Presented by Mostefa Boudiaf Presented by Mostefa Boudiaf

Turin, 9 July 2007Turin, 9 July 2007

Prepared by Maria Sabrina De GobbiPrepared by Maria Sabrina De GobbiILOILO

Employment Policy Unit - Employment Strategy DepartmentEmployment Policy Unit - Employment Strategy Department

« Trade Union Training on Employment Policies with a focus on « Trade Union Training on Employment Policies with a focus on Youth Employment »Youth Employment »

The ILO Global Employment Agenda The ILO Global Employment Agenda (GEA): (GEA):

Strategies and implementationStrategies and implementation

2.2. How the Global Employment Agenda How the Global Employment Agenda was conceivedwas conceived

The United Nations General The United Nations General Assembly called upon the ILO to Assembly called upon the ILO to develop an international strategy for develop an international strategy for the promotion of freely-chosen, the promotion of freely-chosen, productive employment.productive employment.

'... the Agenda considers that the '... the Agenda considers that the best way to promote productive best way to promote productive employment is to promote decent employment is to promote decent work at one and the same time ....'work at one and the same time ....'

3. Decent Work and the four ILO 3. Decent Work and the four ILO strategic objectivesstrategic objectives

Strategic Objective 1: Standards and Strategic Objective 1: Standards and Fundamental Principles and Rights at Fundamental Principles and Rights at WorkWork

Strategic Objective 2: EmploymentStrategic Objective 2: Employment Strategic Objective 3: Social Strategic Objective 3: Social

ProtectionProtection Strategic Objective 4: Social DialogueStrategic Objective 4: Social Dialogue

4.4. The seven pillars of the Global The seven pillars of the Global Employment AgendaEmployment Agenda

Decent Work as a productive factor. Decent Work as a productive factor. A pro-employment macroeconomic A pro-employment macroeconomic

framework. framework. Entrepreneurship and private investment. Entrepreneurship and private investment. Improving the productivity and Improving the productivity and

opportunities of the working poor. opportunities of the working poor. Ending discrimination in the labour Ending discrimination in the labour

market. market. Environmentally and socially sustainable Environmentally and socially sustainable

growth. growth. Employability and adaptability. Employability and adaptability.

5. Two principles underlying all of the 5. Two principles underlying all of the Agenda:Agenda:

Decent work as a productive factorDecent work as a productive factor The Agenda views the ILO's strategic The Agenda views the ILO's strategic

objectives in their positive relation to objectives in their positive relation to employment: employment: Fundamental rights, such as freedom from Fundamental rights, such as freedom from discrimination, freedom of association and discrimination, freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, or the right to collective bargaining, or freedom from forced or child labour, are freedom from forced or child labour, are of moral worth, but lead also to: of moral worth, but lead also to: • more productive job matches and more productive job matches and • higher productivity. higher productivity.

6. Two principles underlying all of the 6. Two principles underlying all of the Agenda:Agenda:

Decent work as a productive factorDecent work as a productive factor

The Agenda views the ILO's strategic The Agenda views the ILO's strategic objectives in their positive relation to objectives in their positive relation to employmentemployment: :

Social protection responds to people's need for Social protection responds to people's need for security, but in so doing can improve labour security, but in so doing can improve labour market functioning.market functioning.

Good health contributes toGood health contributes to

good working capacity, and good working capacity, and high productivity.high productivity.

7. Two principles underlying all of the 7. Two principles underlying all of the Agenda:Agenda:

Decent work as a productive factorDecent work as a productive factor The Agenda views the ILO's strategic The Agenda views the ILO's strategic

objectives in their positive relation to objectives in their positive relation to employment: employment:

Social dialogue expresses workers' and Social dialogue expresses workers' and employers' right to freedom of association and employers' right to freedom of association and participation in decision making through participation in decision making through collective bargaining, but can also: collective bargaining, but can also:

find more durable solutions to problems; find more durable solutions to problems; increase commitment and transparency; and increase commitment and transparency; and speed adjustment to changespeed adjustment to change. .

8.8. Two principles underlying all of the Two principles underlying all of the Agenda:Agenda:

Ending discrimination in the labour Ending discrimination in the labour marketmarket

The economy as a whole pays the cost The economy as a whole pays the cost of discrimination through:of discrimination through:

the under-utilization of human the under-utilization of human resources; and resources; and

less productive job matches.less productive job matches.

