UN Ministerial Conference addresses social impact of economic crisis in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Turkey

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1 ISSN # 4(39) DECEMBER 2009 UN Ministerial Conference addresses social impact of economic crisis in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Turkey the opening of the UN Ministerial Conference. The Minister described a package of national anti-crisis measures that includes job creation, particularly at small and medium size enterprises, training and retraining of the unemployed, and targeted social assistance programmes. The global economic crisis has hit Europe and the CIS harder than any other region. It has undermined growth and threatens to set back many of the gains of the past decade, including social development advances, said Ms Kori Udovicki, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Europe and CIS. Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Turkey remain in the front line of the crisis, resulting in sharp declines of GDP in most countries and the destruction of large numbers of jobs. For example, between April 2008 and April 2009, the Russian economy lost 3.4 million jobs. The unemployment rate increased to 10.3 per cent of the labour force in Ukraine and to 15.8 per cent in Turkey in the first quarter Young workers have suffered disproportionally from the jobs crisis; many migrant workers lost their jobs and the amount of remittances sent back home declined by one-third or more. Many governments in the region have launched measures to address the recession and improve the labour market situation but, as Ms Petra Ulshoefer, ILO s Regional Director for Europe noted, it is important to stimulate an inclusive job-rich growth and build a macroeconomic framework conducive to high levels of investment, sustainable enterprises and productive employment, The ILO s Global Jobs Pact, relevant for all the countries, can usefully guide the Governments and social partners in these actions. While it is widely recognized that social protection systems are crucial in response to the crisis, coverage and adequacy of such systems in the region have shown to be lacking and often not responsive to the needs of vulnerable populations. During the period of economic growth, emphasis was on targeting to the least well off but in doing so, left large groups of vulnerable populations unprotected. The crisis is highlighting that there is a need for social protec- ALMATY High-level representatives from Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Turkey examined regional policy responses to the economic crisis at a UN Ministerial Conference jointly organized by four U.N. agencies (the ILO, UNICEF, FAO and UNDP ) and hosted by the Government of Kazakhstan in Almaty (Kazakhstan) on 7-8 December. The Conference gathered Ministers of Labour and Social Affairs and senior officials from the Ministries of Labour, Finance/ Economy and Agriculture from 12 countries of the region - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Republic of Moldova, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Ukraine, high-level representatives of the United Nations system, international and regional financial institutions, regional organizations, bilateral cooperation agencies, international employers' and workers' organizations, civil society and regional academia. Based on the most recent development of the crisis, the conference provided a platform to exchange experiences and good practices on how to stimulate recovery in the region, mitigate the social impact of the crisis and build on long-term sustainable responses to the global financial and economic crisis. The global economic and financial crisis has affected all countries, and Kazakhstan was no exception. In early 2009 the country faced a difficult situation on the labour market, particularly in oil- and gas-producing regions, Gulshara Abdykalikova, Kazakhstan s Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Population told participants and guests at tion systems that are more flexible and with greater coverage. Where to find such resources Continued on Page 2

