SOUTH-SOUTH in Action...8 “India Plays a Major Role in Promoting South-South ... Tackling...

SOUTH-SOUTHin Action

Social Protection Floor for a Fair andInclusive GlobalizationGlobal South-SouthDevelopment Expo in Rome, 2011

See Story on 1

In this Issue:2 Brazil’s Contribution to the

ILO’s South SouthCooperation Strategy

4 ILO Brings to South SouthCooperation its Mandate

4 Impact of South-SouthCooperation in CurbingForced Labour

6 Brazil and Africa South-South Cooperation

8 “India Plays a Major Role inPromoting South-SouthCooperation”

9 Experiences, Challenges,and the Way Forward with China

10 Innovations in PublicEmployment Programmes

10 Global Labour University

11 Social Protection Floor for a Fair and InclusiveGlobalization

12 Social Protection and Food Security

14 South-South Cooperationfor LDCs: The ILOExperience

16 “Developing Nations OfferCreative Solutions forTackling Hunger”

w w w . m e d i a g l o b a l . o r g

A MediaGlobal Publication

Winter 2011

2 South-South in Action

SOUTH-SOUTHin Action

Social Protection Floor for a Fair andInclusive GlobalizationGlobal South-SouthDevelopment Expo in Rome, 2011

See Story on Page 11

In this Issue:2 Brazil’s Contribution to the

ILO’s South SouthCooperation Strategy

4 ILO Brings to South SouthCooperation its Mandate

4 Impact of South-SouthCooperation in CurbingForced Labour

6 Brazil and Africa South-South Cooperation

8 “India Plays a Major Role inPromoting South-SouthCooperation”

9 Experiences, Challenges,and the Way Forward with China

10 Innovations in PublicEmployment Programmes

10 Global Labour University

11 Social Protection Floor for a Fair and InclusiveGlobalization

12 Social Protection and Food Security

14 South-South Cooperationfor LDCs: The ILOExperience

16 “Developing Nations OfferCreative Solutions forTackling Hunger”

w w w . m e d i a g l o b a l . o r g

A MediaGlobal Publication

Winter 2011

ON THE COVER...The President of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff, received on 15 December from theExecutive Director of UN Women, Michelle Bachelet, the Portuguese versionof the report ‘Social Protection Floor for a Fair and Inclusive Globalization’.The report calls for the implementation of a social protection floor in order tostimulate economic growth and increase social cohesion in light of theeconomic crisis.

Continued on next page

Brazil’s Contribution to the ILO’sSouth South Cooperation Strategy

Cooperation with Latin American and Africancountries for the Implementation of the ILO-Brazil Partnership Programme for the Promotionof South-South Cooperation.” As a follow up tothis agreement, Brazil prioritized the elaborationof cooperation programmes regardingfundamental principles and rights at work, with astrong focus on child labour, social protection,and extending social security.

In 2010, during the Fourth Annual Meeting of theILO with Brazil, new programme agreementswere signed that extended cooperation to thefields of forced labour and green jobs, theexpansion of Brazilian models of social securityto Timor Leste, as well as horizontal cooperationbetween labour unions of the Americas andAfrica. At the same meeting, a triangular (South-South-North) cooperation agreement wasfinalized between the governments of the UnitedStates, Brazil, and Haiti to combat child labour inthe construction sector.

In 2010 Brazil and the International TrainingCentre of the ILO, Turin, also embarked on anagreement concerning capacity building in thefield of humanitarian crises and natural disasters.

Brazil also showed major leadership in theestablishment of an India-Brazil-South Africa(IBSA) dialogue with the ILO and the signing ofan IBSA Declaration of Intent (2010) in the fieldof Decent Work. This was a direct consequenceof the 2010 IBSA Heads of State meeting inBrasilia that reaffirmed the Decent Work Agendaas the path to future work between the threecountries.

Finally, mention should be made of theprominent role played by the government at theSouth-South Expo of the United Nations, held atILO headquarters in November 2010.

Progress in combating child labourthrough South-South Cooperation

Angola and Mozambique

Angola and Mozambique were the two firstpartners in Brazil’s ILO South-South

Cooperation programme. Nowadays, thanks tothe joint efforts of all involved and the ILO,combating child labour has been mainstreamedinto the National Development Agendas of bothcountries.

Angola has a new constitution today,guaranteeing the rights of children, and inMozambique the Decent Work CountryProgramme mandates combating child labour asa priority. In both countries, workers’organizations have played a key role in theenhancement of social dialogue. In addition,study tours by tripartite delegations from Angolaand Mozambique (jointly funded by the UnitedStates and Brazil) have promoted a joint learningopportunity.

Working in the provinces at greater risk was apriority in Angola, where more than 1,600children benefited from child labour preventionprogrammes. In the case of Mozambique, nearly1,000 girls and boys benefited from educationalmaterials and training through the SCREAMmethodology (Supporting Child Rights throughEducation, the Arts and the Media). Teachers’unions were extremely active in both cases. Theviability of the project in both countries has beenreinforced by new financing mobilized by theILO, including the European Commission(Tackling Child Labour through Education(TACKLE) project).

TOT teachers SCREAM Activity June 2009 Luanda

By Anita Amorim, Ramiro Pizzaro and Helmut Schwarzer

South-South Cooperation has been an activeforce in the ILO since the 1970s through amodality called “technical cooperation amongdeveloping countries” (TCDC), based onsolidarity among countries of the Southsupporting each other in the attainment ofinternationally agreed development goals in aspirit of non-conditionality, equality, and sharing.The ILO has been facilitating knowledge sharingand technical advisory assistance amongcountries in the South for several decades. In1987 the ILO signed an agreement with thegovernment of Brazil to undertake technicalcooperation with other countries in LatinAmerica and Africa.

The concept evolved after 2000 into “South-South” Cooperation (SSC), which basicallyshares TCDC principles, but takes on a moregeopolitical dimension. Thus, the “explicit”involvement of the ILO with South-SouthCooperation started in 2005 with an exchange ofletters between the ILO and the government ofBrazil on support combating child labour inPortuguese-speaking countries in Africa. Sincethen the areas of cooperation have diversified andthe resources increased substantially under allstrategic pillars of the Decent Work Agenda(from a $200,000 portfolio to close to $8 millionat present).

In December 2007 and in March 2008,memoranda of understanding were signed onSouth-South Cooperation to combat child labourand to promote social protection in severalregions, but with a special focus on Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa. These memorandaoutline the need to identify needs and processtechnical cooperation requests from developingcountries, and to include commitments to providesupport for the mobilization of financialresources.

The most recent and overarching frameworkagreement was signed in June 2009, the“Complementary Agreement on Technical

Girls and boys in education at Xai Xai andMaputa.

South-South in Action 3

The ILO and the Brazilian Agency for Cooperation(ABC) have established working relations with thegovernments of Bolivia, Ecuador, and Paraguay to

develop national cooperation programmes.

Workers’ organizations have been extremelysupportive of this SSC project and an in-depthsubregional workplan created specially to combatchild labour was finalized in Angola in 2010.

Haiti

The original project of 2007 was reorganizedfollowing Haiti’s 2010 earthquake, and workers’organizations are the main ILO partners in itsimplementation. The priorities of the projectinclude child labour and the strengthening ofnational legislation regarding fundamentalprinciples and rights at work. The Trade UnionConfederation of the Americas and its nationalcounterpart in Haiti agreed to develop aprogramme of action targeting youth employmentand combating child labour in Haiti. Under thisprogramme 88 young people were trained in thefood industry and food preparation, and also inthe textile and garment production sectors.Relevant outputs included the production ofeducational materials and the promotion of amedia campaign to raise visibility. A sectoralapproach was also mainstreamed into the project.Specific training programmes for young peoplein construction are planned as a way to insertthem into the labour market and preventaccidents and occupational hazards.

The project was also the inspiration for atriangular cooperation initiative between Haiti,Brazil, and the United States in the field of childlabour and sectoral activities.

Programme of South-South Cooperationin the Americas

The ILO and the Brazilian Agency forCooperation (ABC) have established workingrelations with the governments of Bolivia,Ecuador, and Paraguay to develop nationalcooperation programmes. In addition, a series ofactivities of a regional nature made it possible todevelop synergies between countries and toincorporate the SSC modality for combatingchild labour into other MERCOSUR countries.The good practices being reviewed at this levelinclude three areas: a) the incorporation of thepublic health system as an institutional actor incombating child labour and monitoring results; b) conditional cash transfer programmes, such as“the Bolsa Família, c) strengthening labourinspection and occupational health and safety.The national programmes share a crosscuttingcomponent related to social security. Thisinnovative mechanism was recognized by theSouth-South Expo 2010 Jury and received the2010 South-South Cooperation Award forInnovation. It was presented as a solution on“Conditional Cash Transfer Programmes andLabour Inspection.”

