Governing Body of ILO

The International Labor Organization (ILO) was established in 1919 as an Inter government special agency under the United Nations that deals with labor issues pertaining to international labor standards across the world. The headquarter building of ILO is situated in Geneva, Switzerland. ILO have Nobel Peace Prize under their belt which received by him in 1969.

Membership and organization

Members of ILO include countries that were the part on 1 November 1945, when the ILO’s new constitution officially came into effect just after the Second World War In addition to it any member of the UN and any state admitted to the UN thereafter may join to ILO. Other states can also be admitted in ILO by 2/3 vote of all delegates, including 2/3 vote of government delegates, at any ILO General Conference as per ILO constitution.

Unlike other UN specialized body, the ILO has a tripartite governing structure for its working.

The Governing Body 

Governing body of ILO Decides the agenda of the International Labour Conference (ILC), adopts the draft programme and budget of ILO for submission to the conference, elects the director-general, requests information from member countries regarding the labor related matters, appoints commissions of inquiry and supervises the works of the International Labor Office.

As a guiding body it is composed of 28 government representatives, 14 workers' representatives, and 14 employers' representatives. 

Amongst the government seats ten are held by member states that are nations of "chief industrial importance," as first considered by an "impartial committee." The terms of office are three years.

International Labour Conference

The ILO calls the International Labour Conference in Geneva every year in the first week of June, where conventions and recommendations are discussed, framed and adopted. The International Labour conference also decides over the ILO's general policy, work programme and budget.

Every member state is represented at the International Labour conference by four representatives amongst them two are government delegates, one employer delegate and one worker delegate. Every member has their separate voting rights, and all votes are equal, regardless of the population of the delegate's member state. 

The employer and worker delegates are normally chosen in agreement with the "most representative" national organizations of employers and workers. Usually, the workers' delegates coordinate their voting, as do the employers' delegates.

International Labour Code

To establish an uniform international labor standards is the main objective of ILO which is done through the adoption of conventions and recommendations covering a broad spectrum of labor-related matters and which, together, are sometimes referred to as the International Labour Code. 

The topics covered under International Labour Code include a wide spectrum of issues, right from the freedom of association to health and safety at work, working conditions in the maritime sector, child labor, night work, discrimination, and forced labor.