The Geneva-based International Labour Organization (ILO) is reporting that delegates from 181 countries representing governments, workers, and employers, at the International Labour Conference (ILC) have unanimously adopted a Global Call to Action for a human-centred COVID-19 recovery that prioritises the creation of decent jobs for all and addresses the inequalities caused by the crisis in a manner that is “fully inclusive, sustainable and resilient.”
The agreement arrived at between the ILO and governments and labour representatives includes two sets of actions, the first covering measures to be taken by governments and their “employer and trade union social partners,” to achieve a job-rich recovery that substantially strengthens worker and social protections and supports sustainable enterprises. The second set of actions encompasses international cooperation and the role of multilateral institutions, including the ILO, with the aim of increasing the level and coherence of their support for national “human-centred” pandemic recovery strategies. The agreement carves out a responsibility for the ILO to play a leadership role and employ all means possible to support the design and implementation of recovery strategies that leave no one behind.
ILO Director-General Guy Ryder, in commenting on the agreement, said that “creating a recovery that is inclusive, sustainable and resilient must become a top priority for public policy.” He posited that the resolution “provides a clear and comprehensive way forward that will enable countries to convert the moral and political aspiration of leaving no one behind into concrete action.”