In Paraguay, an integrated approach to theprovision of services is being developed throughthe coordination of two programmes targeted atthe most vulnerable population – “Abrazo” and“Tekopora.” These programmes focused oncombating the worst forms of child labour,including children living and working in the

streets. Another priority has been theimprovement of the operational capacity of a hotline for the victims of sexual abuse(“Fonoayuda”).

In Ecuador the project is collaborating with thereorganization of the labour inspection systemand with the training of new inspectors. Theoperational capacity of the labour inspectoratehas been increased by the purchase of threevehicles to be used exclusively for fieldmonitoring.

The project has also adapted and translated theBrazilian “Self-Learning Manual on Healthand Safety for Child and Youth Labour,”which will be important in introducing the childlabour theme in the public health system and thechild protection network of Paraguay.

In Bolivia, the priority is to strengthen the “BonoJuancito Pinto” programme which provideseducational materials to vulnerable girls andboys, extending it to a conditional cash transferscheme. The goal is to prevent the worst forms ofchild labour. This programme will constitute abuilding block for a database reporting progressin the prevention and elimination of child labour.

In Timor Leste, the project has successfullyhelped prepare a list of hazardous forms childlabour. A proposal has been written up toreformulate legislation, and a tripartite committeehas been set up to monitor its implementation. An intensive campaign has also been conductedto raise awareness of the worst forms of childlabour, largely supported by Brazilianinstitutions, including the judiciary, the media,employers’ and workers’ organizations,celebrities (former Minister of Culture and singer Gilberto Gil) and civil society.

Progress in the extension of socialprotection for all in Timor Leste

In Timor Leste, the promotion of South-SouthCooperation in the area of social security isenabling the construction of the country’s firstsocial security system. The priority defined bythe Timorese government is to design a schemeof pensions for public servants. The second stageof the project will expand coverage to the privatesector. This is being done in the context of theILO’s support to the drafting of a new LabourCode in Timor Leste, and the project is buildingon the good practices developed for tripartitenegotiations during the revision of the LabourCode. In May 2011, the Council of Ministers ofTimor Leste revised the proposals prepared under

the project, and approved the first stage of thesocial security system.

The basic principle of cooperation in the area ofsocial security is that each country must developits own solutions and expand on the lessonslearned from past experience, tailored to its own needs. One major good practice is thatemployers’ and workers’ organizations areinvolved in the discussion of all stages of theproject through a tripartite commission that meetsregularly. The local administration and thetripartite group have taken note of the proposalsby the ILO. The social security system proposedis currently awaiting approval by Congress.

The second stage of the social security system isnow being elaborated, and the experience ofvarious municipalities in Brazil is being studied.

Following a request by the Ministry of Justice ofParaguay, Brazil and the ILO are reviewing theexperience of MERCOSUR countries in the field of unemployment insurance schemes. InParaguay, the South-South cooperation project isalso compiling an inventory of social protectionpolicies that will serve as a basis to formulatestrategies for the expansion of coverage. Studytours are foreseen for an in-depth exchange ofworking modalities in the field of social security.

The programme is also supporting the process of ratification of the ILO’s Social Security(Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 (No.102) with an accompanying study on socialsecurity legislation, comparing it with theminimum standards established by C.102, andobserving the ratification processes followed byBrazil (2009), Uruguay (2010), and Argentina(2011). The diversity of experiences of countriesof the South is providing the government ofParaguay with more alternatives to design itsown solutions.

ILO-supported capacity building for civilservants in Brazil (offices of Secretaries of State,Directors, Coordinators) has been enhanced toimprove their expertise in South SouthCooperation for the promotion andimplementation of a Social Protection Floor.

South-South Cooperation initiatives in the area ofsocial security have identified good practices inBrazil that are helpful to other countries. Theseinclude the “Bolsa Família” and pensionsprogramme; the social security programme forrural workers; and educational programmes onsocial protection. This experience will betransformed into publications for the project.


ILO Brings to South SouthCooperation its Mandate

ILO Director - General Juan Somavia

Impact of South-SouthCooperation in CurbingForced LabourInterview with Mr. Renato Bignami, Deputy Secretary of Labour Inspection, Brazil, on Forced Labour and South-South Cooperation

Mr. Renato Bignami, Deputy Secretary of Labour Inspection, Brazil Continued on next page

“Developing and emerging countries are increasingly insisting on developmentsolutions tailored to their contexts. There is a strong demand for relevantknowledge and experience.

Such knowledge is all the more critical as the impact of the global economiccrisis, food and fuel price volatility, and climate related disasters compounds thetask of realizing new patterns of growth with social justice and redressing theimbalances of the global economy.

In the present scenario, experience is not homogenous. It is not surprising thatSouth-South cooperation is growing. International organizations must be able togive effective support with a clear understanding of the nature of the demand and a capacity to respond to national specificity guided by certain universalfundamentals.

The ILO brings to South South Cooperation its mandate, is knowledge andexperience in promoting opportunities for decent and productive work.Universally applicable, the Decent Work Agenda responds to national specificityin upholding the dignity of work at all levels of development. It informs a workingout of poverty approach and is central to policies for sustainable development.The ILO looks forward to deepening and expanding its engagement in SouthSouth partnerships for decent work. ”

– ILO Director - General Juan SomaviaGeneva, November 2011

ILO or other international organisations. Thisoccurs when governments contact theBrazilian government directly. For example,the Brazilian Labour Inspectorate has providedtechnical cooperation for Latin Americacountries, Lusophone African countries(PALOP), IBSA and BRICS for the past ten tofifteen years.

Could you let us know more about theinvolvement of the Secretariat of LabourInspection in South-South Cooperationactions, especially MERCOSUR?

The Brazilian Labour Inspectorate is keen toprovide future cooperation and assistance toany national inspectorate, according to ILOpriorities and decisions. Brazil has bilateralagreements that do not necessarily involve the


...the Brazilian Labour Inspectorate has providedtechnical cooperation for Latin America countries,

Lusophone African countries (PALOP), IBSA and BRICSfor the past ten to fifteen years.

Rescue of forced labourers, Pará following action of labour inspectors.(Photo by J Ripper. Copyright: ILO, 2004)

Which “good practices” from Brazilianlabour inspection would you highlight asworth “replicating” or “adapting” for otherregions?

The Brazilian Labour Inspectorate combatschild labour, forced labour, and also offersgood expertise in agricultural regions. Brazil isalso an agro business country and inspectorsare oriented towards this field to improve andtackle labour standard enforcement. Brazil alsodeals with the maritime sector in terms ofinspection of harbours, platforms, fisheries,and waterways. Brazil has been pursuing theILO’s ideal model of labour inspection thatcalls for a central authority and one commonstatus for the inspectorate.

Let us turn to other regions of the world:does Brazil have agreements with otherregions (apart for the Americas) that wouldfacilitate horizontal cooperation betweendeveloping countries?

Agreements are more related to theinternational arena. Brazil has projects withmany different countries and organizationssuch as Colombia, Peru, MERCOSUR, EastTimor and India. The MERCOSUR projecttackles child labour and the Brazilian agencyfor cooperation (ABC) has released funds forthis campaign to combat child labour and forcommon bilateral inspections with fourcountries in MERCOSUR. The project wehave started is the bilateral and bilingual(Spanish and Portuguese) campaign to combatchild labour near the borders and at inspectionzones. The ILO-IPEC team in Brazil is also

providing consultants to draw a map of childlabour instances and to draw a table tocompare legal systems. This campaign wasapproved in regional meetings held byMERCOSUR.

Recently some of the actions under yourSecretariat have identified as cases of forcedlabour in multinationals, with migrantworkers coming from South Americancountries. What are the specific actions tocombat forced labour and humantrafficking? Would any of these benefit fromhorizontal cooperation actions?

Brazil has a model to combat forced labour.We rescue workers from forced laboursituations and take administrative remedies tomake the employer responsible. Upon rescuingforced labourers, the Brazilian governmentgives workers three months of ‘paid leave’ tohelp them recover and return to the workforcein a better state. The Brazilian governmentalso offers free transfers back to their region oforigin. This model has been adapted to migrantworkers and the Palermo protocol was revisedso that the government helps some migrants to

rebuild their lives. If someone is trafficked intoBrazil, they have the right to a permanent visa.

Who do you hold accountable for thissituation?

The Brazilian government rescues theseworkers and places them in shelters, andcompanies caught with forced labourers aregiven fines to cover damages, termination ofthe workers’ employment, and for havingforced labourers. Every six months, theBrazilian Labour Minister publishes a ‘dirtylist’ of companies that are caught with theseviolations. There is an agreement among thebanking system where they do not lend tocompanies on the ‘dirty list’. This is harshpunishment for companies as someparticularly need banks’ lending support.Companies will remain on the list for twoyears and will only be removed after two yearsif all previous violations are cleared and notrepeated, and that all fines and compensationsare paid in full.

How do you see the next steps for enhancedregional and inter regional cooperation in thefield of labour inspection?

