Context

India has assumed the chairmanship of the governing body of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) after a gap of 35 years. Labour secretary Apurva Chandra has been elected as the chairperson of the governing body of the organisation for the period October 2020- June 2021.

About

• The only tripartite U.N. agency, since 1919 the ILO brings together governments, employers and workers of 187 member States , to set labour standards, develop policies and devise programmes promoting decent work for all women and men.
• The ILO was founded in 1919, in the wake of a destructive war, to pursue a vision based on the premise that universal, lasting peace can be established only if it is based on social justice.
• The ILO became the first specialized agency of the UN in 1946.

The Governing Body

• The Chairperson of the Governing Body of ILO is a position of international repute.
• The governing body is the executive body of the ILO. It meets thrice a year, in March, June and November.
• It takes decisions on ILO policy, decides the agenda of the International Labour Conference, adopts the draft programme and budget of the organisation for submission to the conference, and elects the Director-General.
• At present, ILO has 187 members.

ILO in India

• India has been a founding Member of the ILO since 28 June 1919.
• In 1922, India became a permanent member of the ILO Governing Body and in 1928, the ILO office in India was established in New Delhi.
• The ILO’s work in India is carried out within the framework of the Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) which is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Framework.
• The overall objective of India’s DWCP for 2018 to 2022 is to “create a more decent future of work through better quality jobs, and ensure the transition to formal employment and environment sustainability” and to support India’s march towards “Leaving no one behind and Reach the furthest behind first” as articulated in the 2030 UN Agenda.