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Event organized in Geneva and on Zoom on the theme of «Intergenerational Dialogue 2023»

Category : News

Greycells and its partners are organizing an event in Geneva on 7 December, 5 pm at Palais Eynard on the theme of «Intergenerational Dialogue 2023», an initiative that highlights the rights of older people as pillars of human rights.

Download the PDF of the invitation

 


Message by the UN Secretary General António Guterres. International Day of Older Persons 1st October 2023

Category : Message 70 en

“This year’s International Day of Older Persons coincides with the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

To realize the promise of the Declaration, we must do more to protect the dignity and rights of older persons everywhere.

Challenges abound. Ageism is rampant in societies. From the COVID-19 pandemic to poverty and climate emergencies, older persons are often among the first victims of crises.

Addressing these and other issues is a human rights imperative that will benefit everyone.

Older persons are invaluable sources of knowledge and experience and have much to contribute towards peace, sustainable development, and protecting our planet.

We must ensure their active engagement, full participation, and essential contributions – including through social and workplace policies built around their specific needs.

We must promote lifelong learning, quality healthcare, and digital inclusion.
And we must foster intergenerational dialogue and unity.

Together, let us build more inclusive and age-friendly societies and a more resilient world for all”.

The UN International Day of Older Persons has the following objectives:

  • “To increase global knowledge and awareness of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and generate commitments among all stakeholders to strengthen the protection of the human rights of current and future generations of older persons around the world;
  • “To share and learn from intergenerational models for the protection of human rights around the world;
  • “To call on Governments and UN entities to review their current practices with a view to better integrate a life course approach to human rights in their work, and to ensure the active and meaningful participation of all stakeholders, including civil society, national human rights institutions and older persons themselves, in the work on strengthening solidarity among generations and intergenerational partnerships”.

The ILO has specifically addressed the particular situation of older workers (usually taken to be those aged 50 and above) as long ago as 1980, in the Older Workers Recommendation, No. 162. This offers a constructive framework for decent and productive conditions of work for older workers who choose or need to have paid employment.

Today, the percentage of people over the age of 65 represents 18.6% worldwide, 21.1% for the EU, 22.1% for the United Kingdom, 21.7% for France, 23.3% for Finland.

By 2030, 1 in 6 people in the world will be aged 60 years or over. At this time, the share of the population aged 60 years and over will increase from 1 billion in 2020 to 1.4 billion. By 2050, the world’s population of people aged 60 years and older will double (2.1 bil-lion). The number of persons aged 80 years or older is expected to triple between 2020 and 2050 to reach 426 million.

(Sources UN, ILO and WHO)


The annual reception for retirees of September 28, 2023, at ILO Headquarters in Geneva

Category : News

On September 28, 2023, the annual reception for retirees was held at ILO Headquarters in Geneva. No less than 150 people attended this festive event, which is always eagerly awaited and very well organized by HRD (special thanks to Fiona). Indeed, it’s a great opportunity for our members to catch up with old colleagues with whom they’ve worked, to meet the new faces at the helm of the organization, and to catch up on the latest activities of the Section of ILO Former officials.

This year, in the unfortunate absence of the new Director General, Gilbert Houngbo, the administration had sent to replace him its new Deputy Director General, Céleste Drake, its Deputy Director in charge of Internal Services, Hao Bin, and its brand new Director of Human Resources, Danielle Guiho. As usual, the President of the Syndicat, Séverine Deboos, was also present.

Ms. Céleste Drake spoke on behalf of the DG, briefly outlining the organization’s main new activities and objectives underway, and ended her speech by emphasizing the value represented by the former employees, and the fact that the organization’s successes also rested on them. She encouraged greater exchange between them and the organization’s current staff.

Mr. François Kientzler, Executive Secretary of the Alumni Section, welcomed members and gave a brief account of the Section’s activities this year, including the Bureau’s meeting with the DG, and the relaunch of activities after COVID. He spoke of the recurring difficulty for retirees in many field offices to gain access to ILO premises, particularly those nested within the UN buildings. Conversely, at ILO Headquarters in Geneva, new arrangements recently put in place by the security service now seem to prohibit access by retirees from other UN organizations. The Section hopes that reciprocity will be maintained, for as F. Kientzler reminded us, “isn’t the ILO, after all, everyone’s home?

