Added: 05/10/2006 |
Social justice and labor conditions: is everyone treated equally?Social justice is a complicated term differently explained in philosophy, politics and other sciences. However, it has an aspect, common to all explanations and definitions. A society should treat equally well its members, - this is the highest standard of social justice that should be applied to all institutions, policies, rules, laws and individuals. The International Labor Organization puts the concept of social justice on the basis of development projects and programmes, aimed at defending human and labor rights.
The ILO formulates international labour standards in the form of Conventions and Recommendations, setting minimum standards of basic labor rights: a freedom of association, a right to organize, a collective bargaining, an abolition of forced labor, equality of opportunity and treatment, and other standards, regulating conditions across the entire spectrum of work related issues. The supervisory system of the application of these standards was introduced as far back as to 1926 at the International Labor Conference, but it still exists today.
The range of activities of ILO, under a general aim to promote social justice and human and labor rights, are diverse and numerous. The organization provides a technical assistance in vocational training and vocational rehabilitation; an employment policy; labor administration; labor law and industrial relations; improving working conditions; management development; cooperatives; social security; labor statistics and occupational safety and health.
Social justice programs, developed by the ILO, cover such aspects as a research and technical assistance in social protection, social security, and policy development; safety and health at work; social exclusion and poverty, and child labor. Each social justice program is designed to provide world leaders and general public with reliable data and research founds as well as preventive strategies and tools to facilitate each situation. Each program is a detailed account of what, how and why to do.
One of the projects, the Programme on Safety and Health at Work and the Environment, is a complete guide for governments to solve many problems. The programme focuses on providing
•Preventive policies and measures to protect workers in hazardous occupations and sectors;
•Effective protection to a vulnerable group of workers, such as women, children and migrants;
•Implementation of measures that will better equip governments, employers' and workers' organizations with knowledge and tools to deal with workers' well-being, health and quality of life;
•Confirmation of the workers' protection in documents and policies.
This programme is by far an important tool for solving many problems, connected with safety and health at work, set in response to a miserable current situation. Every year, more than two million people die of work-related accidents and diseases. More than one hundred and sixty million workers fall ill each year due to hard workplace conditions. Small businesses account for over ninety per cent of enterprises, where conditions are often very poor and the workers in them are deprived of all labor protection.
The other significant programmes, implemented by the ILO include Strategies and Tools against the social Exclusion and Poverty (STEP), are the Programme on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work (ILO/AIDS), and Conditions of Work and Employment Programme, which have already shown considerable changes and positive results worldwide.
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