International Labour Organisation
On 11 April 1919, the establishment of the International Labour Organization (ILO) was approved at the Versailles Peace Conference, which brought the First World War to an end. The ILO Constitution and other legal instruments form the basis of the Organisation’s work.
The ILO is the only international organisation in the world that specialises in labour and social relations, and acts by bringing together three parties – governments, employers and workers. It therefore provides a unique forum in which, through tripartite cooperation, its 187 Member States and their social partners can discuss labour standards and policies. The ILO is dedicated to advancing social justice and internationally recognised human rights, as well as labour rights.
The four main strategic goals of ILO are as follows:
- improving and applying labour standards, and fundamental principles and rights
- creating better opportunities for women and men for decent work and income
- improving the coverage and efficiency of social protection for everyone
- bolstering tripartism and social dialogue
The ILO’s most important form of work is the establishment of international labour standards, which takes place through the adoption of Conventions and Recommendations. The ILO does not adopt universally binding international labour laws; rather, it sets minimum legal standards with which a State that has ratified a Convention must comply, or which, in the case of a Recommendation, it is advised to follow.
Estonia was a member of the ILO from 1921 to 1937 and restored its membership rights on 13 January 1992. The Permanent Representation of Estonia in Geneva is cooperating in the area of labour with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications. See also Estonia’s country profile in the ILO database.