After the official part, as usual, everybody enjoyed the reception in good spirits, making new contacts, recalling fond memories of their workplace and promising to meet again next year.

The photos:


List 2023 of former officials who died

Category : Message 70 en , News

In memoriam:

Personnes décédées: informations transmises par le BIT depuis janvier 2023

Le Bureau de la Section des Anciens du BIT adresse ses condoléances aux familles des personnes décédées.

Information communicated by the Office since January 2023

The Bureau of the Section of Former Officials of the ILO extends its sincere condolences to the bereaved families.

M. AGARWAL Sutya Prakarsh 15/03/2023
Mme Vve ALLEN Jacqueline 23/03/2023
M. ARAUJO PONCIAN Eduardo 01/06/2023
Mme Vve BASTARD Ciria Elba 02/12/2021
M. BEAUD  Michel 10/02/2023
M. BERROD Daniel 08/07/2023
Mme BILLSON Betty 10/02/2023
Mme BINGELLI Renée 23/02/2023
Mme CHAILLEUX Jeannine 28/04/2023
M. CICERON Gaston 07/07/2023
M. CICHON Michael 30/12/2022
Mme CLARKE Anne Barbara 10/02/2022
M. COCHET Bernard 08/03/2023
Mme COMTE Eliane 24/04/2023
Mme Vve CUMMINGS Monica 11/12/2022
M. DANESI Franco 22/12/2022
M. DIOT Bernard 07/01/2023
M. DJEUFA Jean 04/12/2022
M. ECHEVARRIA Luis Mario 20/06/2023
M. ERBUKE Ayan 14/11/2022
M. FAZZIO Joseph Ciro 09/07/2023
Mme FISHER Susan Margaret 15/01/2023
Mme FRASER Eliza Alison 01/06/2023
M. GHOSE Ajit Kumar 19/01/2023
M. GODONOU DOSSOU Jean 21/06/2023
Mme Vve GUERRA DA SILVA Norma 04/04/2023
M. GUGLIELMOTTO Giulio 20/04/2023
Mme Vve GUNTER Helga 14/02/2023
M. HAISE Bekele 13/02/2023
M. HEFFNER Guy 10/02/2023
M. KABAI Mieczslaw 01/04/2023
Mme KRETHLOW Thea 21/03/2023
Mme LILO Arthurleen J. 21/04/2023
Mme LOVATTI Donatella 12/06/2023
M. MARTINEZ Antonio 13/12/2022
M. McGILLIVRAY Warren 11/04/2023
Mme Vve NETTO DOS REYS DE BRITO Graziella 12/02/2023
Mme Vve PARMEGGIANI Renata 17/02/2023
Mme PFENNINGER-BERNSTEIN Sally 27/03/2023
M. PILLET Lucien 05/07/2023
Mme POSS Elisabeth 22/12/2022
Mme Vve RICHARD Anne-Marie 09/03/2023
Mme ROBERTS Margaret 07/01/2023
Mme ROCHAT Suzanne 15/01/2023
Mme Vve STRAWSON Jeanine 16/02/2023
Mme STRIFFLER Jean  Mary 05/06/2022
M. TARUD Ricardo 08/07/2023
Mme Vve THEOCHARIDES Nina 08/01/2023
M. TORNARE Gilbert 25/03/2023
M. VON ROHLAND Hans-Friedrich 10/04/2023
Mme Vve VOUGHT Brigitte 17/01/2023
Mme VULLIOUD Muguette 28/06/2023
Mme WYNN Sandra S. Alameddine 12/07/2023

 

 


Minutes of the May 25, 2023 Information Meeting on the Digital Certificate of Pension Entitlement and SHIF Developments

Category : News

The meeting was hosted by François Kientzler, Executive Secretary of the Former Officials Section, and Catherine Comte-Tiberghien, Deputy Executive Secretary. Opening the session, the Executive Secretary welcomed speakers and participants, noting that this was the first time the Section had ever organized a hybrid meeting, combining attendance in person with a videoconference. The number of participants was a big unknown, as there was no requirement to register. But retired officials had turned out in force.

