Organization of American States Summits of the Americas
     
Follow-up and Implementation: Mandates
 

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LABOR
MANDATES

  1. Develop an evidence-based Action Plan that takes into account the sociocultural, economic, and structural challenges facing the Americas region and includes, among others, identifying measures for national and international coordination and cooperation, taking into account the global commitments assumed by the states with respect to health and resilience, with a view to:

    • b. Strengthening educational programs in the fields of medicine, public health, nutrition, and biomedical science research, as well as recruitment and skills development of all professionals engaged in the field of health, through continuing education and training, promoting an increase in the number of people working in these specialties, with a comprehensive bio-psycho-social approach to meet the health needs of our populations; as well as retaining health personnel in developing countries, especially in the least developed countries and small-island and low-lying coastal developing states of the Caribbean and Central America (Action Plan on Health and Resilience in the Americas, Los Angeles, 2022).

  1. Work with civil society, workers groups, and employer sector representatives to eliminate forced labor, child labor, and violence, harassment, and discrimination in the workplace; to decrease informality in the labor market; and to protect freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, including the protection of workers from reprisals for exercising these rights. (Inter-American Action Plan on Democratic Governance, IX Summit of the Americas, Los Angeles, 2022).

  1. Deepen the relationship between inclusive, democratic governance and sustainable development by:

    • e. Promoting the creation of employment and decent work, as well as entrepreneurship, particularly among youth, and expanding opportunities for ongoing training and occupational retraining. (Inter-American Action Plan on Democratic Governance, IX Summit of the Americas, Los Angeles, 2022).

  1. Strengthen the public procurement and acquisition policies at the national, regional, and international levels, to include:

    • d. Developing and implementing effective measures that address informality and job insecurity, and prevent and combat corruption and abuses, including forced labor and child labor in global supply chains, by developing transparent public procurement standards and compliance requirements or codes of conduct, related to the sustainable procurement of goods and services, as applicable and in keeping with domestic legislation and international obligations of States;

    • e. Developing and implementing, as appropriate and in accordance with domestic legislation, mechanisms to prevent, investigate, or, where necessary, punish corruption, including bribery, trading in influence, child labor and forced labor in the procurement of goods and services of the public and private sectors in collaboration with the authorities responsible for law enforcement and other actors. (Inter-American Action Plan on Democratic Governance, IX Summit of the Americas, Los Angeles, 2022).

  1. Increase efforts to ensure inclusion and diversity in all aspects of governance, through the following actions:

    • b. Ensuring that pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response are inclusive processes, including but not limited to the equitable and fair distribution of the provision of care, physical safety, equal digital access, and access to decent employment and wage equity and other economic opportunities;

    • c. Reducing social, cultural, structural, economic, and legal barriers to full and equitable economic participation and opportunity, including but not limited to, access to financial markets and credit, access to natural and productive resources, non-discrimination in hiring and employment, and access to safe and reliable care;

    • e. Establishing and/or strengthening mechanisms and providing sufficient ongoing training and resources for the review and enforcement of anti-discrimination policies and laws in hiring practices, access to justice, finance, housing, employment, social protection, infrastructure, and services, and other social and economic opportunities; (Inter-American Action Plan on Democratic Governance, IX Summit of the Americas, Los Angeles, 2022).

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  1. To strengthen specific public policies and programs for young people with a view to striving to halve by 2025 the number of young people neither studying nor working, through ongoing technical and vocational education and training, promotion of scholarships and academic mobility, and by fostering human talent through new pedagogies influenced by the arts, innovation and entrepreneurship to help enable them to successfully transition from school to the work place. (Education, Initiatives VII Summit of the Americas, Panama City, 2015).

  1. To identify, research and analyze new strategies and effective public policies in education, carried out inside and outside the region, as well as innovative experiences incorporating intercultural education and the needs of persons with disabilities intended to improve the quality of educational processes at the pre-school, primary and secondary levels, and to promote access to early education and childhood care. To request the Organization of American States (OAS) to promote discussion and formulation of public policies through the relevant institutions. To request the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), through the creation of an educational research and innovation laboratory for the Americas, to support this initiative, and likewise the World Bank, through the creation of an inter-American education network, to consolidate the various proposals in this area. To that end, to establish a working group comprising the OAS, the IDB, the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) and the World Bank to, with the active participation of the Hemisphere’s countries, design and integrate these initiatives within an inter-American institutional framework. (Education, Initiatives VII Summit of the Americas, Panama City, 2015).

