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GB.274/PFA/9/2
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Programme, Financial and Administrative Committee |
PFA |
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NINTH ITEM ON THE AGENDA
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PROGRAMME AND BUDGET PROPOSALS FOR 2000-01 | |
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VOLUME 2 |
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245.
Active Partnership, Technical Cooperation
245.
and Resource Mobilization
245.1. Problems/needs. The ILO's Active Partnership Policy enhances the coherence and quality of the services provided to its constituents. Country objectives, a basic element of the policy, constitute ILO's programming framework in each member State. The functioning of the Active Partnership Policy needs to be strengthened; the capacity of the Office and constituents to evaluate objectives and to carry out impact assessment needs to be improved; and the links between international labour standards and technical cooperation must be further strengthened. There is also a continuing need to improve the coordination of the ILO's operational activities with those of other United Nations agencies working in related fields, particularly to ensure that their activities promote the more widespread application of the ILO's principles and standards.
245.2. Since the Office cannot expect to meet constituents' demand for technical cooperation services from its regular budget resources, a concerted Office-wide effort is required to secure extra-budgetary financing for the implementation of the greater part of its technical cooperation programme. With the understanding that the total amount of extra-budgetary resources will be increased by 20 per cent in 2000-01, greater efforts will be devoted to ensure that the Office's technical cooperation activities are well-known, credible and visible to the international donor community. The resource base also needs to be broadened by securing funding from less traditional sources, such as foundations, the private sector and constituents who are in a position to finance required ILO services from their own resources.
245.3. The objectives are that:
the ILO's Active Partnership Policy is successfully implemented with improved coordination between field and headquarters' units;
additional extra-budgetary resources are secured to finance operational activities through an Office-wide resource mobilization strategy; and
the ILO's principles and standards are reflected more widely in ILO operational activities and those of other United Nations agencies.
245.4. Through its contribution to improving the Active Partnership Policy and the implementation of the ILO's technical cooperation programme, this work assists almost equally in the achievement of each of the ILO's strategic objectives.
245.5. Active partnership and technical cooperation. In March 1999, the Governing Body will discuss a proposal concerning an evaluation methodology and a system for ongoing monitoring of the Active Partnership Policy. Based on the outcome of this and the 1999 International Labour Conference discussion, the Office will orient its technical cooperation activities for 2000-01.
245.6. The implementation of the Active Partnership Policy requires continuous monitoring, support and coordination between all the technical and regional major programmes involved in the formulation of country objectives and the implementation of technical cooperation projects and programmes. A second generation of country objectives will be formulated within the framework of national development plans and social policies. Staff training programmes will be held in all areas identified as vital to the functioning of the Active Partnership Policy and the technical cooperation programme. Communication and participation mechanisms will be introduced to associate constituents more closely with technical cooperation activities.
245.7. Resource mobilization. A coordinated strategy will be pursued in the new development assistance environment to finance ILO activities. With country-level programming as the basis, the links between the ILO's regular budget and extra-budgetary activities will be highlighted to demonstrate the Office's commitment to the achievement of the identified objectives. More information on the activities undertaken by the ILO, their impact and the ILO's comparative advantage in the various areas in which it is active will be made available to the donor community, particularly through the Internet. Relations with current and new donors will be improved through the organization of seminars in donor countries and the development of contacts between donors and the tripartite constituents. A portfolio of programmes and projects requiring funding will be developed and the technical and regional departments will be assisted in obtaining a "critical mass" of resource needed to support their objectives. Existing and new partners would be encouraged to show their support for the strategy by funding the critical mass.
245.8. Operational activities with the UNDP, WFP and other agencies of the United Nations System. Assistance will be provided at the policy level to United Nations partner agencies to help them develop the social and labour aspects of their operational activities. Within the context of United Nations system-wide reform, cooperation will be increased with such major partners as UNDP on the basis of clearly identified country objectives. As a result of this support, the visibility of the ILO will increase among partner organizations, especially the UNDP Resident Coordinators, and references to the ILO's mandate and standards will be integrated into United Nations reform documents. Technical support will continue to be provided to the World Food Programme for the design, implementation and evaluation of its country programmes and its food-for-work, food-for-training and cooperative development activities. Based on the support, these activities will have a more sustainable impact on the living standards and employment possibilities of the beneficiaries, through greater participation and ownership by the tripartite constituents. Extra-budgetary resources amounting to some $1.2 million are expected to be made available by WFP during the biennium 2000-01.