The next steps should involve triangularcooperation. There are many things toexchange among developed and developingcountries. There is a need to exchange, learnand improve. Some countries still need to learnand set labour inspection networks that reallywork, in the same way as multinationalcorporations work across borders. Labourinspections in Europe are more advance andcountries have more agreements regardingthis. Agreements are needed to push forinvestments in common labour systems and tointegrate all labour systems. Presently, somesystems work, some do not, and some haveroom for improvement. We should foster thiscooperation in our own regions but at the sametime, we are also headed in the right direction.

some countries the pandemic has killed almost an entiregeneration of workers. Approximately 11 millionchildren have become AIDS orphans.

There are 50 million African migrant workers,accounting for 30% of the world’s migrant population.By 2025 some 10% of Africa’s workforce will live andwork outside their country of origin. Conflict and warhave resulted in 6 million refugees and 22 milliondisplaced persons.

The regional urban unemployment rate is around 10.3%.In some countries youth unemployment represents 80%of that total.

The informal economy absorbs 90 to 95% of new labourmarket entrants and accounts for around 90% of thecurrent labour force. Some 70% of non-agricultural jobsare informal. These account for 84% of female and 63%of male non-agricultural employment.

Social security schemes (pensions, disability, maternity,survivors) cover around 10% of the economically activepopulation, but coverage indicators are lower for womenand young workers. Traditional contributory schemes forpublic and formal sector workers have not been able tomeet the challenge of extending coverage.

Social Protection and Social Development are at the topof Africa’s political agenda.

In September 2004, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, theHeads of State and Government of the African Unionaddressed social development, poverty alleviation andemployment creation in a coherent and integratedmanner, and launched the first declaration onemployment and poverty alleviation in Africa.

The Livingstone Conference, held in March 2006, wasyet another turning point in African governments’commitment to promoting social protection as an urgentresponse to people’s increasing vulnerability to crisis. Acall for action was adopted at the meeting, now known asthe Livingstone Call for Action on Social Protection inAfrica.

At the 11th ILO African Regional Meeting held in AddisAbaba, Ethiopia, in April 2007, representatives ofworkers and employers endorsed the African Union’semerging social protection agenda. Adopting the DecentWork Agenda in Africa, 2007-2015, they agreed on thestrategic objective of extending social protectioncoverage.

In Namibia in 2008 African social development ministersagreed on a very detailed social policy framework forAfrica, covering 18 policy areas. The Minister of SocialDevelopment and Fight against Hunger of Brazil, H.E.Patrus Ananias, was a special guest at this event, wherehe shared the experience of Brazil’s Bolsa Família andother Brazilian social inclusion programmes.

Three years after the 11th ILO African Regional meetingin Ethiopia, in October 2010, the same countries adoptedthe “Yaoundé Tripartite Declaration on theimplementation of the Social Protection Floor”reiterating the objective of extending social protectioncoverage. With a view to build a coalition to support theimplementation of social protection floors, the Africanmembers states called upon the ILO to promote south-

south cooperation tofacilitate the exchange of experiences andexpertise.

The OuagadougouDeclaration onEmployment and Poverty Alleviation calls for thedevelopment of integrated economic and social policiesand makes employment creation a central objective ofeconomic policy with a view to alleviating poverty andimproving living conditions.

The Declaration expresses the commitment to promotethe Decent Work Agenda and to support therecommendations of the Report of the ILO WorldCommission on the Social Dimension of Globalization,entitled: “A Fair Globalization: Creating Opportunitiesfor All”.

It also calls for efforts to empower poor and vulnerablegroups (women, young workers, migrant workers, peoplewith disabilities), particularly in rural communities andthe informal urban economy, by enhancing capacitiesthrough education, skills, vocational training, access tofinancial resources and markets, and ensuring equalopportunities and protection.

The Livingston Call for Action represents a rights-basedapproach. Social protection is a basic human rightestablished by the Universal Declaration of HumanRights. The guarantee of basic social protectionstrengthens the social contract between the State andcitizens, enhancing social cohesion.

It is also an economic need. Considerable evidence existsthat social transfers and services have played a key rolein reducing poverty and inequality, promoting growth,increasing human capital and supporting HIV/AIDS-affected families.

A sustainable basic package of social transfers isaffordable within the current resources of governmentsand international development partners, including asocial pension for families with vulnerable children,older persons, pregnant and nursing women and peoplewith disabilities.

Decent work provides the basis for a response to theeconomic crisis – the Global Jobs Pact, unanimouslyadopted by national representatives of governments,employers and trade unions of ILO Member States at theInternational Labour Conference in 2009. The Pact wasendorsed by the UN Economic and Social Council(ECOSOC), by Heads of State and Government of theG8 in L’Aquila, and by the G20 meeting in Pittsburgh.

The Global Jobs Pact is an urgent call to put employmentand social protection at the heart of recovery policies. Itis a portfolio of practical, operational policy options –tried and tested policies that have worked well in manycountries – not a single recipe or a one-size-fits-allsolution. These are measures that can be tailored tonational situations. The Global Jobs Pact is a productiveresponse by the actors in the real economy to theexcesses and mismanagement of the financial economythat underlies this crisis.

By Assane DiopILO Executive Director for Social Protection

Brazil and Africa share common forms of socialprotection. A cooperation agenda is hence both feasibleand necessary. The concept of decent work offers abridge between the two continents as the basis of acommon framework for social development. It is abridge over the troubled waters of the economic crisis.

Two years ago I gave a presentation in Salvador de Bahiaon possible avenues for such cooperation. In this historicplace, where Brazil meets Africa, the people, theircultures, their traditions, their religions, their economies,and their societies, can all be seen at in each corner ofthis wonderful city. South-South cooperation is anopportunity to build a new bridge between the twocontinents. Bahia was symbolically the first state toadopt a state decent work plan. Decent work should beplaced at the heart of the new partnership between Braziland Africa.

Who are the Africans? What are their social needs?

Africa’s population reached 1 billion in 2009, spreadover across 54 countries. The largest share live in sub-Saharan Africa and in rural areas, where agriculture isthe main source of income.

The region has the world’s highest fertility rate, 4.7 forAfrica as a whole; the youngest population – around41% are 0-14 years old; and the lowest life expectancy atbirth – an average of 56 years for all Africa. If it were notfor AIDS, life expectancy would be 62 years. This meansthat, on average, HIV/AIDS is taking 10 years off thelifespan of every woman and man in sub-Saharan Africa.

Poverty is still high: approximately 40% of thepopulation live on less than one US dollar a day andmore than 70% on less than two dollars. Between 1990and 2005 some progress was made towards achieving thefirst Millennium Development Goal on povertyreduction. But more than half of African countries showdeteriorating poverty trends or progress that isinsufficient to reverse the trend.

Hunger is still one of the most important problems insome countries but remarkable efforts have been made:between 1990 and 2005 the proportion of the populationthat is undernourished fell from 32% to 28%. But thefood crisis may well reverse these results.

Sub-Saharan Africa presents very high child mortalityrates – 74 deaths for every 1,000 live births – as well asthe world’s highest maternal mortality rate – 640maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2008. Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia also accounted for 87%(313,000) of global maternal deaths. Notwithstanding theprogress, only 13 developing countries are on track toachieve MDG 5 by 2015. In sub-Saharan Africa thesituation is made even worse, mainly by measles, AIDS,tuberculosis and malaria.

The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the region increasedfrom 2.1% in 1990 to 4.9% in 2009. In southern Africa20% of the population are infected with the virus. InAfrica as a whole some 30 million are infected (72% ofthe world’s cases), 18 million of them working people. In

Brazil and Africa South-SouthCooperation

ILO Executive Directorfor Social Protection -

Assane Diop



During the 2nd African Decent Work Symposium on“Building a social protection floor with the Global JobsPact”, held in Yaoundé in October 2010, the 83 Africanmembers states reiterated their support and explicitlyadopted the “Yaoundé Tripartite Declaration on theimplementation of the Social Protection Floor” in fullrecognition of the urgent need for all African memberStates and social partners to start its effective and rapidimplementation.

A priority at this time must be to act with the greatesturgency to ensure a social protection floor for those whoare struggling just to survive. The aim of extendingcoverage to as many as possible and as quickly aspossible is to prevent women and men and their familiesfrom falling into destitution, to help them overcomepoverty and move up the ladder of opportunity. The floormust be more than a safety net – a beginning not an end;an instrument to help the unprotected reach higher, not topull others down.

While the social protection floor concept has benefittedfrom increased regional and international recognition,must be nationally shaped as part of a progressivelycomprehensive social security system guaranteeing basicincome security and access to essential health care, whilerespecting rights, voice and organization. An effectivesocial protection floor underscores the importance ofpolicy coherence around goals and target groups. Socialtransfers in support of children, for example, mustconnect not only with health and education but also withemployment policies and other support for parents,including childcare services.

