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ILO Governing Body Working Party

The Global Jobs Pact: Policy Coherence and International Coordination

16 November 2009

Alison Curtis, Intern - The Working Party on the Social Dimension of Globalization of the International Labour Organization's Governing Body  convened a session on 16 November that included discussion of the Global Jobs Pact (GJP).  The GJP was universally supported by governments, workers groups, and employers groups.  However, it was pointed out that the initiative will only be effective if it is adopted and implemented by governments and international organizations; it cannot just merely exist.  Concern was also raised over the funding of the GJP as it is meaningless without financial support, and a suggestion was made to create a Global Jobs Fund.

Celso Amorim, Foreign Minister of Brazil, opened the session with great approval of the GJP.  He articulated that south-south cooperation should be a concern for all international organizations and that all issues need to be dealt with together in a single way.  His speech was met with much praise throughout the rest of the session.  

Participants emphasized that human rights are essential in the process of recovery, and that without them, the world will never be able to recover.  Attention was brought to the need to look at new systems rather than rely on the old.  The ILO’s International Training Centre in Turin, Italy was complimented by many, and deemed to be a sustainable initiative in the midst of what has now become an employment crisis.  It was suggested that successful SME policies would be more effective in achieving job-rich growth than successful rural policies.  A disapproval of protectionism was apparent and governments were urged not to cut back on their expenditures.  The positive response to both the Global Jobs Pact and the initiatives of the ILO and the willingness of members to work together at an international level suggests for a progressive future in the recovery of the economic, and consequently employment, crisis.

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