The 109th Session of the International Labour Conference is to hold virtually for the first time in history, expressing changes imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the ILO, the conference will proceed in two parts: the first in June 2021 and a second in November-December 2021.
The ILO said the June sittings will start on June 3 with meetings of the Conference committees that are expected to run for two and a half weeks.
“Work in plenary will commence on June 7 and will be addressed by the president of the Swiss Confederation. The ILO’s director-general, Guy Ryder, and the chairperson of the Governing Body will also present their reports, which will cover two years. This will be followed by the introductory statements of the presidents of the ILC’s employers and workers groups,” it said.
The ILO stated that the items on the June segment of the ILC agenda include a special outcome document on the ILO response to COVID-19, ILO’s programme and budget for 2022-23, recurrent discussion on social protection, and consideration of the reports on the application of labor standards during the pandemic and related country case discussions.
The World of Work Summit, entitled: “International action for a human-centered COVID-19 response,” will take place on June 17 and 18, with sessions running for about 90 minutes each day.
The summit will include a high-level segment with heads of state and government and a panel discussion with tripartite representatives.
Other ILC events will include World Day Against Child Labour, on June 10 (World Day falls on a Saturday this year), and the launch of a report on child labor.
The June part of the ILC will close on June 19.
The global body added that the ILC will resume its work in November, with an agenda that includes two thematic discussions in committees, one on inequalities and the world of work and the second on skills and life-long learning.
Ryder is expected to close the 109th ILC on December 11.
The ILO stated further: “The work of the ILC can be followed via the ‘ILC live’ section of the ILO’s website, which will include live coverage of the plenary sessions. There will also be a live blog with rolling coverage.”