ILO Mandate and Activities in Lebanon

(Arabic)


ILO Mandate

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations system and is the world's only tripartite multilateral agency. It is dedicated to bringing decent work and livelihoods, job-related security and better living standards to the people of both poor and rich countries. It helps to attain those goals by promoting rights at work, encouraging opportunities for decent employment, enhancing social protection and strengthening dialogue on work-related issues.

The ILO brings together representatives of governments, employers and workers to jointly shape policies and programmes. This unique arrangement gives the ILO an edge in incorporating 'real world' knowledge about employment and work.

The ILO was created in 1919, as part of the Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I, to reflect the belief that universal and lasting peace can be accomplished only if it is based on social justice. In 1946, the ILO became the first specialized agency of the UN system. In 1969, while it commemorated its 50th anniversary, the ILO was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

The ILO has made promotion of Decent Work a primary global goal. Decent Work sums up the aspiration of people all over the world for opportunity and income, for rights, voice and recognition, for family stability and personal development, for fairness and equality.

The ILO's diverse tasks are grouped under four strategic objectives:
-  Promote and realize standards and fundamental principles and rights at work;
-  Create greater opportunities for women and men to secure decent employment and income;
-  Enhance the coverage and effectiveness of social protection for all; and
-  Strengthen tripartism and social dialogue. 

The ILO is the global body responsible for drawing up and overseeing international labour standards. Working with its Member States the ILO seeks to ensure that labour standards are respected in practice as well as principle. The ILO formulates international labour standards in the form of Conventions and Recommendations setting minimum standards of basic labour rights: freedom of association, the right to organize, collective bargaining, abolition of forced labour, prohibition and elimination of child labour, equality of opportunity and treatment and other standards addressing conditions across the entire spectrum of work-related issues.

The ILO promotes the development of independent employers' and workers' organizations and provides training and advisory services to those organizations, and it’s the unique organization, within the UN system, where workers and employers participating as equal partners with governments in the work of its governing organs especially the International Labour Conference.

The ILO Regional Office for the Arab States is responsible for twelve countries and territories: Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syrian Arab Republic, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

The Regional Office for Arab States is located in Beirut, Lebanon. Two area offices are located in Kuwait and Jerusalem, supporting the national programme in those countries. National coordinators have been recently appointed in Yemen and Syria.

Ratification of ILO Conventions

Lebanon has ratified a total of 49 ILO Conventions, including seven fundamental Conventions. These are: Forced Labour Convention, Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining Convention, Equal Remuneration Convention, Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, Minimum Age Convention (C138), and Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention.

ILO activities in Lebanon

The ILO is currently working with the Government, social partners, and local communities at the legislative, institutional and community levels. It has developed an enhanced programme of technical cooperation to support national efforts in providing skills development, employment services, and local socio-economic recovery and development in areas affected by crises in North and South Lebanon, paying particular attention to the protection of vulnerable groups (e.g. women, disabled people, and children engaged in the worst forms of child labour).

The ILO is also supporting the Ministry of Labour in strengthening its labour administration through the implementation of a labour inspection programme adapted to the national context, while at the same time strengthening the capacity of the National Employment Authority for more effective provision of public employment services at the central and the local levels.

The ILO is a member of the National Steering Committee on the Protection of Migrant Women Domestic Workers and provides technical support through awareness-raising campaigns, capacity building interventions and the introduction of legislative reforms.

In addition to the labour establishment survey currently being implemented, the ILO is providing technical support to the Central Administration of Statistics to design and implement its first nationwide labour force survey; this will possibly contribute to inform the development of a national employment policy.

For more information:
ILO Regional Office for Arab States
Aresco Center
Justinien Street, Kantari
P.O. Box 11-4088 Riad El Solh 1107-2150
Beirut, Lebanon
Tel.: 961-1-752400
Fax: 961-1-752405
E-mail: Beirut@ilo.org

Updated in April 2009

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