  1. To design and implement or strengthen public policies to improve economic and social conditions to generate more and better opportunities for advancement of our populations, particularly young people, through the development of human talent, the creation of more and better jobs, the stimulation of the productive sector, access to credit, and improved citizen security, among other factors, so that the decision to migrate can be taken freely and voluntarily. (Migration, Initiatives VII Summit of the Americas, Panama City, 2015).

  1. To strengthen dialogue processes at the national, subregional, and hemispheric levels to discuss comprehensive migration policies. In that framework, to recognize the pivotal role of work, decent employment, and fair remuneration, as well as the importance of adopting measures, policies, and programs to facilitate orderly and regular labor migration flows and the regularization of migrants, and to promote labor mobility programs, in accordance with each country’s laws and in a framework of unfettered respect for the human rights of migrant workers and their families, especially underscoring the importance of family reunification and promoting conditions for decent and dignified work. (Migration, Initiatives VII Summit of the Americas, Panama City, 2015).

  1. To strengthen cultural ties in the Americas and promote cooperation for the conservation and protection of the region's tangible and intangible cultural heritage, while acknowledging the importance of culture and creative and cultural industries in socio-economic development, social inclusion, the diversification of economies, and job creation. (Citizen Participation, Initiatives VII Summit of the Americas, Panama City, 2015).

  1. To promote and encourage comprehensive, timely, and quality public policies on:

    1. Early childhood care, education, and development.
    2. Protecting children from economic exploitation and from any tasks that may interfere with their education and integral development, according to the principle of the effective abolition of child labor, which is contained in the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (1998); as well as preventing and eradicating the worst forms of child labor according to Convention 182 of the ILO (1999)
    3. Raising awareness about the adverse effects of adolescent pregnancies on the integral development of the adolescent and their offspring, as well as fostering their health and well-being.(Poverty, Inequality, and Inequity, Cartagena, 2012).

  1. To combat poverty, extreme poverty, hunger, inequality, inequity, and social exclusion through public policies that promote decent, dignified, and productive work; sustained economic growth; income growth; and access to comprehensive and quality education, health care, and housing, in order to achieve sustainable development with social justice in the Americas (Poverty, Inequality, and Inequity, Cartagena, 2012).

  1. To deepen inter-American cooperation in the area of development and social protection with a view to strengthening human and institutional capacity-building efforts, and generating a skilled workforce, with a gender perspective and giving attention to vulnerable groups. (Poverty, Inequality, and Inequity, Cartagena, 2012).

  1. To promote the gradual formalization of the informal economy, recognizing its heterogeneous and multidimensional nature, through policies such as registration and information systems to facilitate formalization and access to credit, social protection mechanisms, improvement of occupational health and safety, strengthening of labor inspection, and effective enforcement of labor laws.* (Poverty, Inequality, and Inequity, Cartagena, 2012).
    *In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the definition of “informal economy” is broad enough to encompass certain activities that are illegal but which, nevertheless, have an impact on the local economy. Taking into account their domestic circumstance, St. Vincent and the Grenadines joins consensus on this paragraph with the understanding that “informal economy” refers wholly and solely to activities that are legally sanctioned.

  1. To develop and strengthen, as appropriate, strategies and policies on youth employment, as well as to promote technical and vocational education and training opportunities in order to improve and increase the entry of young people into the labor market, the quality and stability of their jobs, as well as their social protection. (Poverty, Inequality, and Inequity, Cartagena, 2012).

  1. Reaffirming our commitment to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, we will continue to promote the creation of more opportunities for decent work in the formal sector. We will enforce our domestic labour laws to provide for acceptable conditions of work and safe and healthy workplaces, free from violence, harassment and discrimination. We will promote continuous training programmes in collaboration with workers’ representatives and the private sector as appropriate, with the goal of generating the necessary technical skills to enable workers to respond to the demands of the labour market. We therefore call upon the Ministers of Labour, within the context of the OAS Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labour (IACML), in collaboration with their workers’ and employers’ consultative bodies and with the support of the ILO, as appropriate, to endorse, at the 16th IACML to be held in 2009, a work programme that advances these objectives (Declaration of Port of Spain, 2009).