[Vous pouvez télécharger le document en format PDF]

Presentation of Digital Certificate of Entitlement

Mr Aliamane Bacar Saïd, Chief of the Operations Support Section of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (New York, by videoconference), assisted by Mr Abdoul-Wali Mahdi, Section Deputy (Geneva Office)

During his presentation, Abdoul-Wali outlined the aims and benefits of the Certificate of Entitlement (CE) and then explained in detail the process of installing the app on a smartphone or iPad. (The presentation is posted on the Former Officials Section website: anciens-bit-ilo.org.) Abdoul-Wali said he would stay after the meeting to help retired staff install the application software on their phones.

To simplify and speed up the entitlement certification process and provide an improved customer experience, the Fund – in partnership with the United Nations International Computing Centre (UNICC) – has created an alternative to the paper-based CE form used up to now: the Digital Certificate of Entitlement (DCE).

The DCE provides an additional means of submitting your “proof-of-life” certificate. It is optional: paper CEs will continue to be sent out to those who do not issue a DCE. The DCE app can verify and guarantee the identity of retirees/beneficiaries, as well as their location, via biometrics, storing key elements (non-personal data) of the transactions on an immutable and independently auditable digital ledger (using blockchain technologies). With this app, retirees and beneficiaries now have the option to complete the annual Certificate of Entitlement by providing their proof of life in biometric format.

The security of the DCE has been tested and validated by an independent body and has obtained ISO27001 certification. The biometric data used by the app is captured and stored only on the user’s device. No information is stored in the cloud. In addition, the digital CE infrastructure is hosted by the UNICC and protected by the relevant and applicable privileges and immunities.

Participants’ questions

Mr Abdoul-Wali Mahdi’s presentation prompted many questions from the floor, which he answered in conjunction with Mr Aliamane Bacar Saïd in New York. For example, biometric facial recognition can only be done if you have an Apple device with iOS version 11 or later or an Android phone running at least operating system version 7.0; creating your identification is relatively quick, but it cannot be done on a computer. As with any account created on the internet, it is essential to note down and keep a safe record of your personal identification code and password.

Until now, in the event of incapacity, it has been necessary to have your state of health validated by a doctor and your home address confirmed by the local authorities. Facial biometrics enables immediate validation through recognition of the beneficiary’s face. The photo is updated every year, which means that the way the person’s face alters can be tracked throughout the ageing process. After the beneficiary’s death, the widow or widower entitled to the pension will in turn be able to use biometric facial recognition or revert to the paper-based process.

If you forget to validate at the beginning of the year, the UNJSPF will send a reminder in hard-copy format. Paper application forms will continue to be sent out, though the aim is to limit their use. To date, around 20,000 out of a total of 62,000 pensioners are using the app (900 out of 2,400 ILO retirees); the Pension Fund’s objective is to reach 50 per cent. Even by phone, it is important to send the update from your country of residence, as the app will geolocate the place it is sent from. The same applies if you send your proof of life by letter: it must be posted from the country where you have elected to live. The certificate can also be sent by email or from the UNJSPF’s Member Self-Service (MSS) portal. Please note that the Fund sends out several reminders if you forget or omit to send it.

Presentation of the latest developments in the Staff Health Insurance Fund (SHIF)

Florian Léger, Executive Secretary

Florian Léger began by giving some figures about the SHIF (also available on the Section’s website). These include the fact that 13,000 people are insured, $50 million is spent each year on benefits, 80 per cent of claims are submitted online and the average time taken to process a claim in 2022 was 18 days. The distribution of insured members is also interesting: 5,800 live in Europe, 3,100 in Asia-Pacific, 2,500 in Africa and 1,100 in the Americas. The SHIF’s centenary in 2022 was marked by a publication entitled One hundred years of mutual health insurance, available in paper and electronic versions.

In response both to past recurring difficulties in contacting the SHIF by phone and to the demand from insured members, a dedicated call centre has now been put in place. Since the Fund is regarded as a compulsory Swiss health insurance scheme, a certificate of membership can be obtained via SHIF Online or from the SHIF secretariat, a document that is sometimes requested by the local authorities. The SHIF membership card currently in use mentions the emergency number that can be called outside office hours, as well as the number of the call centre.