Experience has shown that it is feasible to implementsome basic elements of social security even in low-income countries. In times of crisis they can also serve asforms of responses and can act as stabilizingmechanisms. Oportunidades in Mexico, Bolsa Famíliain Brazil, and the Child Support, Old Age, and DisabilityGrant system as well as the Expanded Public WorksProgramme in South Africa are examples of initiatives toprovide protection in different circumstances. Inparticular, the EPWP involves job creation in earlychildhood development and home- and community-based care for people with AIDS, tuberculosis andmalaria. This approach combines social transfers withemployment opportunities and capacity building forindividuals.

Experiences from Brazil

Bolsa Família is the largest conditional cash transferprogramme in the world. By the end of 2008 it hadreached around 11.3 million families, 46 million people,corresponding to a quarter of Brazil's population at anannual cost of US$ 4.5 billion (0.4 per cent of the GDP).

Launched in 2003, the programme provides incomesupport to poor families, subject to their fulfilling certainhuman development requirements, such as child schoolattendance including participation in supplementarysocio-educational activities, vaccinations, nutritionalmonitoring, prenatal and postnatal testing and healthcare. Since its creation coverage has expanded rapidly.The number of beneficiaries tripled in four years, risingfrom 3.6 million in 2003 to 11.1 million in 2006,reaching around 75 per cent of the estimated number ofpoor families.

The Government recently announced a further extensionof the programme as one of the core measures of its anti-crisis package. This counter-cyclical initiative isexpected to include 1.3 million additional families and tohelp mitigate the impact of the crisis among the mostvulnerable and to stimulate consumption. Since low-income families have a high propensity to consume, this

measure can help boost demand for food and basicconsumer goods produced mostly locally.

Bolsa Família has contributed strongly to theimprovement of income distribution and to povertyreduction in Brazil. Until the late 1990s the countryremained persistently in the group of five countries withthe world's most unequal distributions of income, havinga Gini coefficient close to 0.6. Since 2001, this indicatorhas declined steadily, reaching the level of 0.55 in 2007,which is the lowest rate in the country's recent history. 1

The country was able, moreover, to celebrate theachievement of the millennium development goal onpoverty reduction ten years before the 2015 UNdeadline. Compared to 1990, the number of people livingon one US$ a day was more than halved, declining from8.8 per cent in 1990 to 4.2 per cent in 2005.

Given its multidimensional and integrated approach, theBrazilian experience in relation to its cash transferprogramme can be seen as a strong reflection of anational Decent Work Agenda.

I offer the following suggestions for areas forcooperation between Brazil and Africa. The keywordshere are protecting and empowering.

As we have seen, the implementation of a socialprotection floor is a fundamental aspiration and toppriority on the African agenda. Brazil’s experience of theextension of social protection through cash transfers canbe an inspiration and an encouragement. The Brazilianexample shows it is possible to carry out a massive andrapid social inclusion process at relatively low cost.Brazil has proved that the Millennium DevelopmentGoals can be achieved at an affordable cost if there ispolitical will and the right priorities. This is a clear pathfor cooperation. We do not propose to replicate thisexperience in African countries, but rather to adapt it toAfrican needs and constraints.

The establishment of a social protection floor should bestrictly linked to employment promotion. Since 70% ofthe African population lives in rural areas, whereagriculture is the main source of income for 90% of thepopulation, most efforts to promote employmentpromotion will be done in the agriculture sector and ruralemployment. Work there is generally heavy, workinghours can be very long, workers are often exposed todifficult climatic conditions, and many are exposed tohazardous chemicals, especially pesticides. Theseproblems are compounded by poverty: living conditionsare often extremely poor, and many have limited accessto clean water, fuel and power, adequate shelter andnutrition. Literacy is often low. The organization ofworkers is minimal.

The social protection floor is also a core issue in theDecent Work Agenda, and the ILO has developed a set oftools and facilities to support countries in itsimplementation. As stated above, we believe the decentwork framework can be a bridge for cooperation.

In 2009 the first South-South triangular cooperationproject on the extension of social protection coveragewas signed between the ILO and the Government ofBrazil. This is a joint commitment by the ILO and Brazilto put decent work at the heart of South-Southcooperation on social protection. The project will supportcountries in Africa, Asia and Latin America in designingcash transfer programmes as part of a general strategy toset up a social protection floor.

The ILO has also developed programmes such as WorkImprovement in Small Enterprises (WISE), aimed atassisting small and medium-sized enterprises inimproving working conditions and productivity using

simple, effective and affordable techniques that providedirect benefits to owners and workers. For agriculturalworkers there is a specific training package called WorkImprovement in Neighbourhood Development (WIND),which promotes practical improvements in agriculturalhouseholds through the initiatives of village families.The methodology of the programme lies in improvingboth working and living conditions as interrelatedaspects of rural life, ensuring the equal involvement ofvillage women and men in planning and implementingimprovements, and it has close links with communitydevelopment and the empowerment of agriculturalworkers and farmers.

These are just some examples of the tools available inthe ILO’s technical cooperation portfolio to boost South-South cooperation. Many others are also at your disposal.Further information can be found on the ILO website2

and the Office will be pleased to provide any additionalinformation needed.

Brazil has demonstrated that it is possible at reasonablecost to implement policies that make a real difference topeople's lives. Africa is committed to change and to theextension of social protection. The ILO is ready to bepart of this winning approach through South-Southtriangular cooperation.

Recent events and developments have demonstrated thetimeliness and relevance of the messages and intentionsrevealed in this presentation given two years ago.

Last year, the International Labour Conference – thegovernments, employers and workers of the ILO’s 183member States -, came out with strong conclusionsregarding the extension of social security to all throughnationally defined social protection floors withinprogressively comprehensive social security systems. InJune next year, the International Labour Conference willdiscuss a possible Recommendation, which wouldprovide helpful guidance to countries in building theirsocial protection floors.

The social protection floor further benefitted fromsubstantial support throughout the French presidency ofthe G20. The G-20 meeting of labour-employmentMinisters in held in Paris in September 2011 welcomedthe conclusion of the 100th ILC and endorsed the SPFconcept explicitly.

At the Summit in Cannes, G20 Leaders recognized theimportance of investing in social protection andprogressively implement nationally-designed socialprotection floors.

Another key landmark has been the launch of the‘Bachelet report’ of the SPF Advisory Group end of2011, to further enhance global advocacy and provideguidance on the conceptual and policy aspects of theSPF.

At the national level, the pace of events has contributedto the efforts of various countries, including severalAfrican countries, to extend social security coverage andestablish or reinforce their social protection floors. Bytapping into the wealth of experience available innumerous countries in the South, this window ofopportunity can be further catalyzed into concrete actionsto mainstream decent work for all women and men.

1All figures here are from FTKMC, Markets in Motion: SocialEngineering in Brazil, Vol 1, No. 31, October 18, 2010:http://www.ftkmc.com/newsletter/Vol1-31-oct18-2010.pdf

2 http://www.ilo.org

(adapted from a presentation to Brazil’s and Africa’s Economic andSocial Development Councils, Bahia, 2009)


“India Plays a Major Role in Promoting South-SouthCooperation”100th Session of the International Labour Conference

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and South African President Jacob Zuma at the IBSA DialogueSummit, Brasilia, Brazil, 15 April 2010. During the 2010 South-South Expo, IBSA (India, Brazil and South Africa) signed an agreement to promote the DecentWork Agenda through the ILO. (Photo: Elmond Jiyane)

Continued on page 15

India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA)

Mr. Mallikarjun Kharge(Minister of Labour andEmployment, India)highlighted the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA)forum that had forged astrong bond on commonideas, and the ILO concept

of Decent Work was key to achieving the commongoal. India, through the IBSA forum and alsodirectly, could provide institutional support in theareas of labour inspection, the right to education,mine safety, HIV/AIDS, and skills development.

The government of India had launched a ‘safety inthe workplace’ policy, and a national policy onHIV/AIDS and the world of work which wasbased on a policy of non-discrimination. Herecalled the Mahatma Gandhi NationalEmployment Act, which guaranteed 100 days ofwork to rural workers, the Right to Education forchildren aged 6 to 14, together with a system ofmid-day meals, a health insurance scheme whichcatered to below-the-poverty-line workers, and anational child labour policy scheme to provideeducation for child labourers rescued fromhazardous labour.

By Natasha Fernando

On 14 June 2011, the ILOhosted a panel on South-South Cooperation, ‘A New Path for SocialDevelopment?’ during theInternational LabourConference. Ms. MariaAngelica Ducci (Executive

Director, Office of the Director General, ILO)welcomed everyone to the event. She saidsolidarity was the key to SSC, and the ILO waskeen to play its full role in this and facilitate globalknowledge for local solutions.


Experiences, Challenges, and the WayForward with ChinaRole of UNDP Special Unit for South-South Cooperation Lauded

Great Wall of China

China is dedicated to South-SouthCooperation as evidenced by thefact that China is the biggest donorof the United Nations Fund for SouthSouth Cooperation with $6 million.