  1. We will adopt the necessary policies and regulations with the support of the ILO, IDB, World Bank and other regional bodies as appropriate to facilitate and promote the movement of enterprises and workers from the informal to the formal sector, without adversely affecting the rights of workers (Declaration of Port of Spain, 2009).

  1. We reiterate our commitment to protect all people, particularly women, children and adolescents, from all forms of trafficking in persons and sexual and economic exploitation, and to provide protection and attention to the victims. We call on Ministers responsible for education, labour, social development, security and justice to adopt coordinated national strategies to prevent and eradicate the worst forms of child labour by 2020 at the latest, in accordance with the Plan of Action of the Fourth Summit in Mar del Plata, Argentina, and in accordance with national legislation, and to develop innovative strategies to bring children and adolescents who are victims back into healthy learning environments. We also reiterate our commitment to eliminate forced labour before 2010. (Declaration of Port of Spain, 2009).

  1. Convinced of the necessity to deepen democracy and consolidate freedom in the Americas, in accordance with the principles contained in the Charter of the Organization of American States and the Inter-American Democratic Charter and their full application as the foundation of the hemispheric community, we, the Heads of State and Government of the democratic countries of the Americas, gathered in the city of Mar del Plata, Argentina, on the occasion of our Fourth Summit, reaffirm our commitment to fight poverty, inequality, hunger, and social exclusion in order to raise the standard of living of our peoples and strengthen democratic governance in the Americas. We assign the right to work, as articulated in human rights instruments, a central place on the hemispheric agenda, recognizing the essential role of the creation of decent work to achieve these objectives (Declaration of Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. Considering the widespread demand for dignified, decent, and productive work in the Hemisphere, the great task of our societies and governments in combating poverty and social exclusion is to adopt policies for generating more and better jobs in rural and urban areas, to contribute effectively to social inclusion and cohesion, prosperity, and democratic governance (Declaration of Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. We commit to implementing active policies to generate decent work and create the conditions for quality employment that imbue economic policies and globalization with a strong ethical and human component, putting the individual at the center of work, the company, and the economy. We will promote decent work, that is to say: fundamental rights at work, employment, social protection and social dialogue (Declaration of Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. We reaffirm our respect for the rights set forth in the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (1998) and undertake to promote these fundamental rights. We will develop and implement policies and programs that help labor markets to function efficiently and transparently and that help workers respond to the opportunities created by economic growth and new technologies (Declaration of Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. We will combat gender-based discrimination in the work place, promoting equal opportunities to eliminate existing disparities between men and women in the working world through an integrated approach that incorporates gender perspective in labor policies, including by promoting more opportunities for ownership of businesses by women (Declaration of Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. We commit to protecting children from economic exploitation and from any tasks that may interfere with their education and integral development, according to the principle of the effective abolition of child labor, which is contained in the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (1998). In addition, we will take immediate and effective measures to prevent and eradicate the worst forms of child labor according to Convention 182 of the ILO (1999). We will strive to improve access to and the quality of basic education for all children, recognizing that providing educational opportunities is an investment in the future of our societies (Declaration of Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. We reaffirm that all migrants, regardless of their immigration status, should be accorded the full protection of human rights and the full observance of labor laws applicable to them, including the principles and labor rights embodied in the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (1998) (Declaration of Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. We will promote decent work for migrant workers in the context of the Declaration of Nuevo León and encourage support for the Inter-American Program adopted by the General Assembly in resolution AG/RES. 2141 (XXXV-O/05). Likewise, the state parties to the International Convention on the Protection of the Human Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families reiterate the importance of its full implementation by the parties (Declaration of Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. We will spare no effort to achieve the immediate and complete abolition of forced or compulsory labor in the Americas. We are convinced that it will be a fundamental contribution to achieving the objectives of sustainable growth with social equity in our nations and the forging of a better future for all Americans (Declaration of Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. We commit to strive to ensure equal opportunities to employment for all as well as to work to eliminate discrimination in the workplace, in access to education, training, and remuneration. In this context, we will pay special attention to gender-differentiated needs, the needs of indigenous peoples, Afro-descendents, and other groups in vulnerable situations (Declaration of Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. Recognizing the need for comprehensive social protection systems, we will examine the forms of unemployment protection most appropriate and possible for our respective countries. As part of a package of social safety nets for the unemployed, we also recognize the positive contribution of unemployment insurance systems in temporarily alleviating the socioeconomic suffering of individuals, reducing the need for workers to resort to subsistence activities through precarious jobs and facilitating their reentry into the work force (Declaration of Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. We recognize the fundamental and unique consultative role of employers’ and workers’ organizations in shaping employment and labor policies. We undertake to promote and facilitate tripartite dialogue in national, subregional, and hemispheric frameworks (Declaration of Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. We recognize the importance of facilitating the integration of youth into the labor market, expanding coverage and improving the quality of information services and career counseling (Declaration of Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. We agree that in order to improve employment opportunities we must ensure quality education for all citizens, which requires the evaluation of our efforts based on clearly defined standards and accountability for results (Declaration of Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. Micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises constitute a strategic force to generate new employment, improve the quality of life, and have a positive impact on development and economic growth while promoting equity and social inclusion (Declaration of Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. We are committed to the fight against poverty and inequality and we recognize the contribution to the economy and to the creation of decent work by productive organizations, in accordance with each nation’s characteristics, such as cooperatives and other production units (Declaration of Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. We are committed to building a more solid and inclusive institutional framework, based on the coordination of economic, labor, and social public policies to contribute to the generation of decent work, which must comprise:

