What is International Labour Organization (ILO)?

International Labour Organization (ILO) is an agency located in the United Nations, established to deal with labour issues on international level. It has around 185 members of the total (193) UN member states. It was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize in the year 1969 for promoting peace among classes, deal with workers issues, providing them technical assistance in order to develop nations.

It deals with all the complaints violating the international rules for labour class people. It has tripartite governing structure means “representing governments, employers and workers (usually with a ratio of 2:1:1)” in order to create free and open debate between the social partners and governmental body. International Labour Organization secretariat works as an International Labour Office.

Its Governing Body has right to plan or take decision about International Labour Conferences, adopting or organizing programmes, electing the director-general, dealing with the member states about the labour matters, appointing commissions of inquiry as well as supervising International Labour Office actions. It has around 28 government representatives, 14 employer representatives and 14 worker representatives.

It organizes an International Labour Conference (parliament of labour, having 4 representatives, 2 government, 1 employer and 1 worker delegate) on annual basis in the Geneva in the month of June to make general policies, planning programmes and deciding budget.