Question : ILO PROJECT FOR CREATION OF EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

(a) whether the International Labour Organisation has undertaken any study/project regarding developing countries, including India for creating more employment opportunities; and

(b) if so, the details thereof ?

MINISTER OF THE STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI OSCAR FERNENDCES)

(a)&(b). International Labour Organisation (ILO) decided at the 14th Asian Regional Meeting in 2006 to establish a Decent Work Decade 2006-2015. As a part of this, ILO organized the `Asian Employment Forum: Growth, Employment and Decent Work` in Beijing during 13-15th August, 2007. Summary of important decisions taken in the meeting is annexed.

ANNEX

Annex referred to in reply to the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.273 due for answer on 19.11.2007 by Shri Subrata Bose, MP regarding ILO Project for Creation of Employment Opportunities.

The major recommendations of Asian Employment Forum are as follows:-

# Support policy coherence related to social, environmental and economic sustainability and the decent work goals in Asia in a way that takes into account relevant regional initiatives.

# Promote sustainable enterprises in line with the Conclusions adopted by the 2007 International Labour Conference.

# Make the ILO`s `Green Jobs Initative` operational at regional and national levels, using tripartite discussions and links with Decent Work Country Programmes.

These will be achieved through:-

Setting Policy directions for job creation and poverty reduction.

# Dialogue between constituents and planning agencies is essential for mainstreaming employment and decent work goals into national policies.

# Assist constituents to implement the Global Employment Agenda, as an operational and integrated framework of the employment pillar of the Decent Work Country Programmes.

Sustaining productivity and competitiveness as a foundation for decent work.

# Support for cluster development - there is potential for knowledge-sharing among countries.

# Gender equality - there is a need to share information on reaching out to women and to address gender issues in skills and entrepreneurship training.

# Services for those in low-productivity work or who are excluded from work because of discrimination, poor education or lack of access to resources.

# Matching skills and enterprise development to the needs of sectors and industries that have the potential to grow and create quality jobs.

# Increasing the capacity of the social partners to participate effectively in social dialogue on productivity and competitiveness.

Rolling back informality.

# A basic legal framework covering the informal economy is needed, within individual countries and across the region.

# Particular attention should be given to reducing the insecurity of vulnerable workers in the informal economy, including rural migrants and laid-off workers.

# There is a need to share knowledge about good practices in all areas of decent work, including innovative ways to improve productivity and working conditions, extending social protection, building self-reliant communities, strengthening representation and voice and extending the outreach of organizations.