China is now the second largest economy in theworld, having overtaken Japan in 2010. In 2009,China recorded a GDP of $4.99 trillion and apopulation of around 1.3 billion. (Source: WorldBank) China has weathered the global financialcrisis remarkably well. Effective and timelygovernment stimulus measures resulted in astronger recovery than expected. (Source: ADB)

In the midst of this strong recovery, China hasacted in favour of developing countries. Statisticscompiled by the Financial Times newspapershowed that in 2009 and 2010, the ChinaDevelopment Bank and China Export-ImportBank agreed on a total of $110 billion in loans togovernments and companies in developingcountries. This demonstrates China’s continuedstrong solidarity with other countries, and its intentto enrich South-South Cooperation. It is becauseof this that the ILO sees China as having animportant role to play in the achievement ofinternational development goals including onlabour issues and in contributing to social justiceon a global scale.

China is dedicated to South-South Cooperation asevidenced by the fact that China is the biggestdonor of the United Nations Fund for South SouthCooperation with $6 million. This brings theUNFSSC total to $13 million. China already hasestablished strong leadership in South-SouthCooperation thanks to the work of Yiping Zhou,Director, Special Unit for South-SouthCooperation in UNDP who spoke at the openingof the 2010 Global South-South DevelopmentEXPO at ILO Headquarters Special Unit forSouth-South Cooperation. Furthermore, during theShanghai EXPO 2010 ‘Better Cities, Better life’,there was a panel presentation on Social Protectionattended also by the South South Unit.

At a side event on South-South Cooperation at the2011 International Labour Conference, HisExcellency He Yafei, Ambassador of China,shared China’s experience in South-SouthCooperation and an expression of political andfinancial commitment to support ILO South-SouthCooperation at the ILC Side Event on 14 June2011. Mr He Yafei described some of China’sinvolvement in promoting decent work and heannounced that China would donate $1 million tothe ILO in support of technical cooperation in thefield of employment.

Thus far, China has given generous assistance inthe form of investment, health programmes, nointerest loans, dispatching experts and medical

teams, and human resource training. The ILO andthe Chinese government have been negotiating apublication with current and future best practicesof China in the field of South-South Cooperation

under areas of skills development, socialprotection, green jobs, employment intensiveinvestment, and wages.


Global Labour UniversityA good example of workers organisations’ engagement in Triangular Cooperation

programmes as well as research workshops andconferences on each of the four campuses, andregularly publishes the research produced by GLUstudents, alumni and network members.

Building the research and knowledge capacity of tradeunions in the South.

The GLU is the only network worldwide that offers aglobal cooperation between trade unions and academicinstitutions with a strong focus on South-Southcooperation. Over the past five years it has strengthenedthe voice of the South in global debates, and many of itsalumni have taken up new responsibilities and

leadership functions intheir organisations.The network createsnew channels for tradeunionists and researchers from the South, bringing aconfident southern voice to a global labour discourse.

Trade unions are a vital proponent of social justice inmany countries and a key element of civil society. Asglobal production and manufacturing capacity moves tothe South, workers in the Global South are increasingtheir organizing to meet the challenge of globalization

By Claire Hobden, ILO, Bureau for Workers’ Activities

The Global Labour University (GLU) is an effort attriangular cooperation designed to build the knowledgeand research capacity of trade unionists from around theworld, with a particular emphasis on South-Southexchange. Funded primarily by the Germangovernment, the GLU represents a network ofuniversities and social partners in Brazil, India, SouthAfrica and Germany working in cooperation to providetrade unionists with opportunities at advancededucation. The GLU currently offers Masters’

Claire Hobden, ILO,Bureau for Workers’Activities

Innovations in Public EmploymentProgrammes –A south-south learning experience bridging employment and social protection

Traditional Affairs (COGTA) of South Africa, the ILO,encouraged CWP decision makers and practitioners tolook at different innovative labour-based approaches inSouth Africa and in other countries, including the IndianMahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment GuaranteeScheme where the keynote speaker was from, and alsolearning from the experiences of the South AfricanExpanded Public Works Programme and the EthiopianProductive Safety Net Programme.

The South African Community Works Programme offersa minimum level (2 days per week) of regular andpredictable work opportunities for those who need it,targeting areas of high unemployment, where sustainablealternatives are likely to remain limited due to inherentstructural problems in the South African economy. Itaimed to supplement existing livelihood strategieswithout disrupting or displacing them. The CWP scaledup significantly between April 2010 to March 2011 witha total number of 89,689 work opportunities created in 56

sites spread throughout all the nineprovinces across 45 Municipalitiesand covering 417 wards. Shortlyafter the IPEP workshop inMpumalanga, the South AfricaCabinet endorsed the proposal toscale up the CWP to up to a million

participants by 2014,and is part of their 12point implementationplan on job creation aspart of the NewGrowth Path. Giventhe centrality ofinfrastructuredevelopment and jobcreation in dealing

with poverty and inequality, their Cabinet resolved toelevate the management of these two priorities to thePresidency by establishing an Infrastructure Commissionto be chaired by the President and a Job CreationCommission to be chaired by the Deputy President.

In response to the growing demand for knowledgedevelopment and to contribute to the wide range ofpolicy choices on public employment creation – whetheras part of a recovery package, employment policy or as acomponent of a wider social protection scheme – theEIIP has worked closely with national and internationalexperts to document the innovations and to facilitate thedissemination and to learn from these good practices.

Thirty years of experience in over seventy countries, linkingemployment with infrastructure development, theEmployment Intensive Investment Programme has beenendowed with a unique and vast portfolio of experienceswith productive employment creation for economicdevelopment and social safety nets, allowing for south-southexchanges and facilitating further south-south encounters.

1 http://www.ilo.org/emppolicy/pubs/WCMS_158483/lang--en/index.htm

2 http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/press-and-media-centre/insight/WCMS_160220/lang--en/index.htmhttp://www.ftkmc.com/newsletter/Vol1-31-oct18-2010.pdf

The CWP course was based on the international course on“Innovations in Public Employment Programmes”, developed andrun by the Employment-Intensive Investment Programme of the ILO(EIIP) in collaboration with the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization (ITC-ILO). The nextinternational open course is planned 1-12 October (1-5 Octoberdistance learning / 8 – 12 October in ITC-Turin, Italy). For furtherinformation, please contact [email protected].

More information: http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/press-and-media-centre/insight/WCMS_160220/lang--en/index.htm

http://7thspace.com/headlines/390510/south_africa_statement_on_the_cabinet_lekgotla_26___28_july_2011_pretoria.html

By Mito Tsukamoto, Senior Specialist of the Employment Intensive Investment Programme, International Labour Office

The important and effective role that the state can play ingenerating productive employment has been extensivelydebated and in a way has become more widely acceptedfollowing the financial crisis. In many international forathe need for sharing and documenting these globalexperiences – what has worked and why – has beenstressed. The International Labour Organization (ILO), aswith other institutions, has been contributing to theassessments of various public policy and fiscal spaceinterventions worldwide.

The ILO, through its Employment Intensive InvestmentProgramme (EIIP) has highlighted many of theinnovative approaches in public employmentprogrammes around the world through its policy paper,“Towards a Right to Work - Innovationsin Public Employment Programmes(IPEP)1” and an international south-southlearning package. IPEP highlights therange of options from public worksprogrammes to employment guarantees,and provides policy insights and practicaldesign tools to inform decision making atpolicy and programme level.

Since 2009, several workshops werehosted at the International Training Centre of the ILOin Turin, Italy. Last year, a seven-day IPEP workshop2

was also organized for key government officials andimplementing agents of the South AfricanCommunity Works Programme (CWP) inMpumalanga, South Africa 17-23 July 2011. Invitedby the Department of Cooperative Governance &

Continued on page 15


Social Protection Floor for a Fair andInclusive Globalization

n 1.4 billion people living inextreme poverty on less than $1.25 per day.

n 925 million people suffer fromchronic hunger.

n 884 million people lack access tosafe drinking water, while 2.6billion lack access to sanitation.

n 796 million adults are illiterate.

n About 75 percent of the world’spopulation still has no adequatesocial security coverage.

A woman in India harvesting on her farmland. (ILO Photo)

social protection, while only just above 15 percentof the unemployed worldwide receive some formof unemployment benefits.

During the ceremony, Executive Director of theILO, María Angélica Ducci, and the Minister ofSocial Development of Brazil, Tereza Campelo,signed a protocol of intent to cooperate in the areasof social protection, poverty eradication andproductive inclusion for decent work.

In her speech at the Presidential Palace, Mrs.Bachelet highlighted some points of the report:

Social protection – and, in particular, the conceptof social protection floor – is increasingly regardedas a fundamental tool for development in variousinternational fora, as happened recently at the G20Summit in Cannes and on the MillenniumDevelopment Goals, held in New York inSeptember.