250. Field Programmes in Africa
250.1. A favourable context for the recovery of internal and external investment is gradually emerging, with the continuation of economic reforms and the settlement of conflicts in Africa. Notable efforts are also being made to manage the transition to a market economy, the privatization of public enterprises and the promotion of the private sector. Nevertheless, rapid population growth and urbanization continue to exert enormous pressures on employment, the environment and basic social services throughout Africa. Moreover, three-quarters of African countries are undergoing processes of structural adjustment. The years of crisis have left a legacy of high levels of unemployment, combined with low wages and social conflict, while many countries still affected by armed conflict are facing an even more worrying situation. Policy priorities therefore continue to include poverty reduction, the creation of more and better jobs, the promotion of entrepreneurship and the development of human resources.
250.2. The improvement in the economic situation in Africa is reinforced by the political will shown by African states to strengthen their position in globalized markets, through regional integration. Furthermore, important progress is also being made by African countries in enhancing the rule of law and consolidating democracy. This process is opening up more favourable conditions for the promotion of tripartite dialogue and social justice, and the respect of the fundamental principles and rights at work.
250.3. The ILO's priorities in the region which have been determined on the basis of Country Objectives and are in accordance with the four strategic objectives retained by the ILO Governing Body at its November 1998 session. These priorities are also in line with the conclusions and recommendations of various international, regional and subregional meetings, including those on the reform of social protection (1996 and 1997), the economic and social policies of countries in the CFA zone following devaluation (1994 and 1997), child labour (1997 and 1998), the fifth biennial meeting of employment planners in Africa (1997) and the 21st Session of the OAU Labour Commission (1998). ILO action in the region will also follow up the conclusions of the 22nd Session of the OAU Labour Commission (1999), the Ninth African Regional Meeting, to be held in 1999, and the biennial meetings of employment planners in Africa, planned for the year 2000.
Promoting fundamental principles
and rights at work
250.4. Problems and needs. There is a pressing need for the improved observance of the fundamental principles and rights at work in the region, including through ratification and application of international labour standards. The slow progress in reviewing labour legislation and ratifying and applying international labour standards can be explained by inadequacy of material and personnel resources of Labour Ministries and their limited influence on social and economic reforms. Moreover, workers' organizations encounter difficulties in exercising the right to organize and in their transition to trade union pluralism. Only eleven countries in Africa have so far ratified Convention No. 138, despite the fact that around 40 per cent of children between the ages of 5 and 14 are engaged in agriculture, the informal sector, street-hawking and domestic work. Many countries have requested assistance to design strategies and plans to combat child labour, particularly in its most extreme forms, such as slavery, the sale and trafficking of children and debt bondage.
250.5. The objectives are that:
constituents develop a better understanding and observance of the fundamental principles and rights at work;
the seven fundamental Conventions are each ratified by more countries and their provisions are reflected in national labour law and practice in most countries in the region;
labour ministries, including labour institutions contribute more effectively to the processes of reviewing labour legislation and applying fundamental labour Conventions; and.
at least 20 countries adopt and implement policies during the biennium for the protection of working children and the progressive elimination of child labour.
250.6. Fundamental Conventions. The more widespread ratification and application of the ILO's fundamental Conventions will be promoted through a combination of information, awareness-raising activities and training. Technical cooperation services will be provided to governments, employers' and workers' organizations with the aim to promote the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its Follow-up. Emphasis will be placed on the integration of fundamental principles and rights at work into national development and programmes, technical assistance projects including social funds. Technical support will continue to be provided for the tripartite review of national law and practice. Based on this support, more ratifications will be registered of the fundamental Conventions, which will be applied in law and practice in several more countries.
250.7. Labour institutions. The functioning and capacities of labour administration systems in several countries will be strengthened in such areas as the revision and formulation of labour legislation, the functioning of industrial relations and the monitoring of social discrimination or gender and the labour market. Technical cooperation programmes will be implemented to equip labour ministries with more effective analytic and operational capacities, including the field of labour standards. This support will be furnished in collaboration with African regional labour administration institutions.
250.8. Progressive elimination of child labour. Countries which have not yet done so will be provided with assistance to undertake analytical studies of the form and extent of child labour and the level of public awareness of the problem. With the assistance of ILO-IPEC, and in collaboration with national and international partners, plans will be formulated to combat child labour at the national, subregional and regional levels. Support will be provided to governments, employers' and workers' organizations and local associations for the implementation of these plans and evaluation systems will be established to measure their impact. Information and awareness-raising campaigns will also be launched. With this support, concerted strategies for the elimination of child labour will be implemented in several more countries. It is expected that at least ten ratifications will be registered during the biennium of both Convention No. 138 and the new Convention on extreme forms of child labour.
