Communications for inclusive and effective trade unionism ILO Training Course on Communications for inclusive and effective trade unionism in ASIA - PACIFIC REGION Communications & Workers ACTRAV’s role & initiatives for improving communications Mamadou Kaba SOUARE ILO BUREAU FOR WORKERS ACTIVITIES (ACTRAV)

Presentation’s Objectives Provide a fresh look at ILO’s background. To describe ACTRAV’s communication strategy. To share concrete communication tools and resources that may be useful for your daily work.

ILO General Background Created in 1919, the ILO is the only Tripartite Specialised Agency within the UN System, where governments, workers and employers are represented on the Board. Once a year the ILO has the International Labour Conference, held in Geneva, where cases are discussed on different ILO conventions’ compliance. The Bureau for Workers’ Activities is known as ACTRAV, and the Bureau for Employers’ Activities known as ACT/EMP are the links between the Organization and its Social partners.

ILO General Background What are ACTRAV’s Objectives? As the link between the ILO and Trade Unions, ACTRAV seeks: To ensure that Trade Unions’ concerns are incorporated into all ILO’ s activities. To enable Trade Unions to make full use of ILO’s potential. To enable the ILO to count on the support of Trade Unions in promoting and attaining its goals.

ACTRAV’s Communication Strategy What is ACTRAV’s Communication Strategy? Main goal: To improve workers’ voice within the ILO. Targeted audience: Trade Unions (mainly) and general public who is interested in labour issues. Mains topics: Decent work, Labour Standards, Social Dialogue, Workers’ Rights (collective bargaining and freedom of association), etc... Mains resources for unions : Press releases, News, Statements and speeches, videos. Coverage: the Workers Group’s activities within the ILO (during the International Labour Conference and Governing Body Sessions, etc...) and ACTRAV ’s activities in Geneva and in the Field.

ACTRAV’s Communication Strategy What are ACTRAV’s initiatives for improving communication? Until now: We are in a long process to improve communications for workers with the support of ILO Department of Communication and Public Information(DCOMM) Communication’s flow is currently mainly oriented one way: ILO/ACTRAV Trade Unions

Some Communication’s Tools and Resources A- The International Journal of Labour Research (IJLR) Launched in 2009, this Journal is : A vehicle for disseminating recent research on labour and social policies from Trade Union researchers and academics around the world Six issues already published: precarious work, social justice, sustainable economy, financial crisis, climate change and crisis. Published twice a year in English, French and Spanish Available on ACTRAV’s Website.

Some Communication’s Tools and Resources B-ACTRAV INFO Newsletter Launched in 2011, this newsletter: Provide Unions with selected news and articles produced by ACTRAV and DCOMM related to workers activities in the ILO. Provide Unions with selected publications and upcoming events related to workers activities. Published monthly in English, French and Spanish . Available on ACTRAV website

Some Communication’s Tools and Resources C-Tools to share information ACTRAV INFO Mailing list: which provide a daily news to Unions on workers activities in the ILO (English, French and Spanish) Social Media: Twitter (#ILOACTRAV) and YouTube (ILOTV/workers’ activities)

What would be the challenges for ACTRAV in the future? Communication flow between: Give the floor to Trade Unions: more interviews, features stories, events coverage, etc… Create a network with Trade Union’s medias : facts, quotes, data and multimedia assets in order to tell their stories. Ex: RadioLabour Create a common platform for knowledge and information sharing between ACTRAV and Trade Unions: ACTRAV Network. ILO/ACTRAV Trade Unions

Expectations from ACTRAV to Trade Unions Sharing information on Trade Union’s activities (your activities) regarding the implementation of ILO goals. Trade Unions’ needs (your needs) in terms of sharing information between ILO and your Organizations. Sharing ILO’s products for Trade Unions (publications, reports, videos...)

Thank you very much for your attention! Mamadou Kaba SOUARE Communication Officer at Bureau for Workers Activities (ACTRAV) Email: souare@ilo.org www.ilo.org/actrav