ILO calls for preventing forced labour, human trafficking

The International Labour Organization (ILO) responded to corporate calls for help to prevent forced labour and human trafficking.

The ILO will set up a Global Business Network on Forced Labour and Human Trafficking to help business address the challenges of forced labour and human trafficking in an increasingly complex global setting, according to a release received here today.

“The ILO has worked with representative business groups for nearly a century and has longstanding experience in the fight against forced labour,” said ILO Director-General Guy Ryder. “This experience has highlighted the value of peer-to-peer exchanges that create a conducive environment for sharing information and resolving problems.”

The release said the Global Business Network will offer members unique opportunities and solutions bringing together the ILO’s lead and expertise, and a global network spanning 187 member States. It will provide members with hard-to-find data and information on emerging trends, and allow businesses to anticipate and to adapt to rapid change across the world.

The network also provides the opportunity to draw on the ILO’s unique tripartite structure bringing together governments, worker and employer organizations. Engagement with these groups is essential for effective human rights’ due diligence, heading off problems before they materialize.

The Global Business Network has already been greatly welcomed and has received seed funding for its creation from Mars, Incorporated and the US Department of Labor.

To kick start the Global Business Network and ensure it meets business demands, the ILO will hold two regional and two national consultations with businesses and employers’ organizations.

Source: BSS