Promoting employment and combating poverty
250.9. Problems and needs. Poverty is endemic in the region. Nearly half of the population in sub-Saharan Africa lives under the poverty threshold. The economic recovery has not been sufficient in most countries to prevent the continued growth of unemployment and underemployment in both urban and rural areas. The employment situation in the region is aggravated by the difficulties encountered by women, young persons and vulnerable groups in gaining access to training systems and employment, the low literacy rates among adults, the inadequacy of technical and vocational training and the high number of countries affected by armed conflict in the region. If African countries are to take advantage of the opportunities offered by globalization and regional integration, economic reforms have to go beyond stabilization and structural adjustment programmes and include strategies for sustainable growth which create jobs and combat poverty. These need to include enterprise and cooperative development policies and programmes, quality labour market information systems, the reform and adaptation of training institutions, measures to help vulnerable categories of the population and programmes of assistance for populations affected by armed conflict.
250.10. The objectives are that:
policies to create employment and combat poverty, based on appropriate growth, investment and human resources development strategies, are adopted and implemented;
constituents in several countries develop efficient, high-quality information systems on labour and employment issues;
governments in several countries adopt and implement development programmes for cooperatives and small and micro-enterprises which generate significant numbers of good jobs;
vocational training systems in several countries are reinforced and provided with adequate financing mechanisms;
constituents adopt policies and programmes to provide opportunities for the economic and social integration of vulnerable categories of the population; and
policies and programmes are designed and implemented in countries emerging from conflict to rebuild their economies, particularly through the reintegration of ex-combatants and other affected groups.
250.11. Integration of employment policies and programmes into economic reforms. The support provided for the creation of employment during the previous biennium, particularly in the context of programmes such as Jobs for Africa, the Urban Employment Programme and More and Better Jobs for Women, will be consolidated and extended. The employment components of global economic strategies and public investment programmes will be examined with a view to maximizing their impact in terms of job creation and poverty reduction. On the basis of the guidance provided, employment policies will be integrated into overall economic policies and employment criteria will be included in investment policies in several countries. The biennial meeting of African employment planners to be held in 2001 will provide an opportunity to review the action taken to improve the general employment situation.
250.12. Strengthening national information systems. The quality of the labour market information produced in several member States will be improved through the provision of guidance and technical assistance. A model framework, including methodological and training tools, will be developed for employment and training observatories at the national, subregional and regional levels. Capacity-building activities will include: training for those responsible for labour information at the national level; the provision of technical advice in collaboration with universities, statistical training centres and research institutes; and the development of training at the national, subregional and regional levels and at the Turin Centre.
250.13. Enterprise development. Technical assistance will be provided to constituents for the development of a policy and regulatory environment which reduces obstacles to the growth of enterprises, including cooperatives, mutual associations and small and micro-enterprises. The experience, participative strategies and methodological tools developed in regional and inter-regional programmes, such as ACOPAM (cooperatives), the International Small Enterprise Programme (ISEP), PA-SMEC (micro-finance) and Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB), will be further replicated and disseminated. As a result of the guidance provided, there will be a significant growth in the numbers of enterprises and jobs created.
250.14. Jobs for women and vulnerable groups. Through the assistance supplied to constituents, including the expansion of the programme More and Better Jobs for Women, gender and equality issues will be mainstreamed and the concept of equity integrated into the design and management of social funds and programmes. In this work, emphasis will be placed on reinforcing vocational rehabilitation structures, including community-based programmes, developing measures to improve the employment opportunities of persons with disabilities and strengthening their representative organizations. Support will continue to be offered for the information and training activities carried out by employers' and workers' organizations, particularly in the areas of eliminating discrimination and protecting migrant workers and HIV-infected persons.
250.15. Adapting training to labour market requirements. The technical assistance provided to constituents will help them identify and respond to the training requirements of modern enterprises, small and micro-enterprises, the rural sector and vulnerable categories of the population. Based on the assistance supplied, training legislation will be revised, improved financing mechanisms (such as training funds with tripartite management) established and training partnerships strengthened between the state, the private sector, the social partners and local communities. The coordination of training programmes will be improved through the development of national training institutions, the establishment of databases on training and the development of networks of national vocational training centres.
