The International Labour Organization

185 members States (http://www.ilo.org/global/regions/lang–en/index.htm )

International Labour Organization (ILO) is the United Nations agency that promotes decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equality, security and human dignity for men and women.

Goals:

  1. promoting the rights of workers,
  2. to encourage employment in decent conditions,
  3. improve social protection,
  4. strengthen the dialogue on labor issues.

The ILO is the only United Nation agency with a tripartite structure: Governments, entrepreneurs and workers representatives jointly determine the policies and programs of the Organization.

The ILO is the international body responsible for the adoption and implementation of the international labor standards. The ILO seeks to ensure that labor standards are respected both in principles and in practice.

The ILO and the trafficking in human beings

Forced work takes on different forms, including debt servitude, human trafficking and other forms of modern slavery. The most vulnerable victims are: women and girls forced to prostitute, migrants trapped in debt servicemen, and those working in fields or manufacturing that are detained through clearly illegal tactics and paid little or nothing.

  • About 21 million people are victims of forced labor – 11.4 million of women and girls and 9.5 million of men and boys.
  • About 19 million victims are exploited by individuals or companies and more than 2 million by government or rebel groups.
  • 4.5 million of the victims exploited by individuals or companies  are victims of sexual exploitation.
  • Forced labor in the private economy generates $ 150 billion of illicit annual profits.
  • Domestic work, agriculture, construction, manufacturing and entertainment are among the most relevant sectors.
  • Migrant workers and the indigenous people are particularly vulnerable to forced labor.

The main documents adopted by ILO in this issue are:

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