The UN has designated the social protection flooras one of its nine initiatives in response to thecrisis. Led by the ILO and the World HealthOrganization, it aims to promote a set of basicrights and social transfers, as well as essentialservices in the areas of employment, health, waterand sanitation, nutrition, education and familysupport, to protect and empower the poorest andmost vulnerable so they can escape poverty.

The President of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff, receivedon 15 December from the Executive Director ofUN Women, Michelle Bachelet, the Portugueseversion of the report “Social Protection Floor for a Fair and Inclusive Globalization”. The reportcalls for the implementation of a social protectionfloor in order to stimulate economic growth andincrease social cohesion in light of the economiccrisis.

“Today, we are undergoing very difficult time inthe international arena. The economic situation indeveloped countries is very dramatic and, to acertain point, detrimental to their populations. We are concerned that the process of adjustmentdoes not represent a reduction or loss of rights andguarantees”, said President Rousseff, citing thehigh unemployment rates recorded by thesecountries, particularly among young people.

“Today, we are seeing unemployment levels that lead to dramatic loss of quality of life;governments need to break the growingdissonance between the voice of the streets and the voice of the markets,” President Dilma saidduring a ceremony at the Presidential Palace, seatof the Brazilian government. “We know fromexperience, developed since 2003 in Brazil, thatinvesting in social protection is an extremelyeffective way to fight poverty, to reduceinequalities, to improve living standards, and to foster social cohesion and stability”.

The concept of a social protection floor adopted by the United Nations and the G20 represents anintegrated and coordinated policy of incometransfer combined with access to basic essentialhealth services, education, sanitation, nutrition,employment, housing among others. The ILO, incooperation with other UN agencies, is workingwith the goal of eradicating extreme povertyworldwide through programs that combinetransfers of resources, access to basic services andproductive inclusion in the form of social floors –the program Brazil without Poverty constitutes anexample of such a policy.

Mrs. Bachelet, the former President of Chile alsoheads the Advisory Group on Social ProtectionFloor, which prepared the report, published by theILO. “During the preparation of this report, wehad the opportunity to demonstrate how socialprotection policies have avoided the worst of theeconomic crisis, especially among the mostvulnerable, supported demand and boostedeconomic recovery in Brazil and several otheremerging countries,” said Mrs. Bachelet said.

The report notes that of the 7 billion peopleworldwide, 5.1 billion lack access to adequate


Sammy Nyambari,Labour Commissionerfrom Kenya stated thatSouth-South cooperationshould be done in anintegrated and holisticapproach in which socialpartners and differentministries and otherstakeholders worktogether to foster

efficiency and effectiveness in labour markets. He mentioned that the food and nutrition policy inKenya was partly initiated by the Brazilian Foodand Nutrition Security Programme through South-South cooperation. Adequate nourishment is abasic human right, however only 13% of thepopulation has some form of social protection.Therefore, there is a need to cover the rest of thepopulation, especially the vulnerable people.Another overarching policy and strategy whichwas developed by the government was madepossible through the triangular SSC and funded by DFID.

The Brazilian experience is based on three pillarsthat include social security, social health insuranceand social assistance. A central lesson learnedfrom Brazil is that the labour dimension is anindispensable part of food security policies. The Kenyan government has adopted a multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary process for theestablishment of a policy and strategy forprotection. It’s in the process of implementing asingle management and registry system and anintegrated policy for social protection. Successfulsocial protection initiatives includedecentralization of social protection programmes,intensive and comprehensive training of civilservants, strategic investment in social protectionprogrammes and most importantly leadershipskills. All this must be anchored on political will.

In the East African region, the EAC Protocol onthe free movement of goods and labour looks atlabour markets especially social security and hasinfluenced practices in the five east Africancountries (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda) and consolidated the horizontal

By Mami Yamada, Anita Amorim and Elvis Beytullayev report on the Solution ForumSeminar in Rome held on 6 December this year

Alette van Leur, the Director of the ILO sectoralactivities department started the forum byintroducing the panelists and regretting theabsence of the union coordinator from Cambodia(who despite having valid visa and invitationletters from ILO was denied entrance in Italy). She mentioned this as an example of the concretechallenges of South-South cooperation networkingat the international level. She began the session byrecalling target 1B of MDG 1 (eradicating extremepoverty and hunger) and highlighted the linkagebetween food security and decent work.Furthermore, she said that social protection is atthe heart of the ILO. If people can effectivelysustain themselves, hunger can be reduced. Ms van Leur mentioned the programme “Decentwork for food security” which targets decent workchallenges in sectors of the entire food valuechain, including agriculture, food processing,storage, transport, roads, catering services andcommerce.

Social Protection and Food Security

The ILO Solution Exchange Forum on social protection, decent work and food security took place on December 6, 2011 during the Global South-SouthDevelopment Expo at the FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy. Forum panellists included Alette van Leur, Director of the ILO Sectoral Activities Department;Sammy Nyambari, Labour Commissioner of Kenya; Renato Bignami, Deputy Labour Inspector of Brazil; Vicenta Trotman, representing an indigenouscommunity in Panama; Mr. Guiherme Delgado, IPEC Researcher from Brazil; and, Anita Amorim from the ILO, on behalf of Say Sam On (Coordinator,Cambodian Trade Unions).

Sammy Nyambari

Continued on next page


indigenous communities. This was a goodexample of an UN-ILO Triangular cooperationinitiative, supported by the MDG Fund on waterand sanitation. She mentioned this could bereplicated in Paraguay, where she addressed theGuaraní Communites from the Chaco region,encouraging gender empowerment and access ofwomen to productive resources. The goal is tostrengthen equity and overcome the gaps (safewater and sanitation, empowerment the localpopulation). Strategies are adapted to the politicalsocial and economic conditions and the approachis one of mutual sharing of knowledge,establishment of focal points and goodmanagement. One aspect is ownership, greater participation of thecommunity, knowledge sharing and awareness.

There was a drastic reduction in poverty becauseof to access to water, participation of women,investment at the local level, and training ofcommunity guards to strengthen the work of thelocal community. Also there was an increase inthe number of organized communities, 350entrepreneurs were involved and there wasexchange of knowledge between thecommunities through the network. For examplethe experience was shared with ethnic grous from Paraguay's Chaco's region because of theimportance of horizontal approaches to managingwater and sanitation.

Anita Amorim, ILO’sUN and SSC teammanager in thePartnerships department,presented on behalf of Say Sam On(Coordinator ofCambodia trade unions)the involvement of tradeunion in Cambodiacombating child labour

in fishing, which could be replicated throughSSC. ILO has implemented a variety of policyframeworks at the national level that will impactchild labour such as the Cambodian MillenniumDevelopment Goals and the National Plan ofAction on the Elimination of the Worst Forms ofChild Labour. Various stakeholder groups werespecifically targeted to participate in capacitybuilding efforts and various agencies haveimplanted various parts of the programme. Forinstance, the Provincial Department of Planningidentified target children through individualhousehold interviews. Employers’ Associationscollaborates with the community to removehazardous working conditions for children abovethe minimum working age. Trade unions havebeen established and sensitized, established codesof conduct and disseminated informationresources to all members. The aim here is toachieve child labor free provinces. Trade unionswill continue to monitor the activities in theregion and share their lessons learned throughregional trade union meetings to encourageSouth-South cooperation. Another similar

opportunity is twinning the “child labour freeprovinces” with different countries of the GlobalSouth. As one of the objectives of the project,supported by the unions, is creating a childlabour free zone.

Guiherme Delgado, who has worked for theInstitute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA)in Brazil for 30 years, discussed the Social RuralPension system of 1988, a successful Brazilianexperience illustrating the virtuous connectionbetween social security and food security basedon important and empirically verifiableoutcomes. The experience is particularly relevantfor other countries in the South facing thechallenge of extending coverage to a large ruralpopulation including non-wage labour relationssuch as small farmers working in their familybusiness, while also providing additionalprotection to women. The Social Rural Pensionsystem is a semi-contributory subsidized systemthat can be understood as a social rightsafeguarded by constitutional arrangements. It is the main income distribution initiative inBrazilian social policy covering 95 per cent ofthe rural economically active population and itcosts about 1 per cent of GDP. The systempositively affects the purchase power of thetargeted population and it plays a role in fosteringthe production of food, thus combatingnutritional risks and food insecurity.

The last part of the panelincluded the launch ofthe “FAO-ILO Goodpractices guide forAddressing Child Labourin Fisheries andAquaculture: Policy andPractice”.

Alette van Leur saidthat even though the

child labour Conventions (182 and 138) areamong the best ratified conventions of the ILO,many children are still working in the fishingsector. Coherence is necessary at the nationallevel especially the ministries of the variouscountries. They need to eliminate child labor thatstill continues in the various sectors of theeconomy. ILO together with FAO is workingtogether to bring experts to share experiences andcomplete the document so that it can beimplemented.

