BANGKOK (ILO News): The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Government of the Republic of Korea have announced their intention to sign an agreement that will enable two new projects to get underway.

The projects, on “Promoting income security and return to employment for workers in vulnerable employment and the formal sector in ASEAN” and “Promoting decent work through integrating employment in industrial policies and sectoral strategies in South-east Asia”, will be operational from 2011-2012.

The work plan for 2011 includes developing a network of skills institutions and a national skills standard in the automotive sector in Lao PDR. Other work, in a number of countries, will include setting up social insurance systems, developing a promotional framework on occupational safety and health at work, skills recognition of migrant workers, labour migration management and green jobs.

The partnership agreement, worth US$1,300,000, represents an increase in funding of more than 50 per cent on the previous agreement that covered work in 2009-2010.

The “Korea/ILO Partnership Programme Towards the Realization of the Asian Decent Work Decade” will fund technical cooperation work in more than 15 countries across Asia including Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor Leste and Viet Nam. ILO experts and eight Korean partner institutions will support the implementation of the programme.

The 2011 programme will focus on four areas of work: Competitiveness, Productivity and Jobs; Labour Market Governance and Social Protection; Labour Migration; and Research on Decent Work and Occupational Safety and Health.

The Korean Government has supported the work of the ILO in Asia and the Pacific since 2004. In the last seven years the Korean Government has provided almost US$7 million in funding, as well as support from technical experts. It works to support the aims of the Asian Decent Work Decade, namely the achievement of full, productive and decent employment for all in the region by 2015.

For further information please contact:

Sophy Fisher
Regional Information Officer
ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Email
Tel: +662 288 2482

Krisdaporn Singhaseni
Information Officer
ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Email
Tel: +662 288 1664