250.16. Countries emerging from conflict. Following the settlement of several of the principal conflicts in the region, the ILO will develop a programme of assistance to the countries concerned. The focus will be on training, enterprise development, labour-intensive reconstruction programmes, the specific needs of women and demobilized child soldiers, labour market information and support for initiatives by employers and workers. Capacities will also be strengthened in the fields of labour administration and employment services, labour law reform, tripartite dialogue and the extension of social security to particularly vulnerable groups.
Policies and programmes for social protection
250.17. Problems and needs. Conditions of work and occupational health and safety remain matters of great concern, especially in the rural and informal sectors. The increasingly widespread use of new technologies, chemicals and pesticides, and rising levels of pollution and environmental degradation, are resulting in risks which are all the more serious because the workers concerned have inadequate knowledge of them. Despite the progress made in recent years, most African countries therefore need to adopt innovative and better targeted occupational safety and health programmes. There is also a pressing need to design and implement social protection policies and regulations, renovate social protection structures and extend the scope of social security systems which, in most countries, only cover between 3 and 10 per cent of the population, leaving the majority of workers in the rural and informal sectors without any form of social protection.
250.18. The objectives are that:
more countries establish mechanisms which improve the occupational health and safety situation and working conditions; and
a large number of countries develop more effective, financially balanced and better managed social security systems, and more countries will formulate policies and develop mechanisms to extend the scope of social security systems.
250.19. Working conditions and occupational safety and health. The support provided for the design and implementation of occupational health, safety and environment policies will result in: the tripartite mapping of occupational risks and the formulation of policies; the establishment of joint structures, such as advisory occupational health and safety committees, safety and health committees and high-level prevention councils; and the strengthening of occupational medicine services at both the national and enterprise levels. Support will be provided for the training of occupational physicians, medical inspectors and health personnel in enterprises. In collaboration with WHO, technical assistance will continue to be provided for the revision of laws and regulations on occupational health, safety and environment and the protection of workers. The work carried out in collaboration with the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS and other bodies will continue to focus on combating discrimination against workers living with HIV/AIDS and preventing the abuse of drugs and alcohol. National information and monitoring networks, linked to subregional networks and the International Occupational Safety and Health Information Centre (CIS), will be established.
250.20. Reform and extension of social security systems. With the support of the Strategies and Tools against Social Exclusion and Poverty (STEP) programme, approaches for the gradual expansion of social security schemes to new risks and population categories will be tested and implemented, particularly through grassroots forms of solidarity, such as mutual health funds. Assistance will also be provided for the inclusion of safety nets among the priorities of the economic and social programmes negotiated with donors. In this work, emphasis will be placed on promoting social dialogue in the field of social security. Capacity-building activities will be continued, together with technical assistance for the formulation or revision of social security legislation. The ILO's work in this area will provide an opportunity for harmonizing concepts and information systems on social protection at the regional level, leading to the development of national data banks and an ILO data bank on social security in Africa.
Social dialogue
250.21. Problems and needs. The processes of democratization in African countries are continuing. Although practices differ from one country to another, most governments are confirming their orientation towards better governance and increased consultation and participation of employers' and workers' organizations in the social policy-making process. Nevertheless, despite the need for close involvement of the social partners to address economic and social changes, the machinery for tripartite dialogue is weak and employers' and workers' organizations have limited influence in most countries.
250.22. The objectives are that:
employers' and workers' organizations strengthen their capacities to defend the interests of their members and represent them in social dialogue; and
constituents in most countries establish and strengthen tripartite consultative mechanisms.
250.23. Employers' organizations. Assistance will continue to be provided for the restructuring and strengthening of employers' organizations. With the support provided, they will plan and develop more training activities for their members, particularly in such areas as the management of human resources, entrepreneurship training, productivity improvement, safety and health and issues relating to globalization and regional integration. Fellowships, seminars and study tours will be organized in response to the training needs of the staff of employers' organizations, in cooperation with the Turin Centre. Based on the guidance and assistance provided, the membership of employers' organizations will rise and they will participate more fully in social dialogue at the national level.
250.24. Workers' organizations. A range of technical cooperation programmes will be undertaken to consolidate and support independent and representative workers' organizations in Africa. Emphasis in these activities will be placed on the provision of education programmes to their members and the development of their capacity to participate effectively in social dialogue. The support provided will include the preparation of education and training materials and the organization of fellowships and other training activities. As a result of the assistance provided, the membership of trade unions in the region will grow and they will play a more active role in national policy dialogue. The representation of women in trade unions and the number of women trade union leaders will also rise.
