000 delegates representing governments, workers and employers from the ILO’s 187 Member States.
Confidence Okwuchi