    1. A labor framework that promotes decent work and reaffirms our respect for the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its follow-up. We shall continue to strengthen the application of our national labor laws and promote their effective enforcement;

    2. An economic framework characterized by responsible fiscal policies fostering equitable growth that generates employment;

    3. A business climate that attracts investment, fosters new enterprise creation, and promotes competition;

    4. A legal framework that upholds the rule of law, transparency, and access to justice; reinforces impartiality and independence of judicial institutions; prevents and combats impunity and corruption in both the public and the private spheres; and fights international crime;

    5. A public policy framework for integral and sustainable development that can reduce poverty and inequality, advance human health, and protect the environment in harmony with international environmental agreements to which we are all party, including those that address endangered and migratory species and wildlife, wetlands, desertification, ozone depleting chemicals, and climate change; we take note, with satisfaction, of the upcoming United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Montreal.

    6. A regulatory framework that seeks to incorporate the informal sector and unregistered work into the formal sector, recognizing the heterogeneous nature of the informal sector, in order to expand social protection and to enhance the quality and productivity of work;

    7. A comprehensive framework for rural and agricultural development, to promote investment, job creation, and rural prosperity;

    8. To achieve the abovementioned objectives we will promote increased cooperation and coordination between local, regional, and national governments (Declaration of Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. We recognize the vital contributions of Ministries of Labor to the achievement of the objectives of the Fourth Summit of the Americas, “Creating Jobs to fight Poverty and Strengthen Democratic Governance,” and to the promotion of decent work and policies that encourage investment and economic growth with equity. We are committed to strengthening them with the goal of ensuring that they have sufficient national budgetary and technical resources to carry out their duties in an efficient and effective manner. We call upon our respective Ministers of Labor, working with employers and workers, to promote professional training and lifelong learning activities so that workers may adequately insert themselves into labor markets, to facilitate the skills and the knowledge development of workers and job seekers; to implement policies and programs, such as improved employment services and access to quality labor market information, that provide for the efficient functioning of labor markets; and to effectively enforce our national labor laws and regulations.
    We encourage the ministers to continue bilateral and multilateral cooperation aimed at capacity building. We also take note of the Declaration and Plan of Action of Mexico and their role in furthering the objectives of the Summit (Declaration of Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. Our efforts to generate decent work will contribute to promoting equity, social mobility, a better quality of life, and social inclusion for our citizens as well as to achieving social justice (Declaration of Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. Taking into account the results of this Summit and the Fourteenth IACML, we request that the ILO address, at its Sixteenth Americas Regional Meeting in 2006, the central topic of the Fourteenth IACML, “People and their Work at the Heart of Globalization,” with special emphasis on decent work, and consider government and tripartite actions to implement the Declaration and Plan of Action of Mar del Plata (Declaration of Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. With this Declaration and the attached Plan of Action, we Heads of State and Government of the Hemisphere reaffirm the central role we assign to the creation of decent work, in order to meet our commitments to fight poverty and strengthen democratic governance. We recognize once again the value of work as an activity that dignifies and structures the lives of our peoples, as an effective instrument for social interaction, and as a means of participation in the achievements of society: the primary objective of our governments’ actions for the Americas (Declaration of Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. To eliminate forced labor before 2010 by strengthening measures and policies, to enable those countries that have not already done so to achieve this goal. To this end, promote the creation of national plans of action with the support of the International Labour Organization (ILO) (Plan of Action Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. To eradicate by 2020, at the latest, the worst forms of child labor and reduce the number of children that work in violation of national laws. We shall continue strengthening national policies that enable achievement of these goals. In addition to providing quality basic education, we undertake