A satisfaction survey was carried out among insured members. While 62 per cent of active staff members are satisfied with the SHIF, this rate rises to over 85 per cent among retired staff. Very few retired staff are dissatisfied: less than 5 per cent, compared with almost 20 per cent of active staff. An actuarial study of the financial situation is carried out on a regular basis; this enables the Fund to make projections to ensure its long-term future, though it may require adjustments to contributions. In 2020 the SHIF saw its Guarantee Fund grow; this was likely due to the reduced use of medical procedures during the Covid-19 pandemic, but in 2021 and 2022 the Guarantee Fund decreased. Other reasons linked to the cost of medicines and changes in exchange rates may also explain these fluctuations.

To conclude his presentation, Florian Léger mentioned that the SHIF Management Committee was looking into possible amendments to benefit regulations, the introduction of telemedicine and the use of SHIF Online for complementary health insurance claims.

Participants’ questions

Following his presentation on the situation of the ILO health fund, Florian Léger answered questions from participants and recalled, among other things, that more than 1,000 out of 2,400 retirees were now using the internet (SHIF Online) to submit claims for reimbursement of medical expenses. These claims can be made using a mobile phone, and photos of invoices are accepted. He reminded participants that it is compulsory to keep the original paper invoices for five years. In this regard, a participant pointed out that originals now often only exist in electronic format. Concerning the SHIF Online site, improvements could be made, particularly with regard to the “Prescription” dropdown box heading, since in very few cases does this give rise to reimbursement as such. For those who use the SHIF as a supplementary scheme, only paper claims are accepted at present. All paper claims can continue to be submitted to the SHIF. A comment was made by a participant concerning the agreements signed with various hospitals in the region for the direct payment of hospital costs; there are difficulties with their application.

Retired staff contributions have increased over the past two years, owing to inflation rates, changes in exchange rates and the value of the dollar, as well as pension increases. Any change in the amount of pension contribution applies from December onwards; it is then fixed for one year.

Florian Léger pointed out that the call centre’s opening hours were extensive so as to respond to telephone enquiries. He also mentioned the survey ordered by the UN Joint Inspection Unit, which is currently under way; all participants in the health funds of common system organizations are invited to respond. The aim of the survey is to take a closer look at these funds and establish how satisfied users are. The last such survey was conducted in 2007.

Closing session and practical exercise

François Kientzler closed the afternoon by thanking the speakers as well as the technical staff who had made the session possible, both in person and via videoconference. He discussed the activities of the ILO Former Officials Section, and in particular the contribution needed from everyone to keep the Section going, either by serving on the Bureau – elections for which will be held at the end of the year – or by contributing articles to Message magazine.

Mr Abdoul-Wali Mahdi made himself available at the end of the session to help those who wished to install the Digital Certificate of Entitlement app straight away. A large number of participants gathered around him to ask for help installing it on their smartphones or iPads; we would like to thank him warmly for his assistance. And we encourage everyone to take advantage of this technology to validate their proof-of-life certificate.

FK, 9 June 2023


Caregivers – Documents

Category : News

We have just received a complete package for “Caregivers”:

Click on the image to download the document in PDF format

 

  


HQ renovation – ILO ‘Open Day’ on Wednesday 31st May 2023

Category : Archives

The main architectural works of the first stage of renovation of the HQ meeting rooms are almost completed, and the installation of the new audio-visual equipment is on-going. The renovated areas and conference facilities will be available and fully operational after the ILC 2023.

As of mid-June 2023, the LIBRARY, CMU, TRIBUNAL, JAAB, MEDIATOR, SOCIAL SERVICES will relocate to the new offices on R1, R2, M2 AND M3 south-west corner of the building.

You will recall from the February presentation (HQ building renovation project: Latest updates (ilo.org)) that the next stage of the renovation works will start in early July 2023, starting with the relocation of conference rooms III to XII and the Delegates’ Lounge and the addition of three conference rooms available in the temporary building.