9. Implementation of the Global 9. Implementation of the Global Employment AgendaEmployment Agenda

ILO constituents (governments, workers and ILO constituents (governments, workers and employers) monitor the implementation of the GEA employers) monitor the implementation of the GEA in different countries.in different countries.

How:How:• through reports presented to the ILO Governing through reports presented to the ILO Governing

Body (in the past); andBody (in the past); and• through reports by selected countries presented through reports by selected countries presented

by national governments, workers and by national governments, workers and employers at the ILO Governing Body (since employers at the ILO Governing Body (since March 2005March 2005). ).

In March 2005, tripartite delegations from Ghana In March 2005, tripartite delegations from Ghana and Argentina reported at the ILO Governing Body and Argentina reported at the ILO Governing Body on the efforts made to implement the GEA in their on the efforts made to implement the GEA in their respective countries.respective countries.

10. Implementation of the GEA in Ghana10. Implementation of the GEA in Ghana

The government said:The government said:

Efforts made so far and successes achieved:Efforts made so far and successes achieved:

National policy targets were implemented National policy targets were implemented through decentralization and local authorities.through decentralization and local authorities.

Local committees composed of local stakeholders Local committees composed of local stakeholders including social partners were formed. including social partners were formed.

Local committees made inputs for plans and Local committees made inputs for plans and budgets for poverty reduction strategies and budgets for poverty reduction strategies and covered issues such as productive employment, covered issues such as productive employment, informal economy, entrepreneurship, social informal economy, entrepreneurship, social protection and labour standards.protection and labour standards.

11. Implementation of the GEA in Ghana11. Implementation of the GEA in Ghana

The government said:The government said:What is to be done in the future:What is to be done in the future:

More efforts are needed to make employment central in the More efforts are needed to make employment central in the national poverty reduction strategy.national poverty reduction strategy.

More coordination between existing labour programmes is More coordination between existing labour programmes is needed.needed.

Planned initiatives for 2005 include:Planned initiatives for 2005 include:

a national employment survey; a national employment survey; the modernization of the labour market information system; the modernization of the labour market information system; the adoption of a national human resources development and the adoption of a national human resources development and

employment policy; employment policy; a Presidential Employment Summit; a Presidential Employment Summit; the review and introduction of legislation; the review and introduction of legislation; the completion of a living wage study; and the completion of a living wage study; and youth employment programmes. youth employment programmes.

12. Implementation of the GEA in Ghana12. Implementation of the GEA in GhanaThe workers said:The workers said:

Efforts made so far:Efforts made so far:

Five areas for policy development have been identified Five areas for policy development have been identified by social partners:by social partners:

employment generation including through SMEs and employment generation including through SMEs and addressing the problems of the informal economy; addressing the problems of the informal economy;

creation of new employment opportunities and creation of new employment opportunities and development of skills for employment; development of skills for employment;

maximizing the employment benefits of infrastructure maximizing the employment benefits of infrastructure development; development;

integrating persons with disabilities; and integrating persons with disabilities; and increasing productivity and fair distribution through wages increasing productivity and fair distribution through wages

and incomes policy. and incomes policy.

13. Implementation of the GEA in Ghana13. Implementation of the GEA in Ghana

The workers said:The workers said:

What is to be done in the future:What is to be done in the future:

Priority issues remain:Priority issues remain:

the respect of labour standards;the respect of labour standards; improving labour market information improving labour market information

systems; andsystems; and implementing the new labour law which implementing the new labour law which

does not address the informal sector.does not address the informal sector.

14. Implementation of the GEA in Ghana14. Implementation of the GEA in Ghana

The employers said:The employers said:

Efforts made so far:Efforts made so far:

the private sector has been seen as the engine of the private sector has been seen as the engine of growth.growth.

Social partners were in a position where they Social partners were in a position where they could influence government policies in the areas could influence government policies in the areas of employment, productivity, enterprise of employment, productivity, enterprise

development and labour marketsdevelopment and labour markets..

15. Implementation of the GEA in Ghana15. Implementation of the GEA in Ghana

The employers said:The employers said:

What is to be done in the future:What is to be done in the future:

balancing the quantitative and qualitative balancing the quantitative and qualitative dimensions of employment;dimensions of employment;

strengthening the idea that productivity strengthening the idea that productivity has the potential to increase living has the potential to increase living standards through equitable distribution of standards through equitable distribution of gains and non-inflationary growth.gains and non-inflationary growth.