250.25. Tripartism and social dialogue. Technical assistance will be provided, upon request, for the reform and/or establishment of tripartite institutions. Guidelines for social dialogue will be prepared on issues such as macro-economic reforms and their impact on employment, social protection and vocational training, as part of the technical advice supplied to governments, employers' and workers' organizations. Emphasis will be placed on identifying areas in which greater dialogue with the social partners is particularly necessary. Based on the guidance provided, tripartite consultations will be strengthened in several countries and new institutions for social dialogue set up in others.
Field structures
250.26. Regional technical programmes. Provision is made for the following six multidisciplinary advisory teams:
the West Africa Multidisciplinary Advisory Team, which is located in Abidjan and covers Benin, Burkina Faso, Cτte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Niger, Nigeria and Togo;
the East Africa Multidisciplinary Advisory Team, located in Addis Ababa, which covers Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Somalia, United Republic of Tanzania and Uganda;
the North Africa Multidisciplinary Advisory Team, which is located in Cairo and covers Algeria, Egypt, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Morocco, Sudan and Tunisia;
the Sahelian Africa Multidisciplinary Advisory Team, located in Dakar, which covers Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal and Sierra Leone;
the Southern Africa Multidisciplinary Advisory Team, which is located in Harare and covers Bostwana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe; and
the Central Africa Multidisciplinary Advisory Team, located in Yaounde, which covers Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda and Sao Tomι and Principe.
It is estimated that approximately $86.9 million of extra-budgetary technical cooperation programmes will be implemented in 2000-2001.
250.27. Regional relations, service and support. Provision is made for the personnel, financial and administrative functions of the Regional Office, including regional management, supervision and administrative support for ILO offices in the region. This programme also covers the personnel unit, the regional programming unit, computer support and documentation and public information services. Regional information activities will include the development of the African Labour Information System (ALIS) and the placing of certain of its databases on the ILO Internet site.
250.28. Network of offices. Provision is made for area offices in Abidjan, Addis Ababa, Algiers, Antananarivo, Cairo, Dakar, Dar-es-Salaam, Kinshasa, Lagos, Lusaka, Pretoria and Yaoundι. The location and geographical coverage of these 12 area offices will be kept under review taking into account the changing needs of the countries in the region.
260. Field Programmes in the Americas
260.1. The economic situation in the Americas has changed considerably during the 1990s. Following the vulnerability associated with the Mexican crisis, which led to the adoption of new adjustment measures, macro-economic indicators have improved in most of the countries in the region and their economies have become better structured. However, the improvement has not been sufficient to generate the necessary numbers of quality jobs, improve income distribution or provide better social protection. Employment has continued to grow more slowly than the economically active population and very many of the new jobs created are concentrated in the informal sector. The Asian crisis and adverse climate like "El Niρo" and hurricanes "George" and "Mitch" have worsened the labour situation recently and shed increasing doubts about the sustainability of the economic policies followed.
260.2. Processes of subregional integration have continued apace, with the consolidation of NAFTA, MERCOSUR, CARICOM and the Andean and Central American integration initiatives. In this increasingly open economic environment, it is all the more important to ensure that economic development is accompanied by social progress, and that the expansion of trade is not obtained through a deterioration in labour conditions or the violation of fundamental human rights.
260.3. The priorities of the regional programme, established through a process of regular consultations with constituents, correspond to the ILO's overall strategic objectives and are in conformity with the conclusions and recommendations of recent regional meetings, including the Second Summit of the Americas (Chile, April 1998), the 14th Regional Meeting of the ILO's American Member States (Lima, December 1998) and the Meeting of Inter-American Ministers of Labour (Chile, October 1998).
Promotion of fundamental principles
and rights at work
260.4. Problems and needs. Despite a generally high level of ratifications of ILO Conventions in the region and the growing recognition of the need to promote social justice and apply the fundamental principles and rights at work in the management of social justice, only seven countries in the region have ratified all the seven fundamental Conventions. It is therefore still necessary to develop a broader understanding among constituents that, far from constituting an obstacle to economic development, the application of basic labour standards encourages the development of a stable social environment that is conducive to growth and investment.
