Feel Good Friday - International Labour Organization

Tuesday was International Workers' Day so today's Feel Good Friday is all about the International Labour Organization (ILO).

A visit to the website explains that "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." Their motto is "promoting jobs, protecting people".

This 4-minute video is a quick way to learn a lot about the ILO, as are some of these fun, fast facts:

• the only tripartite United Nations agency (representing governments, employers and workers)
• founded in 1919 as part of the Treaty of Versailles 
• headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland
• oldest U.N. agency
• awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 1969

"The main aims of the ILO are to promote rights at work, encourage decent employment opportunities, enhance social protection and strengthen dialogue on work-related issues."

There is an annual conference in Geneva where international labor policies and standards are set. Work gets done by consulting with governments and partnering with organizations in member states. As part of the U.N.'s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the ILO has developed a Decent Work Agenda with four strategic objectives:

• promote decent employment opportunities
• enhance social protection
• strengthen tripartism and social dialogue
• guarantee fundamental principles and rights at work

There are over 600 active programs including fighting sexual exploitation of children in Madagascar, running a job fair for Syrian refugees in Jordan and getting youth involved in occupational health and safety in Indonesia. You can read details and watch videos about those programs and many more here.

If you support what the ILO is doing and want to stay in the loop, the best way is to like their Facebook page and follow them on Twitter @ilo.

Workers of the world, unite!