to build bridges between child labor eradication programs and other support programs, such as income support programs, extracurricular activities and training. To meet this objective, countries shall set national goals and deadlines based on the local situation (Plan of Action Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. To develop and strengthen policies to increase opportunities for decent, dignified, and productive work for senior citizens and persons with disabilities, and ensure compliance with national labor laws in this area, including eliminating discrimination against them in the workplace (Plan of Action Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. To implement policies that provide equal pay for equal work or, as appropriate, for work of equal value (Plan of Action Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. To significantly reduce the levels of unregistered work by implementing or strengthening mechanisms that ensures enforcement of national labor laws in the workplace (Plan of Action Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. To carry out actions towards the promotion of the fundamental principles and rights at work and develop, together with the ILO, cooperation strategies to be complied with by member countries (Plan of Action Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. To increase the proportion of the active population, both employed and unemployed, that participates in occupational training activities to acquire or update their skills, including those required in the knowledge-based economy, making use of the good practices developed by CINTERFOR/ILO in various countries in the region (Plan of Action Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. In addition to public efforts in this area, to promote the development of business services that support occupational training that facilitates the entry into the formal labor market and the upgrading of the skills of the labor force (Plan of Action Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. To adopt measures to encourage the full and effective exercise of the rights of all workers, including migrant workers, as well as application of core labor standards, such as those contained in the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its follow-up, adopted in 1998. Explore ways for the ILO to provide technical advisory services to member states to help them accomplish that objective * (Plan of Action Mar del Plata, 2005).
    * The United States reserves on this paragraph and prefers instead the following text:
    “Protect and promote the rights of all workers, including migrant workers in accordance with the legal framework of each country, and applicable international law, and promote respect for the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its follow-up. Explore ways for the ILO to provide technical advisory services to Member States to help them accomplish that objective.”

  1. To continue strengthening the capacity of the Ministries of Labor to effectively enforce our national labor laws and regulations. We will continue to promote cooperation among the Ministries of Labor, within the context of the Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor (IACML) (Plan of Action Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. To promote an inclusive social tripartite and transparent dialogue as an instrument for the proposition of policies and resolution of labor conflicts in order to strengthen the representation and stimulate the participation of unions and of employer organizations in the formulation and implementation of national policies for the promotion of decent work (Plan of Action Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. To undertake, when pertinent, an analysis of the structure of employment at the national, regional, and local level and of the sectors and sub-sectors that might have a higher potential impact on increases of income, employment and poverty reduction (Plan of Action Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. To make efforts aimed at facilitating the incorporation and/or enlargement, as appropriate, to our national statistics systems, of the information on the contribution to the generation of added value, reduction of poverty, fostering of social welfare by productive cooperatives and other independent labor categories (Plan of Action Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. To promote increased communication between ministries responsible for economic, social, and labor policies at the national level with the objective of coordinating policies centered on job creation and poverty reduction .(Plan of Action Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. To encourage investment in basic infrastructure having a high positive impact on employment in order to promote growth and productive employment. (Plan of Action Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. To request the ILO to extend its technical assistance and support to countries (governments, organizations of employers, and workers ) in their efforts to promote the creation of more and better jobs, especially through the strengthening and development of micro, small, and medium-sized companies (Plan of Action Mar del Plata, 2005).

