Important ILO Conventions and Recommendations

How are they enforced?
The mechanisms used by the ILO and the international community for enforcing international labour standards.

Why are they needed?
The reasons why international labour standards are needed, the reasons for the ILO's initial establishment, and the basis for its ongoing programme of work.

How are they used?
How international labour standards have been used for the past 75 years as the benchmark -- the only universally accepted benchmark -- by which the rights and conditions of human beings at work have been measured.

Fundamental ILO Conventions

Eight ILO Conventions have been identified by the ILO's Governing Body as being fundamental to the rights of human beings at work, irrespective of levels of development of individual member States. These rights are a precondition for all the others in that they provide for the necessary implements to strive freely for the improvement of individual and collective conditions of work

Ratification of the Fundamental ILO Conventions

In May 1995, following the ILO's 75th Anniversary and the discussions in the World Summit on Social Development, a campaign for the ratification of these Conventions was launched by the Director-General of the ILO. Since then the ILO has registered over 70 ratifications and confirmations of previous obligations concerning the fundamental Conventions. In addition, many countries are currently involved in formal ratification procedures or are in the process of examining or re-examining the appropriateness of ratifying the Organization's seven Fundamental Conventions.

Priority International Labour Standards

In 1994, the Governing Body decided upon a tailoring of the ILO's supervision of ratified ILO Conventions. The designation of 4 Conventions as Priority Conventions was among the decisions taken

One of the changes to the regular system of reporting was the decision to require regular reports from governments every 5 years on most ratified Conventions, but once every other year on the Fundamental and Priority Conventions. The Priority Conventions are:

Part of the rationale for this decision was the essential importance for labour institutions and policy formulation of the subjects covered by these Conventions.

International Labour Standards according to the classified guide

The Governing Body has placed the ILO's Conventions and Recommendations into subject categories, in addition to those they have identified as Fundamental and Priority Conventions

Through the links provided below, the visitor will find a synopsis of the major international labour standards on the subjects at hand.