260.5. Between 18 and 20 million children between the ages of 10 and 15 work in Latin America and the Caribbean. Moreover, in recent years, there has been a substantial increase in child labour in the region, especially in high risk and dangerous activities. Special policies are clearly necessary to address the structural causes of the problem, and particularly poverty, low levels of investment in education and the precarity of employment. Although the work of the ILO's International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (ILO-IPEC) has helped to raise awareness of child labour and develop a commitment to its progressive elimination in several countries, urgent action is still needed to reduce the high levels of child labour.
260.6. The objectives are that:
international labour standards, and particularly the fundamental Conventions, are better known, more widely ratified and more fully applied at the national, subregional and regional levels; and
child labour is progressively eliminated, with priority being given to the urgent elimination of its most extreme forms.
260.7. Fundamental labour Conventions. The advice and guidance provided will serve as a basis for the more widespread ratification and application of the fundamental Conventions. Awareness will be raised on the contribution of the fundamental principles and rights at work to democracy, social progress, economic efficiency, equity and sustainable growth. Information materials on the ILO Declaration on fundamental principles and rights at work and on the relevant Conventions will be provided to constituents and policy-makers, including parliamentary authorities and the judiciary. With the assistance offered, national legislation in several countries will be harmonized with ratified Conventions and the reports due to the ILO supervisory bodies will be transmitted more regularly. Increased emphasis will also be placed on promoting the integration of the fundamental principles and rights at work in the context of integration initiatives, for example through the tripartite machinery set up in MERCOSUR.
260.8. Child labour. With the support of ILO-IPEC, national tripartite committees to coordinate action against child labour will be established in many of the countries of the region and the corresponding national action programmes will be formulated and implemented. Support will be provided for the conclusion of subregional agreements and action plans for the elimination of child labour. The energetic promotion of Convention No. 138 and the new instruments to be adopted in 1999 will lead to their widespread ratification and implementation. Technical assistance will be provided to harmonize national legislation with these instruments. Statistical information on child labour in the region will be improved. Specific project intervention to withdraw children from work, particularly in most vulnerable situations, will be undertaken. The emphasis placed on mobilizing national authorities and workers' and employers' organizations will lead to stronger action against child labour, particularly in its most extreme forms, in a majority of Latin American and Caribbean countries.
Promotion of employment
260.9. Problems and needs. Extreme poverty, social exclusion and discrimination continue to affect a large proportion of population in most countries in the region. Despite the need, for countries in the region to place emphasis on productivity and high-quality production and services in the context of globalization, most of the expansion of employment has been in low-productivity services and informal activities. Policies and programmes therefore need to be designed not only to combat unemployment, but also to enhance the quality of employment. At the same time, the very low skill levels of many workers continue to impede their access to employment. There is a need to improve and diversify training opportunities, in particular for women, youth, persons with disabilities and indigenous and tribal peoples. This requires the adoption of training methodologies which are participatory, community-based and focused on such demand-led areas as the promotion of self-employment and income generation.
260.10. The region is currently considered to be going through a second generation of labour market reforms, in which an effort is being made to avoid the mistakes and shortcomings of pioneer countries and to enhance their achievements. It is important for this new generation of reforms to incorporate policy changes which reinforce basic labour rights, give priority to human development and social dialogue, and create the stability required to stimulate investment and create new jobs. Furthermore, there is consensus in the region on the need to adapt the legislative and regulatory environment, to provide incentives for informal sector operators to enter the modern economy.
260.11. The objectives are that:
Governments in most countries, in consultation with the social partners, design, implement and monitor labour, economic and social policies and strategies which stimulate investment, create new jobs and raise the quality of employment through improvements in education, training and productivity;
national strategies, policies and programmes are adopted to promote the full economic citizenship of informal sector operators and provide incentives for their gradual inclusion in the modern sector;
training policies and programmes contribute to the promotion of equitable opportunities for all workers, and particularly the most vulnerable categories of the population;
gender and youth issues are taken more fully into account in the design and implementation of labour policies and programmes and are addressed more effectively in national legislation;
the political and social integration of indigenous peoples is improved through the recognition of their rights in national legislation, the development of representative organizations and the adoption of policies and programmes to improve their skills and employment opportunities; and
constituents and other interested parties have access to information on labour issues to assist in the design of national and subregional labour policies.