Invitation of 25 May 2023 – Information session

Category : Archives

Dear colleagues,

As announced on our website, you are cordially invited by the Section of Former Officials of the ILO, to an Information session on May 25 from 2:00 p.m.to 5:00 p.m. (Geneva time) at ILO headquarters (R3, Room V) and by videoconference, on two topics:

  • United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF): Digital Certificate of Entitlement for ILO Retirees, presented by Mr. Aliamane Bacar Said, Chief of the Operations Support Section. Mr. Aliamane will present the Digital Certificate by video conference and will be assisted by the Section Deputy, Mr. Abdoul-Wali Mahdi, who will be present in person at the ILO, Geneva. They will guide you in this new electronic simplified process of adopting your Certificate of Entitlement.

For more information, click here: https://www.unjspf.org/for-clients/certificate-of-entitlement/

  • Update on the Staff Health Insurance Fund (SHIF): presented by Mr.Florian Léger, Executive Secretary of the SHIF. He will give information on the latest developments of the SHIF, as well as a summary of the Fund’s Report for 2022.

You will be able to participate in this event, either in person or by video conference.

If you wish to participate by videoconference, you have to register before May 22, Midnight, by contacting: anciens@ilo.org

The members of the Former Officials’ Section will receive a personalized invitation by email.

We hope to see many of you.

Bureau of the Section of Former Officials, ILO Staff Union


The Section of the former ILO Officials met the new DG !

Category : Archives

In French only

Rencontre des représentants de la Section des anciens avec le Directeur Général de l’OIT (Genève, OIT, Jeudi, 13 avril 2023)

Dans une salle baignée de lumière, il nous attendait. Sourire aux lèvres et regard bienveillant, le nouveau Directeur général, M.Gilbert Houngbo, nous a accueillis,  nous représentants des anciens, comme on accueille un ami qu’on n’a pas vu depuis longtemps.

Etait également à ses côtés pour nous accueillir, Luca Bormioli, Directeur ad interim d’HRD.

Et comme pour immortaliser l’instant des retrouvailles, nous (François Kientzler,Ivan Elsmark, Pierre Sayour et Simar Proust) voilà rassemblés autour de lui, sous l’aile du drapeau de l’OIT, souriant à l’objectif de la caméra qui capte ce moment privilégié.

Dans une attitude attentive, il nous écoute nous présenter, un à un, relatant chacun une carrière d’une vie en quelques minutes.

Nous voilà ensuite, lui présentant notre Section, qui fait partie du Syndicat du Personnel, détaillant les objectifs de la Section, ses activités, les liens qu’elle maintient avec et entre les anciens de l’OIT.

François Kientzler, secrétaire exécutif de la Section, relate les bonnes relations que nous entretenons avec divers services du BIT. Il évoque les principaux outils dont dispose la Section pour informer les retraités et communiquer avec eux. Son site web reçoit des centaines de visiteurs par mois ; son bulletin « Message », destiné à tous les retraités de l’OIT sans exception, est attendu avec impatience et intérêt.

Il évoque également la réception des retraités invités par le Directeur général, comme étant un moment très apprécié de convivialité et de renforcement de liens entre retraités et actifs au sein de l’OIT.

Notre Section a pour mission aussi de faire entendre les soucis des retraités ; ainsi François transmet au Directeur général les difficultés d’accès aux bureaux de l’OIT sur le terrain, que rencontrent les retraités requérant le soutien des collègues actifs dans le traitement des formalités administratives.

Le DG écoute attentivement et avec intérêt ces inquiétudes et promet de tout faire pour y remédier. IL pose des questions pertinentes visant à l’aider à mieux comprendre notre action et l’encourager.

Ensuite, il parla :

Du conflit géopolitique, de la réforme des Nations unies qui donne des résultats lents mais positifs, de la formation d’une coalition pour la justice sociale, et bien d’autres sujets d’importance.

Il exprime sa préoccupation de voir le progrès économique prendre le dessus sur le progrès social et montre sa détermination à œuvrer pour que le social soit, au même titre que le climat, au cœur du débat à l’échelle mondiale.

Enfin, avec la certitude que les idées et le combat de l’OIT sont entre de bonnes mains, nous lui disons au revoir et nous partons accompagnés, comme à notre arrivée, par son sourire et son regard bienveillant.

Simar Proust
Membre du Bureau de la Section des Anciens