TNAG-0531-FCO40-626-Application-of-International-Labour-Convention-to-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 27

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CHAPTER II

WORKING PAPERS PRESENTED

This chapter contains the essential parts of the texts of the working papers presented and discussed at the seminar.

The programme which is contained in Annex 3 to this report was arranged to allow adequate time for the discussion of each paper after presentation by its

author at the seminar.

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1.

1. ILO ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD OF SOCIAL SECURITY

(by Tomio Higuchi)

The ILO's activities in the field of social security may be divided into three major categories: firstly, the activities which can be classified as legislative or standard-setting activities to set up international standards of social security in the form of international labour Conventions and Recommendations; secondly, the information activities which are carried out through research and publications of articles, studies and reports; and thirdly, the operational or technical co-operation activities directly carried out in the member States Organisation.

International labour standards

of the

2. The main task assigned to the ILO at the outset was that of improving conditions of life and work by building up a comprehensive code of law and practice. The founders of the organisation felt and history has shown them to have been right that standards laid down through the joint efforts of governments, management and labour would be realistic, solid and widely applicable. The number of international labour instruments Conventions and Recommendations adopted by the International Labour Conference since 1919 has nov reach 288 (i.e. 140 Conventions and 148 Recommendations).

3.

Each Convention is a legal instrument regulating some aspect of employment promotion, labour conditions, social security, human rights, etc.; it is conceived as a model for national legislation. A Recommendation is similar to a Convention except that it is not subject to ratification. Both define standards and constitute guides to national action, but in addition a Convention creates binding obligations by virtue of its ratification by member States of the ILO. Member countries are however not bound to ratify Conventions even though they may have voted for their adoption at the International Labour Conference. But they are obliged under the ILO Constitution to bring all instruments adopted by the Conference to the attention of their legislative authorities. The number of ratifications has been increasing in recent years and now stands at close to 4,000.

4.

Although the ILO cannot of course wield any coercive force against delinquent nenber countries, it can and does keep a vigilant eye on the way governments are carrying out their obligations under ratified Conventions. Permanent machinery

exists for this purpose and cases of dereliction are made part

of the public record.

5. The legislative or standard-setting activities of the ILO in the field of social security may be distinguished between two stages of periods. In the first period between the two World Wars, the instruments mainly dealt with social insurance for a specific group of the population and to a large extent modelled сп the schemes which existed in Europe at that time. About 20 Conventions and 10

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