1. International Labour Office
The ILO and small-scale mining
Martin Georg Hahn
International Labour Office

2. Introduction International Labour Organization (ILO)
UN specialised agency
Seeks the promotion of social justice and internationally recognized human and labour rights
Unique tripartite structure
Workers
Employers
Governments

3. ILO – main areas of work International Labour Standards Employment
Social protection
eg. occupational safety and health, social security
Social dialogue
Employers’ organizations, trade unions
Sectoral social dialogue

4. ILO and mining International Labour Conferences Industrial committees
Minimum Age (Industry) Convention, 1919 (No.5)
Hours of Work (Coal Mines) Convention, 1931 (No.31)
Industrial committees
1944 decision to establish seven industrial committees
Textiles; Coalmining; Inland transport; Iron and steel production; Metal trades; Petroleum production and refining; Building, civil engineering and public works
Tripartite sectoral meetings
Tripartite Meeting on Social and Labour Issues in Small-scale Mines, 1999
Tripartite Meeting on the Evolution of Employment, Working Time and Training in the Mining Industry, 2002
Meeting of Experts on Safety and Health in Coalmines, 2006

5. Means of action
In order to improve working conditions, the ILO typically provides/carries out
Technical assistance
Including development of guidance/reference materials
Technical cooperation

6. The basis of ILO’s work: ILS
International Labour Standards are expressions of international tripartite agreement on a matter
Conventions
International treaties, subject to ratification
Create binding obligations under International Law
Might require Member States to amend their national legislation
Recommendations
Set out guidelines which can orient national policy and action
Often complement Conventions

7. ILS relevant to ASM Child labour Occupational safety and health
Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No.138)
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No.182)
Occupational safety and health
Among many others:
Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No.155)
Safety and Health in Mines Convention, 1995 (No.176)
Indigenous people
The Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (No.169)

8. Examples of ILO’s work
Safety and Health in Mines Convention, 1995 (No.176)
Small-scale mining
Handbook safety & health in small-scale surface mines
LSM
Tripartite workshops
Codes of practice (such as: COP on safety and health in underground coalmines, or COP on open-pit mining); and
Guidelines (including Guidelines on HIV/AIDS for the mining sector).
Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (No.169)
Compendium of examples of good practice

9. Child labour Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No.138); and
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No.182)
World Day against Child Labour 2005
Call for Action: Minors out of Mining!
Elimination of child labour in ASM by 2015
Target countries: Brazil, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ecuador, Ghana, Mali, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Senegal, Tanzania, and Togo

10. IPEC Strategy
Creation of an enabling environment for the elimination of child labour
Knowledge generation
Awareness-raising
Education
Capacity building
Main elements
Removal and rehabilitation
Provision of educational alternatives
Income generation for families

11. Time-bound programmes
Comprehensive framework
Set of integrated and coordinated policies and interventions with clear goals, specific targets and a defined time frame, aimed at preventing and eliminating a country’s worst forms of child labour.
TBPs emphasize the need to address the root causes of child labour
TBPs are linked to national development policies, macro-economic trends and strategies
Particular emphasis on economic and social policies to combat poverty and to promote universal basic education and social mobilization.

12. Work in Brazil related to ASM
Child labour
Time bound programme for the elimination of child labour
Decent Work Programme for Bahia State
Continued work on the list of hazardous occupations (required by C.182)
Silicosis
National plan for the elimination of silicosis (PNES)

13. Thank you For further information www.oitbrasil.org.br