International Labour Organization
Also called: ILO · Topic: Employment, Unemployment and Informalisation · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a UN specialised agency that sets international labour standards: shared rules on wages, working conditions, workers' rights and social security. Its structure is tripartite, meaning it has three sides: governments, employers and workers' organisations. All three take part in its decisions. The ILO also sets the definitions countries use to measure work. Its 15th ICLS (1993) defined the informal sector by the enterprise, and its 17th ICLS (2003) defined informal employment by the job. It also gave the idea of decent work: productive work with fair income, security, social protection, rights at work and social dialogue. Decent work is part of SDG 8.
Example
The ILO defines social security as protection that gives people access to health care and income security. This covers seven contingencies: old age, unemployment, sickness, invalidity, work injury, maternity and loss of a breadwinner. In India, the ILO-IHD India Employment Report 2024 found that about 90% of workers are informal. The ILO–India Decent Work Country Programme 2023-27, drawn up with government, workers and employers, makes social security a priority.
Don't confuse with
- Indian Labour Conference: India's own tripartite forum, where government, employers and workers discuss labour standards. It is not a part of the ILO.
- International Labour Conference: the ILO's annual general assembly, where member countries meet. It is a body inside the ILO, not the organisation itself.