  1. We recognize the efforts made by countries in the Hemisphere to address the social problems caused by unemployment, such as the adoption of unemployment insurance systems and subsistence income programs (Declaration of Nuevo León, 2004).

  1. We are committed to the principles of decent work proclaimed by the International Labor Organization, and we will promote the implementation of the Declaration on the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work in the conviction that respect for workers’ rights and dignity is an essential element to achieving poverty reduction and sustainable social and economic development for our peoples. Additionally, we agree to take measures to fight the worst forms of child labor. We recognize and support the important work of the Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor toward achieving these vital objectives (Declaration of Nuevo León, 2004).

  1. We will promote compliance with internationally recognized core labor standards as embodied in the International Labor Organization (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its Follow-up adopted in 1998. We will consider the ratification of or accession to the fundamental agreements of the ILO, as appropriate. In order to advance our commitment to create greater employment opportunities, improve the skills of workers and improve working conditions throughout the Hemisphere, we recognize the need to address, in the relevant hemispheric and international fora, issues of globalization related to employment and labor. We instruct the Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor to continue their consideration of issues related to globalization which affect employment and labor. (Declaration of Québec, 2001).

  1. Recognizing that employment is the most direct way in which economic activity is linked to the improvement of the standard of living of our citizens and that true prosperity can only be achieved if it includes protecting and respecting basic rights of workers as well as promoting equal employment opportunities and improving working conditions for people in all countries in the region, with special attention to those in the informal sector, to people belonging to ethnic and religious minorities, other vulnerable persons including women, youth, indigenous, migrant workers, persons with disabilities and persons with HIV/AIDS; and noting the importance of investing in human resource development, of promoting employment security consistent with economic growth and developing mechanisms to assist workers with periods of unemployment, as well as of strengthening cooperation and social dialogue on labor matters among workers, their organizations, employers and governments:(Plan of Action Québec, 2001).

  1. Reaffirm the fundamental importance of the Inter American Conference of Ministers of Labor, welcome the progress made through its Plan of Action adopted in 1998, support the preparatory process for the Twelfth Conference in 2001, and direct Ministers to build upon the Viña del Mar Declaration which focused on the social dimensions of globalization and the modernization of Labor Ministries, by collaborating in the examination of the labor dimension of the Summit of the Americas process, in order to identify areas of agreement and issues where further work needs to be done;(Plan of Action Québec, 2001).

  1. Respect the International Labor Organization (ILO) Declaration on the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its Follow Up, adopted in 1998, adopt and implement legislation and policies that provide for the effective application of core labor standards as recognized by the ILO and consider the ratification and implementation of fundamental ILO Conventions;(Plan of Action Québec, 2001).

  1. Consult and coordinate, domestically and regionally in the appropriate fora, with a view to contributing to raising the living standards and improving the working conditions of all people in the Americas; create a process for improved collaboration and coordination on the labor dimensions of the Summit of the Americas process between Labor Ministries and other appropriate ministries and key international institutions within the Americas that have a critical role to play in the improvement of labor conditions, in particular the OAS, the ILO, ECLAC, as well as the IDB and the World Bank ;(Plan of Action Québec, 2001).

  1. Develop new mechanisms to increase the effectiveness of projects and other technical assistance designed to build the capacity of smaller economies and their institutions to effectively implement labor laws and standards and to foster equality of opportunity with respect to gender, among others, in strategies to promote employment, training, life long learning and human resource development programs with the objective of promoting access to more and better employment in the new economy;(Plan of Action Québec, 2001).

  1. Strengthen the capacity of the Ministers of Labor to develop and implement effective labor and labor market policies; collaborate with employers and labor organizations to develop and generate information on labor markets; participate in dialogue, tripartite consultations and dispute resolution strategies; and adopt ongoing strategies and programs as a core element for professional development in the labor market;(Plan of Action Québec, 2001).