260.12. Growth and job creation in the modern sector. As a basis for the provision of guidance on the design and implementation of integrated employment policies and human development strategies, analytical studies on labour market developments will continue to be carried out. Special attention will be given to topics like the relation of labour costs and competitiveness, the role of labour contracts and collective bargaining practices in the new economic context and wages behaviour in productive sectors facing global competition. The technical support provided to Governments and the social partners will serve as a basis for the formulation of employment policies and the development of labour market information systems. In these activities, priority will continue to be given to improving workers' skills, translating economic growth into new high-quality jobs, adapting enterprises to the new context of competitiveness, and creating small and micro-enterprises and facilitating their access to productive resources.
260.13. Quality of employment. Management advisory and training centres will be established and strengthened and will promote higher productivity through the dissemination of information on new technologies and the improvement of skills in such areas as human resources management, labour relations and safety and health. Assistance will also be provided to ministries and other partners responsible for small enterprise development on such questions as the provision of services to small enterprises and the creation of a policy and regulatory environment to reduce obstacles to growth. Working conditions in small enterprises will be improved through the wider application of the Work Improvements in Small Enterprises (WISE) methodology.
260.14. Inclusion of the informal sector in the modern economy. Member States will be encouraged to develop legal and institutional frameworks which facilitate the inclusion of informal sector operators in the formal sector. Through the support provided, associations of micro-enterprises will develop a greater capacity to set up networks, represent the interests of their members and provide them with services, such as market information and training. These policies and measures are expected to lead to an increase in the number of informal sector workers who are covered by social security schemes.
260.15. Training for competitiveness. With the support of the Inter-American Research and Documentation Centre on Vocational Training (CINTERFOR), national policies will be designed and implemented which make training more relevant and efficient by: adapting training to new employment opportunities; ensuring that training provision keeps abreast of technological advances; increasing tripartite participation in training programmes; and developing training systems with private sector involvement and an increased role for labour ministries. Support will also be provided for the design of policies and programmes to upgrade skills in the informal sector and micro-enterprises. In these activities, emphasis will be placed on the training of young workers, women and workers with disabilities.
260.16. Women and youth. Awareness-raising campaigns will be carried out on the importance of improving the employment opportunities of women and young workers. Steps will also be taken to further integrate the gender dimension throughout the ILO's activities in the region, including those of the multidisciplinary advisory teams. Assistance will be provided to strengthen the institutional capacity of national authorities for the collection and dissemination of information on gender and youth issues. It is expected that national action plans will be adopted in several countries and will result in an increase in the numbers of young persons and women working in a regular employment situation or attending vocational training institutions.
260.17. Indigenous peoples. In the technical assistance provided to constituents and the representatives of indigenous peoples, priority will be given to raising awareness of their situation and rights, promoting the ratification of Convention No. 169 and improving its application in national law and practice. Based on the advisory services furnished to national authorities, in coordination with other United Nations agencies, policies and programmes will be developed to alleviate the social and political marginalization of indigenous peoples. Through the guidance and support provided, representative organizations of indigenous peoples will be encouraged to develop and strengthen skills training for their peoples.
260.18. Monitoring labour markets. The ILO's regional information network and database will be maintained and updated as a basis for the development and publication of the Labour Overview, which will continue to be made available on the Internet. The Labour Overview will be disseminated more widely through the media and will be further refined. Assistance will be provided to strengthen national and subregional labour statistics systems, particularly in the Caribbean countries.
Social protection
260.19. Problems and needs. Many of the recent trends in the economic and labour situation in the region have made it more difficult to guarantee the right of workers to an adequate level of protection against occupational hazards and to conditions of work which are consistent with their well-being and dignity. In view of the high incidence of occupational accidents and diseases in the region, especially in the agricultural and rural sectors and in construction activities, it is urgent for member States to adopt policies and programmes to improve working conditions and the working environment, in accordance with the relevant international labour standards. The problem is compounded by the continuing weakness of labour inspection capacities, particularly in rural areas, and the need to improve awareness of safety and health issues in several employers' and workers' organizations.
260.20. The improvement of social security schemes is a high priority for most countries in the region and many governments have been evaluating and reforming their social security systems. They therefore require guidance on the options available, with emphasis on the provision of social security coverage for informal sector workers. Moreover, greater precarity of employment has left many categories of workers without adequate security nets, while subregional and regional integration processes have given rise to the need to harmonize social security systems.
260.21. The objectives are that:
there is a marked reduction in occupational accidents and diseases, especially in rural areas, and an improvement in the working environment; and
constituents design and administer efficient social security schemes, in accordance with international labour standards, which progressively improve the benefits provided in the formal sector and develop coverage for informal sector workers.
