108th International Labour Conference

– As delivered –

Statement by H.E. Mrs. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President of the 73^rd Session of the UN General Assembly

10 June 2019

Jean-Jacques Elmiger, President of the 108^th International Labour Conference,

Distinguished Heads of State and Government,

Alain Berset, Federal Councilor of Switzerland and Head of the Department of Home Affairs,

Guy Ryder, Director General of the International Labour Organization,

Ministers and Authorities, who are participating in this historical meeting,

Dear Workers and Employers,

Ladies and gentlemen,

“A monument to peace and social justice”, that is how the first Director General of the International Labour Organization, Albert Thomas, defined it. The vision and determination of its founders to create this indispensable institution deserves our tribute as it was built from the ruins of the First World War and as a response to the despair and frustration of millions of workers.

Therefore, in this 100^th anniversary, we must pay tribute to the union and worker’s movement. Their historical battles and their contributions have been crucial to claim the rights and guarantees of workers, both male and female.

During these 100 years, the ILO has gone from being an “impossible dream” to a tangible reality and a unique model for tripartite association that facilitates social dialogue between Governments, employers and workers.

It has also left us an immense work, with hundreds of agreements, policies and mechanisms which have inspired labor laws and institutions to promote safe conditions, dignified treatment, freedom of association and non discrimination, among many other rights.

In fact, the 3 foundational principles of the ILO, which were first put into words in the Declaration of Philadelphia of 1944, are more relevant than ever: work is not a commodity; freedom of speech and association is essential; poverty anywhere is a danger to prosperity everywhere.

Excellencies,

Allow me to refer to three topics.

First, I would like to emphasize how important it is to ensure decent work for everyone, without leaving anyone behind. This imperative is central to fulfill the 2030 Agenda.

Decent work is essential to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality within and between countries and thus attain the wellbeing of our peoples.

However, the challenge is colossal, considering that 2000 million people base their sustenance in informal economy; 780 million work but live in conditions of poverty and more than 190 million persons continue to be unemployed.

To reverse these figures and create the 600 million new jobs that are needed until 2030 to reach the SDGs, political will is fundamental. We need decisive actions to take advantage of the full potential of the economic and demographic transformations that are occurring. Technological advances, the fight against climate change and the Fourth Industrial Revolution are just some of the phenomena that are shaping the jobs of the future.

Without a doubt, the challenges of the future of work are linked not only to the number of employments we must create, but to the quality of jobs, to the capability of jobs to achieve wellbeing, satisfaction, social cohesion and make the most of the creative potential of people.

I was aware of the importance of accelerating the actions to achieve SDG 8 and, hence, when I took over the Presidency of the General Assembly, I established decent work as one of my priorities.

On that note, on April 10, I organized a high level meeting on the Future of Work, in which we also commemorated the hundredth anniversary of this Organization.

In this event, one of the resounding messages is that we have the ability to determine and build the future of work we want.

The potential of technology to create productive work was also highlighted as opposed to being considered as a threat; the importance of permanent training and learning; the need for a greater inclusion and non discrimination and the role of social protection throughout the life cycle.

Excellencies,

Secondly, I would like to refer to the importance or achieving gender equality in the world of work, which is one of the most urgent challenges that we are facing.

Women continue to be discriminated, abused and excluded in all fields, and the labor field is definitely not the exception. In fact, many of the gaps are there.

On average, women continue to earn 20% less for the same work that a man does. This situation is unfair and unsustainable. We cannot conceive a future, at least a sustainable future, in which women are not an active part of economy and work.

Excellencies,

Lastly, I will refer to the value of multilateralism and the future of work.

ILO was a pioneer for the multilateral system and is one of its seeds. That is why its hundredth anniversary is so meaningful. Cooperation and dialogue are the foundations of its origin. For that reason, ILO has strengthened and improved multilateralism which, in turn, is decisive for the future of work. Our presence here, in this historical meeting, with Heads of State and Government of the whole world, is a testimony of that.

The road to decent work requires having a broad dialogue with all stakeholders: governments, the private sector, unions, workers and civil society. There is no other way to effectively face urgent challenges like eradicating child labor or modern slavery.

I wish to emphasize that, during the last few months, we, in the General Assembly, have had an intense agenda of activities. I have promoted including decent work and the future of work in a cross-cutting manner and in accordance with the mandate of Member States. 

As an example, we emphasized creative economies as a source of inclusive economic growth, employment and innovation in the event on Culture and Sustainable Development.  

In the meeting on the Protection of Global Climate for Present and Future Generations, we addressed the enormous benefits of a bold climate action that will generate economic returns and will create more jobs that the ones that might disappear. We also got to know the opportunities of the conversion models of organic production and the transition to low carbon economies.

I congratulate all those initiatives that acknowledge the historical role of ILO and address the great challenges of the future. Just a few days ago, the Ministerial Meeting of the G7 Social Labour and Employment Ministerial Meeting was held in Paris. As I said in my message on that occasion, we must strengthen the multilateral system and the dialogue between international organizations, to favor justice, social protection and reducing inequalities.

Excellencies,

Lasting and universal peace is mostly linked to a dignified treatment of workers, like in 1919. And although today ILO is starting a new phase –a new centenary– its vision and contributions are more necessary than ever to promote social justice, particularly in this moment of deep transformations.

I trust that the new challenges of the XXI Century will find us even more committed to ILO and its irreplaceable role to favor the wellbeing and dignity of all.

Thank you.