Rolf Willmann, FAO, said that child labour is high where migration is widespread. Theconsequences are a vicious cycle of poverty, actas a substitute for adult labour and reduce labourcosts. The FAO-ILO good practice guidance foraddressing this problem is bringing togethervarious ministries dealing with children such aslabour and education. The next step is a nationalworkshop in Cambodia in 2012 and in Malawi.

exchanges. A bilateral agreement between Kenyaand South Sudan has led to capacity developmentof personnel in the public sector. There are a fewdimensions: 1) Public servants of South Sudan aretrained in Kenya; 2) Public servants and expertsfrom Kenya have been going to South Sudan tosupport them with training; 3) the Kenyangovernment, in a partnership with the ILO and theWorld Bank, have support the reconstruction ofthe South Sudan labour administration system.

The development of a labour migration policy,inspired from the Philippines, led to bilateralagreements with middle eastern countries whichhave established bench marks and standards. Thiscan be used to address labour migration issues in a holistic and integrated manner so as to protectand regularize vulnerable migrants as well asharmonize diaspora remittances which are a majorboost to the Kenyan economy. Realization is thatSouth-South as well as Triangular cooperationadds more value to labour markets when premisedon an integrated approach.

Renato Bignami, deputylabour inspector ofBrazil, shared theWorkers FeedingProgram (PAT) whoseobjective is to improveworkers nutritionalconditions with positiverepercussions to theirlives. Developed by theMinistry of Labour’s

Safety Health at the Work Department, it isvoluntary and targets workers with low income.Accountability is provided by the PATCommission which is composed of governmentworkers and employers. It proposes regulationimprovement and revises regulation, improvesnutritional patterns, registering firms providingfood. The programme costs less, is easilyaccessible and controlled by the labourinspectorate, generates opportunities, fosterssocial dialogue because it is based on tripartiteconsultations. Advantages to the employerinclude a discount of up to 4% in the RevenueTax, including the productive effects, such aslesser absenteeism, less accidents at work andreduction in occupational diseases. He alsohighlighted that this model had some South-South cooperation potential, especially inMERCOSUR countries. He concluded that in thecontext of this programme “food security meansdecent work”.

Vicenta Trotman, anindigenous Ngäbe-Bouglé leader from anindigenous communityin Panama shared theexperience of theEmployment IntensiveInvestment Programme(EIIP) which wasimplemented in 9Vicenta Troutman

Alette van Leur

Renata Bignami

Anita Amorim


Jurgen Schwettmann, Director of Partnerships and Development Cooperation Department (extremeright) seen with former UN secretary-General Kofi Annan (second from left).

South-South Cooperation for LDCs The ILO ExperienceInterview with Mr. Jürgen Schwettmann, Director of PARDEV

on Sustainable Development. This conference has theintent to secure renewed political commitments forsustainable development, assess progress thus far, andaddress the remaining gaps and challenges.

In the field of Social Protection, it is worth mentioningthe implementation of gender sensitive social protectionfloors by means of South-South cooperation. Countriesfrom the South (Brazil, Mexico, India, South Korea,Chile, Uruguay, Argentina, Thailand) that have acquiredexpertise in a particular area, cooperate with LDCS(Burkina Faso, Benin, Togo, Zambia, Cambodia, LaoPDR) that are currently seeking assistance.

In the area of Social Dialogue, the ILO is partneringwith national and international trade unions anduniversities, to strengthen the intellectual and strategiccapacity of workers organisations through an academicinstitution called the Global Labour University (GLU).The GLU offers tailor-made Master’s programmes andshort-term postgraduate courses on labour andglobalization for trade unionists at partner universities inBrazil, Germany, India, and South Africa. The objectiveis to help trade unions build their competence, expertiseand capacity in the field of economic and social policy.The programmes are open to trade unionists of anynationality provided they meet the formal requirementsfor a postgraduate university programme and havesupport from their trade union. Many trade unions fromLDCs send students to those campuses.

In the domain of Labour Standards, the ILO haspartnered with Brazil to support the efforts ofPortuguese-Speaking countries in Africa – most of which are LDCs – to eliminate child labour. The ILO worked closely with Trade Unions from thesecountries on raising the awareness of teachers through aproject called SCREAM (Supporting Children’s Rightsthrough Education, the Arts and the Media). Tradeunions from these countries agreed to continue theimplementation of the SCREAM “Training of Trainers”module in schools in their respective countries.

What is the added-value of the ILO for SSC and whatcan the ILO bring to the table for LDCs?

The specific value-added of countries from the GlobalSouth is their intimate knowledge and familiarity of theliving and working conditions in situation in theinformal and rural economy – which until todaydominate the economies of the majority of developingcountries. The ILO, with its long experience in technicalcooperation can contribute its expertise and facilitatecooperation. However, successful SSC lies in thepolitical will of countries to take a look at good practicesand adapt them to their specific context.

How does the ILO formally engage with a country inSouth-South Cooperation?

We begin with informal discussions with interestedcountries which may then lead to the signing of aMemorandum of Understanding; that is, a kind ofumbrella agreement under which we can later developprogrammes and areas of collaboration, as well asdesign and implement specific projects. It is quiteinteresting to see that some countries that used to benefitfrom traditional forms of development cooperation arenow sharing their experiences and technical knowledgewith other countries of the South. One good example isBrazil, which is now sharing its experiences withcountries such as Paraguay, Bolivia, Ecuador, Haiti,Mozambique, Angola, Tanzania, Cape Verde and TimorLeste. Brazil is, in fact, the first ILO constituent from theSouth to formalize its development cooperation undermany agreements - the first of which dates back to 1987.

Is the ILO participating in any events related to South-South Cooperation in the near future?

In fact, yes! The ILO will be represented at theupcoming 2011 Global South-South Expo in Rome.This event will be from 5-9 December at the FAOheadquarters. The ILO will be offering solutions onsocial protection and food security with the angle ofSouth-South Cooperation.

The International Labour Organization (ILO)actively participated in the roundtable on“Building Productive Capacities of Least DevelopedCountries through South-South, Triangular andPublic-Private Partnerships” during the Fourth UNConference on the Least Developed Countries(LDC-IV), in Istanbul, Turkey in May 2011.

South-South in Action interviews Mr. JürgenSchwettmann, Director of Partnerships andDevelopment Cooperation Department, on keyfeatures of South-South Cooperation in the ILO.

The ILO was represented at a South-SouthCooperation event during the LDC-IV. How can theSSC modality help LDCs to reduce poverty?

Jürgen Schwettmann: Let me begin by stating that theILO has always been an advocate of the cause of theLeast Developed Countries, because we firmly believethat universal, lasting peace can only be established if itis based on social justice. The LDCs have much to offerin international cooperation. While a certain countrymay need support in one area, it may also have goodpractices to share in another. Each LDC can be a“solution-provider” and a “solution-seeker” at the sametime. The LDCs may need support in their efforts toidentify and assess their good practices as well as theircapacity gaps. The UN agencies are helping in thismapping exercise, in matching and exchangingsuccessful experiences, and in seeking partners to helpkick-off South-South and Triangular Cooperation.

Could you give us an example of South-SouthCooperation involving LDCs in each of the ILO mainsectors of activity?

Yes! In the field of Green Jobs, an agreement has beensigned with the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) fund.In 2010, there was a Partnership Programme agreementbetween ILO and Brazil for the promotion of South-South Cooperation on Forced Labour and Green Jobs.The direct relation between the workplace and theenvironment is the essence of green jobs which isdefined as work that contributes to the preservation orrestoration of environmental quality while meetinglabour demands, adequate remuneration, safe conditionsat work and respect to workers’ rights. In its efforts tointegrate green jobs into decent work dimensions, theILO’s Green Jobs department has grown rapidly and performs activities in tencountries, including Brazil. In an agreement betweenGreen Jobs and Latin America and Caribbean (LAC),the development objective is to stimulate the creation ofdecent work and green jobs in the forestry sector ofLatin America and Caribbean (LAC) countries involvedin this Cooperation, providing a socially just transition to an economy of low carbon emissions, both regionallyand globally. This is very relevant in this time of climatechange issues. Furthermore, it is relevant in light of theupcoming Rio +20 meeting which is the UN Conference


Mr. Carlos Lupi (Minister of Labour, Brazil)emphasized that setting up the IBSA Forum in theILO was of fundamental importance to takesocieties forward on a more equal footing. TheIBSA common commitment was strengthened in2010, when the three Heads of State had reiteratedtheir total support for the Global Jobs Pact. Healso said that now a proposal in the area of DecentWork and SSC was being evaluated by IBSA, andhe believed that this would be approved soon bythe IBSA fund, based in New York. The Minister said that the IBSA fund is not only a financialmechanism for developing countries, but aboveall, an instrument for promoting the dignity ofpeople in need and of a new model of internationalcooperation, based in solidarity.