  1. Continue to work towards the elimination of child labor, and as a priority, promote the hemispheric ratification and implementation of the ILO Worst Forms of Child Labor Convention, 1999 (No. 182), work to bring national laws, regulations and policies into conformity with this Convention, and take immediate action to eliminate the worst forms of child labor;(Plan of Action Québec, 2001).

  1. Promote and protect the rights of all workers, in particular those of working women, and take action to remove structural and legal barriers as well as stereotypical attitudes to gender equality at work, addressing, inter alia, gender bias in recruitment; working conditions; occupational discrimination and harassment; discrimination in social protection benefits; women’s occupational health and safety; and unequal career opportunities and pay;(Plan of Action Québec, 2001).

  1. Promote recognition of the social and economic contribution made by the unpaid work performed by women predominantly in the home, and consider providing innovative social safety nets in conformity with national law ;( Plan of Action Québec, 2001).

  1. Promote measures by their Ministries of Labor to provide high quality programs and assistance for workers and employers , placing emphasis on greater decentralization of their functions, the incorporation of new technologies , active labor market policies, better and more timely information regarding the labor market, and improvement of safety and health conditions in the workplace; (Plan of Action Santiago, 1998).

  1. Give special attention to the incorporation of socially-disadvantaged groups into the workforce, including women , minorities, youth , the disabled and other vulnerable populations, and to the services offered by the Ministries of Labor that take into consideration their special needs. At the same time, Governments will further strengthen their overall efforts, and coordination among involved agencies, to address the issue of children at work. The Ministries of Labor will exchange experiences on best practices in these areas (Plan of Action Santiago, 1998).

  1. Take actions towards assuring that the Ministries of Labor have the necessary means to carry out this Plan of Action in areas within their jurisdiction (Plan of Action Santiago, 1998).

  1. Exchange informational materials regarding their labor legislation, with the objective of contributing to better mutual knowledge of such legislation as well as to promote core labor standards recognized by the International Labor Organization (ILO) -freedom of association; the right to organize and bargain collectively; the prohibition of forced labor; the elimination of all exploitative forms of child labor; and non-discrimination in employment (Plan of Action Santiago). Such information will also include references to the mechanisms and/or legal authorities of Ministries of Labor to implement core labor standards as a fundamental component of productive workplaces and positive labor-management relations (Plan of Action Santiago, 1998).

  1. For these purposes carry out the exchanges by, among other means, furnishing informational materials on relevant changes to their labor legislation, mechanisms and/or legal authorities for implementation of core labor standards, and progress in the area of labor-management relations, to be provided at a meeting of the Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor, to be held in 1998 and their other meetings, as appropriate, including with the assistance of the Organization of American States (OAS), International Labor Organization (ILO) and Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) (Plan of Action Santiago, 1998).

  1. Further secure their observance and promotion of internationally recognized core labor standards. In this context, they recognize the ILO as the competent body to set and deal with these standards and support the ongoing work of the ILO with regard to exchanges of information and the negotiation of a new Declaration of Principles on Fundamental Rights of Workers and appropriate follow-up; believe that economic growth and development fostered by increased trade and further trade liberalization contribute to the promotion of these standards and should lead to higher levels of employment; similarly reject the use of labor standards for protectionist purposes, and, in this regard, note that the World Trade Organization (WTO) and ILO Secretariats shall continue their collaboration (Plan of Action Santiago, 1998).

  • Initiative 32 Develop training programs, among others, to increase the efficiency and productivity of labor in order to raise the quality of life, particularly of marginal communities, with due regard for environmental safety in the workplace (Plan of Action Santa Cruz de la Sierra, 1996).

  • Initiative 34 Foster job creation in small business and micro-enterprises, favoring their promotion and competitiveness through establishment of a legal and administrative framework, exchange of information and experience, and access to appropriate financial systems, markets , and clean and environmentally sound technologies (Plan of Action Santa Cruz de la Sierra, 1996).

  1. Aware that widely shared prosperity contributes to hemispheric stability, lasting peace and democracy, we acknowledge our common interest in creating employment opportunities that improve the incomes, wages and working conditions of all our people. We will invest in people so that individuals throughout the Hemisphere have the opportunity to realize their full potential (Declaration of Principles Miami, 1994).

 

 

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