260.22. Working conditions. The dissemination of information and awareness-raising activities on safety and health issues will be followed up by specialized training for Labour Ministries, labour inspectorates, members of safety councils and employers' and workers' organizations. Technical cooperation activities at the national and subregional levels will focus on the design and implementation of safety and health programmes and the development of occupational safety and health infrastructure.
260.23. Social security. With a view to improving existing social security schemes and extending their coverage, particularly in the informal sector and among rural workers, assistance will be provided to help constituents carry out actuarial valuations and develop social accounting systems. Analyses will be made of the options that are available to improve the quality and coverage of social security schemes, including possible alternative schemes for the informal sector. Training will be provided to social security practitioners on the evolution, cost, benefits and impact of social security schemes.
Social dialogue
260.24. Problems and needs. Over the past few years, the consolidation of democratic processes in the Americas has been accompanied by encouraging developments in the field of social dialogue, including the establishment of tripartite institutions in several countries. However, the promotion of a climate that is more propitious for tripartite consultation and collective bargaining requires the strengthening of employers' and workers' organizations, and the modernization and strengthening of labour institutions. Moreover, progress needs to be made in the involvement of representative employers' and workers' organizations in the economic reforms and policy decision processes related to regional integration and globalization.
260.25. The objectives are that:
employers' organizations develop the capacity to provide their members with more and better professional services and representation adapted to their changing needs;
workers' organizations improve their structures and coverage and reinforce their capacity to participate in tripartite dialogue and defend workers' rights; and
bipartite and tripartite bodies adapted to the characteristics of each country and subregion are established and reinforced.
260.26. Employers' organizations. Training, information and policy guidance will be offered to enable employers' organizations to participate more fully in national, subregional and regional planning and initiatives. Assistance will be given in the formulation of strategic plans to enable employers' organizations to increase in membership. The establishment of socio-economic policy units in employers' organizations will improve their capacity to participate in socio-economic development planning.
260.27. Workers' organizations. Subregional and national seminars on international labour standards will be organized to promote the participation of workers' organizations in national supervisory mechanisms on the application of standards. Support will also be offered for the strengthening of workers' education programmes. Based on the technical assistance provided, workers' organizations are expected to participate more actively in discussions at the national and regional levels on topics related to globalization and economic integration processes.
260.28. Tripartism in the context of economic integration. Assistance provided will place emphasis on the creation and strengthening of bipartite and tripartite bodies and the establishment and reinforcement of systems of industrial relations. Assistance will be furnished to constituents to review their labour relations systems and diagnose dysfunction in the social dialogue mechanisms at the national and regional levels. Guidance will also be delivered through country studies analysing the impact of the regional integration and globalization on industrial relations, collective bargaining and labour legislation. Technical assistance will also be provided for the modernization and harmonization of labour policies in the context of regional integration initiatives. Technical assistance will focus on the more widespread ratification and application of the Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144), and the Labour Administration Convention, 1978 (No. 150).
Field structure
260.29. Regional technical programmes. Provision is made for the four multidisciplinary advisory teams responsible for the Andean countries, the Caribbean, Central America and the southern Cone countries, namely:
the Caribbean Multidisciplinary Advisory Team, which is located in Port-of-Spain (Trinidad and Tobago) and covers Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago;
the Southern Americas Multidisciplinary Advisory Team, located in Santiago (Chile), which covers Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay;
the Central American Multidisciplinary Advisory Team, which is located in San Josι (Costa Rica) and covers Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama; and
the Andean Multidisciplinary Advisory Team, located in Lima (Peru), which covers Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.
260.30. It is estimated that some $25.7 million of extra-budgetary technical cooperation expenditure will be delivered in the region in 2000-2001.
260.31. The Inter-American Research and Documentation Centre on Vocational Training (CINTERFOR) in Montevideo, in cooperation with the MDTs, develop and consolidate the network of vocational training institutions as a means of promoting the exchange of training information throughout the region. CINTERFOR also contribute to the provision of technical advice to constituents, for the formulation of vocational training policies and programmes.
260.32. Regional relations, service and support. This includes a regional programming unit; regional technical advisers in the areas of labour market information, regional integration and women and gender issues; personnel, financial and administrative services; and support for all regional structures. The Andean unit will continue to be responsible for the planning and management of ILO activities in the Andean countries.
260.33. Network of offices. Provision is made under this programme for ILO offices in Brasilia, Buenos Aires, Mexico, Port-of-Spain and San Josι, and the Washington Branch Office.