Mr. Ndimeni (DeputyPermanent Representativeof South Africa to UNOG)said South Africa hadembarked on several policyinterventions to addressthose needs within theboundaries of realistic

resource limitations. Some sociopoliticalinterventions included the provision of grants,such as child support grants and communityprojects based on subsistence farming, especiallyin child- or grandparent-headed households.Collaboration was occurring on various issueswith different countries, such as agriculturalcooperation projects with Viet Nam, employment

generation programmes with Guinea Bissau,Cuban/South African cooperation on a medicalbrigade in Mali and Sierra Leone, anddevelopment projects in Central Africa. SouthAfrica was also supporting training and capacitybuilding in Sudan as part of institutional support tothe country. Through IBSA, South Africa fundedjoint projects in several countries, including Laosand the occupied Palestinian territories.

Mr. Ntshalintshali (Confederation of SouthAfrican Trade Unions – COSATU) speaking onbehalf of the trade unions of all IBSA countries,said that trade unions in the global South hadpioneered how to organize millions of informalworkers. The Brazilian trade union movement wasinstrumental in this, and the social dialogue forumthere had managed to build social progress andinvest in substantial social changes in the country. He described the Global Labour University(GLU), which was a network of universities andtrade unions and civil society organizations, whichthe ILO had created for international knowledgemanagement.

Least developed countries and good initiatives on poverty reductionthrough tourism

H.E. Mr. Bhattarai,Ambassador of Nepal to theUnited Nations Office inGeneva (UNOG), drewattention to the importanceof tourism as a recognizedtool for employmentcreation and development.

Tourism accounted for 35% of world export

services and was normally labour-intensive, whichled to higher employment and acted as a stimulusto the national economy. Nepal has put policies inplace for the development of sustainable tourism,which included ecotourism, and rural, educationaland research tourism. Rural tourism was expectedto play a large role in poverty reduction. Nepal hasencouraged public-private partnerships andinvestment in tourism industries.

China’s experience in South-SouthCooperation

HE Mr. He Yafei,Ambassador of China, saidit was a great honour toparticipate in the event and

announced that China would donate $1 millionUSD to the ILO in support of technicalcooperation in the field of employment. China hasgiven assistance in the form of investment, healthprogrammes, no interest loans, dispatched expertsand medical teams, and human resource training.China is still regarded as a developing countryaccording to International Monetary Fundstatistics. China would continue to strengthensolidarity with other countries, and would continueto enrich South-South Cooperation in theframework of other international organizations.

“India Plays a Major Role in PromotingSouth-South Cooperation”Continued from page 8

Global Labour UniversityContinued from page 10

and to achieve decent work in conditions of freedom,equity, security and human dignity for all. Improvedinternational knowledge networks of trade unions,research institutions and universities are instrumentalfor creating the competence and capacity to address theneeds for a social dimension of globalization. Tradeunions need to strengthen not only their organizationalbut also their analytical capacity at both the nationaland global levels. Solutions cannot be found through aNorth-South knowledge transfer but only through jointglobal research and deliberation. The active role oflabour organizations in Brazil, India and South Africa inshaping the future of their societies is an inspirationalsource for new ideas far beyond their own countries.

South meets South: Examples of how the structure isimplemented

South-South Cooperation is exercised from projectdesign to implementation. The Master’s programmesare developed jointly by universities, the GlobalUnions, the ILOs’ Bureau for Workers’ activities, andworkers organisations primarily from Brazil, SouthAfrica, India and Germany. To bring added dialoguewithin the South, GLU Master’s students have the

opportunity to study for a semester at one of the otherGLU campuses, or to conduct an internship with a tradeunion in another country. Professors also travel to theother campuses as guest lecturers and visitingprofessors, sharing knowledge and expertise across thenetwork. For those who cannot commit to a full yearMaster’s programme, the GLU also offers a short term,policy-focused Diploma Course on Labour Policies andGlobalisation that integrates practice with theory byincluding an 8 week internship with a trade union.Finally, the GLU became a key partner in the newlyestablished International Research Centre onDevelopment and Decent Work (ICDD), which aims tostrengthen the debate and research around the socialdimension of globalization and the Decent Work agendaby offering an international PhD programme locatedwithin 6 universities in the developing world and theUniversity of Kassel in Germany.

Theoretical knowledge is put into practice whenparticipants have the opportunity to attend internationalworkshops with global unions to develop policyprojects. Whether they are back with their trade unions,continuing their studies, or aiding the labour movementin other ways, GLU alumni continue to develop theirskills and knowledge through ongoing research projectson issues ranging from local labour rights at theoccaision of global sporting events, to minimum wagepolicy, gender and trade unions, domestic worker

empowerment strategies, and international frameworkagreements.

GLU conferences and workshops provide GLUmembers, alumni and students with the opportunity tomeet to debate new ideas, present their research,strengthen networks, and increase horizontalcommunication within the growing community oflabour activists and researchers from the developingworld. The Annual GLU Conference chooses a cuttingedge topic and takes place at each GLU campus on arotating basis. Regional and global GLU AlumniWorkshops and an annual Alumni Applied ResearchSummer School provide a platform for further researchand collaboration.

Results Achieved

Trade unions recognise the need to look beyondnational borders and beyond institutional barriers inorder to be vital actors within national and internationalcivil society. Partnerships with academic institutionsoutside the labour movement and sharing experienceswith people from other countries facing similarchallenges has not only helped participants tounderstand complex realities, but also has alreadygenerated new ideas and answers. For a full listing ofGLU publications, please visit www.global-labour-university.org

United Nations Dag Hammarskjold Library

Room L-221 K, New York, NY 10017

MEDIAGLOBAL NEWS is an independent international media organization,based in the United Nations in New York, creating awareness in the global mediaon social justice and development issues in the world’s least developed countries.

With a strong focus on the global South, MediaGlobal disseminates news storiesglobally on economic development, global health, food security and the impactof climate change on developing countries. Since 2006 MediaGlobal hasconducted a successful educational programme for students interested in writingon development issues. The newsletter is published in cooperation with UNDP’sSpecial Unit for South-South Cooperation. The opinions expressed in thispublication do not necessarily reflect the editorial views of MediaGlobal or theofficial position of any of its sponsors.

For information, contact us at: Telephone: 609.529.6129 Email: [email protected]

Website: www.mediaglobal.org

Publisher and EditorNosh Nalavala

UN CorrespondentsKevin HuygeLa Shawn PaganMaroussia KlepSandhya KumarRachelle Dragani

Project ManagerRogel Nuguid, Chief of Staff,Special Unit for South-South Cooperation

“Developing Nations Offer CreativeSolutions for Tackling Hunger”Says Assembly President at the Global South-South Development Expo

Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, 66th President of the United Nations General Assembly.

“Documenting, showcasing and exchanging thesesolutions and lessons learned will allow for theirscaling up and easy replication across the globe,”said Mr. Al-Nasser. “This is imperative for us totruly energise the agenda for South-South andtriangular cooperation.”

South-South cooperation is based on solidarityamong developing countries and links countriesthat have development solutions to share, withcountries in need of expertise.

Representatives of countries, civil society, theprivate sector and UN agencies came together atthe week-long Expo, hosted by the UN Food andAgriculture Organization, to share success storiesfrom past and ongoing South-South partnerships,and explore new ideas and solutions for long-termand sustainable food security.

“During our time together, we have been remindedof the tremendous number of hungry people in theworld, but we have also been encouraged bysuccess stories shared from all over the world,”stated Mr. Al-Nasser.

“In many Southern countries of Asia, Africa andLatin America, these solutions and innovativepartnerships have captured our interest and ignitedour imagination.

“As we now prepare to go back to our homes andoffices, it is also time to plan for the years ahead,envisioning how best we might translate theknowledge and experiences shared here into real,sustainable solutions,” he said.

“Achieving food security is our collective purposemoving on from this Expo.”

The President of the General Assembly lauded theGlobal South-South Development Expo held inRome as a strong testimony to the creativity of developing countries to achieve global foodsecurity.

“This year’s Expo has demonstrated the power of the Global South to respond quickly todevelopment challenges and meet global needs foradequate food and nutrition,” he stated in remarksto the closing ceremony that were delivered by hisDeputy Chef de Cabinet, Tariq Ali Al-Ansari.

“We can leave here today, knowing that the South-South spirit of striving for collective self-reliance isstronger than ever before,” he stated, noting thatthere have been many “dynamic” examples ofsuccessful solutions on display to address thepressing demand for food security.

“This year’s Expo hasdemonstrated the powerof the Global South torespond quickly todevelopment challengesand meet global needsfor adequate food and nutrition.”

–NASSIR ABDULAZIZ AL-NASSER

SOUTH-SOUTH in Action...8 “India Plays a Major Role in Promoting South-South ... Tackling...

Documents

Transcript of SOUTH-SOUTH in Action...8 “India Plays a Major Role in Promoting South-South ... Tackling...