International Labour Organisation
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) is the United Nations' specialised agency for labour issues.
ILO seeks to promote human and labour rights by establishing international standards of basic labour rights: freedom of association, the right to organize, collective bargaining, abolition of forced labour, equality of opportunity and treatment, and other standards regulating conditions across the entire spectrum of work related issues.
The International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) works towards the progressive elimination of child labour by strengthening national capacities to address child labour problems, and by creating a worldwide movement to combat it. Founded by ILO in 1992, IPEC's work is considered especially important in contributing to ILO's Decent Work Agenda.
The impetus of World Scouting's involvement with ILO-IPEC is its interest in youth rights and protection. This interest was formally recognized with the Memorandum of Understanding on Child Labour in 2004.
In terms of advocacy, much of World Scouting's work with ILO-IPEC has been through YEN. Regarding child rights and protection, since 1992 World Scouting and ILO-IPEC have carried out the Extension Programme in Kenya. The Extension Program targets marginalized young people and helps them reintegrate into society by teaching them life and vocational skills.
12th June - World Day Against Child Labour 2009
Theme: Give girls a chance, end child labour
The World Day Against Child Labour will be celebrated on 12 June 2009. The World Day this year marks the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the landmark ILO Convention No. 182, which addresses the need for action to tackle the worst forms of child labour.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) and World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) share a common commitment to pursuing social justice and peace, empowering young people through human rights-based educational programmes and promoting the social dimension of globalisation. This long-standing partnership was recently strengthened through a renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) extending our cooperation in the fight against child labour, earlier this year.
Ms. Michele Jankanish, Director of the ILO’s International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC ) and Mr. Luc Panissod, Acting Secretary-General of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM), signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today, to extend their cooperation in the fight against child labour for a further 3 years.
The cooperation between the two organizations will be based on a shared vision in pursuing social justice and peace, the empowerment of young people, and promoting the social dimensions of globalization.
The ILO has estimated that some 165 million children between the ages of 5 and 14 are involved in child labour. Many of these children work long hours, often in dangerous conditions. This year the World Day against Child Labour will be marked around the world with activities to raise awareness that Education is the right response to child labour. World Scouting, as the largest global youth movement which prides itself on its strong history of non-formal education, is encouraged to get involved and draw attention to the key issues related to Child Labour.
In view of the common commitment to defending and promoting the rights of children and young people, the partnership between the International Labour Organization (ILO) and World Scouting has continued to grow. An increasing number of joint initiatives between Scouts Organizations and ILO Field and Branch Offices are being developed at the local level, in particular in the framework of the SCREAM – Supporting Children’s Rights through Education, the Arts and the Media – programme ( www.ilo.org/scream).
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) is working with World Scouting to address the issue of child labour. This is mainly done through the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC).