Report of the 341st Session of the ILO Governing Body

Report of the 341st Session of the ILO Governing Body

Category : Message68

The 341st Session of the ILO Governing Body was held from 15 to 27 March 2021 by videoconference. It began with opening remarks by Director General Guy Ryder and the presentation of the 2022-23 Programme and Budget proposals. There was remote participation via the Zoom platform.

The technology helped proceedings run smoothly. There were 977 accredited delegates, compared with around 750 in normal sessions. The GB dealt with as many items as in a regular session. Some 27 decisions were discussed and settled in the virtual sittings. Decisions on 11 items were taken before the session and a further ten will be decided by correspondence in the coming weeks.

Decisions were able to be adopted at any time during the session by a show of hands or electronically. Discussions were held on the following issues: Institutional Section (INS); Policy Development Section (POL); Legal Issues and International Labour Standards Section (LILS); Programme, Financial and Administrative Section (PFA).

On 27 March the Governing Body decided that the 109th Session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) would be held virtually in two separate parts.

A first part, from 3 to 19 June 2021, would deal with all agenda items except items IV (inequalities and the world of work) and VI (skills and life-long learning). The opening sitting would be held on Thursday 20 May 2021.

The dates for the second part of the ILC will be determined at a later stage.

During this 341st Session of the GB, taking into account the serious and negative consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, the ILO Workers’ Group on 27 March adopted a statement on “vaccine equity as a precondition for a sustainable and socially just recovery”.

The statement denounces discrimination, reaffirms the principles of solidarity and the need to promote dialogue, and emphasises the importance of universal, free and immediate access to safe and tested vaccines for all people in the world. It stresses the need to act now and put people before profit and in the interest of a sustainable and equitable recovery everywhere.

Abdoulaye Lélouma Diallo
Assistant Executive Secretary
ILO Former Officials Section