2 UN Ministerial Conference addresses social impact of economic crisis in the region Russia supports ILO s Global Jobs Pact Continued from Page 1 at a time of crisis is a difficult but key issue one requiring political will and vision. Agriculture also plays an important role in protecting the rural and vulnerable population. In order to foster the recovery process in agriculture, additional steps need to be taken including enhancement of both national and international investments into the agriculture sector as well as the improvement of market functioning to facilitate price transmission and better integration with global commodity prices. Following a ministerial panel discussion on the employment and social impact of the crisis in the region, the conference included three thematic technical sessions focusing on employment, social protection and food security, based on working papers prepared by the ILO, UNICEF and FAO. Faced with a regional challenge of significant negative effects of the global crisis on employment, social protection and food security, in particular for vulnerable groups of the population, high-level representatives from Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Turkey adopted a Ministerial Declaration designed to stimulate long-term sustainable responses to the global financial and economic crisis. The Declaration commits Governments of 11 countries of the region to the development of employment policies and social protection systems that can respond quickly and effectively to existing and new vulnerabilities, and measures to address remaining food security issues affecting parts of the region. Through this Declaration, the Governments committed themselves to building employment, social protection and food security policies that will ensure that every working woman and man has the opportunity to participate in the economy and contribute to an economic and labour market recovery with equity. More information on the UN Ministerial Conference at region/eurpro/geneva/what/events/ almaty2009/ Russia is taking vigorous efforts in order to alleviate tensions on the labour market, President Dmitry Medvedev said. Speaking at an APEC business summit on November 14, he stressed the need for coordinated actions in providing social guarantees, ensuring the affordability and quality of training, and mobility of labour. He believes that the International Labour Organisation should play an important role in this process, and Russia supports its Global Jobs Pact. The crisis has indeed hit all of us hard, including Russia. But anti-crisis measures and the policy that has been pursued over the past year in practice, we could stabilise the situation, he said. Source: ITAR-TASS Appointments Kyrgyz Republic On October 22, Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev signed a decree to appoint Aigul Ryskulova as head of new Ministry of Labour, Employment and Migration. Aigul Ryskulova was born in Bishkek (Frunze) on November 23, She graduated from the Kyrgyz State University, department of law ( ) and the Academy of Labour and Social Relations in Moscow, department of economy ( ). Since 1994 she occupied different posts in the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection. In Ryskulova chaired the state employment department. Since 2003 she served as the head of Kyrgyzstan s Social Fund department and since April 2005 the first deputy head of the Social Fund. In she headed the state committee for migration and employment under the government of Kyrgyzstan. Since January 2008 she has been the co-chair of the council of heads of the CIS migration bodies. Married with one son. Source: Armenia On November 23, Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan appointed Mkhitar Mnatsakanyan as the Republic s Labour and Social Affairs Minister. Mkhitar Mnatsakanyan was born in Armenia s city of Sevan in In 1972 he graduated from the Yerevan State Medical University and in 1984 from the Higher School of the USSR Ministry of the Interior. In 1994 Mnatsakanyan served as administrative director of the International Post-Traumatic Rehabilitation Center of the Red Cross. In 2001 he became the president of the Armenian Red Cross Society. Since December 2007 he has chaired the permanent parliamentary commission for human rights and public affairs. Mnatsakanyan holds the Master of Medical Sciences degree. He is an honorary professor of the European University, a member of the Russian Academy of Medical and Technical Sciences and the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences. Married with two children. Source: Belarus On December 4, Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko appointed Marianna Shchetkina as the Republic s Labour and Social Protection Minister. Marianna Shchetkina was born on Kildin Island, Russia s Murmansk region, on November 20, In 1982 she graduated from A. A. Zhdanov Leningrad State University (now known as St. Petersburg State University), department of physics, in 2007 from the Academy of Management under the President of Belarus, with specialization in the state management in the social sector. In she served as an engineer at Integral production association. From 1986 to 2003 Shchetkina worked in the sphere of education. In she became a deputy chair of the Leninsky district administration in Minsk. In she chaired the committee on labour, employment and social protection of the Minsk city executive committee. Since 2007 she served as Deputy and First Deputy Labour and Social Protection Minister. Married with one son. Source: Newsletter 4 (39), Page 2

3 December 1 - World AIDS Day: Stop AIDS, keep the promise It is our collective responsibility to respond to this call of World AIDS Day 2009: I am living my rights. Stop AIDS, keep the promise. Keeping the promise means enabling HIV-positive workers to remain on the job. Eliminating HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination in the world of work upholds the dignity of work and of workers. Policies and strategies for prevention and treatment sustain the workforce. And in sustaining the workforce we sustain families, communities, societies and economies. Juan Somavia, ILO Director-General Moscow hosts Eastern Europe and Central Asia AIDS Conference On October the third regional Eastern European and Central Asian AIDS Conference took place in Moscow. More than 2,500 delegates from all CIS countries as well as from Eastern Europe and Central Asia took part in the conference. Politicians, researchers and health professionals, people living with HIV and representatives of civil society from the region had an opportunity to discuss the most urgent issues related to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The ILO took an active part in the conference. Along with experts from the ILO Moscow Office the ILO delegation included focal points on HIV/AIDS and the world of work nominated by social partners representatives of employers organizations from Russia, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, trade unions associations of Russia and participants in ILO s HIV/AIDS Workplace Education Programme in Russia. The ILO information materials in Russian and English (posters, leaflets, booklets, CD-ROMs on HIV prevention at workplace) were presented at the UN information booth. The ILO organized session «Business and Youth: in Search of New Ways of Cooperation in HIV Prevention, as a part of Youth Village a special platform for youth, where during a three-day conference the most pressing issues, related to HIV counteraction among youth, were examined. This session focused on opportunities and initiatives on HIV counteraction that business can undertake as well as on the role of the youth and young people associations in organizing workplace educational campaigns. The ILO was actively engaged in a satellite seminar on the prevention programmes on HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections and viral hepatitis at workplaces. This event was organized by the Russian Healthcare Foundation within the framework of the national priority project on health. Elena Kudriavtseva set forth ILO s position on preventive programmes at workplace, and told about ILO s standards on HIV prevention in the world of work. Representatives of largescale enterprises that participate in the national priority project on health shared their practical knowledge and expertise. Best practices of workplace education programmes from the countries of the region were also presented, in particular, projects of the Russian National Association Business for Healthy Society and the GTZ, an international cooperation enterprise for sustainable Larissa Dementieva, deputy head of HIV/AIDS department, Rospotrebnadzor, speaking at the satellite seminar development with worldwide operations. The conference concluded in the adoption of a joint statement calling for developing and expanding special programmes on HIV prevention that will supplement healthy lifestyle promotion projects targeting general population. Delegates also called for further counteraction to stigma and discrimination and for stronger cooperation among ministries, lawmakers, civil society, trade unions and private sector. ILO s international conference on occupational safety More than 300 participants from some 60 countries discussed on November 3-6 the potential impact of the global economic crisis on occupational safety and health (OSH) at an international conference hosted by the ILO in Düsseldorf on Implementing Occupational Safety and Health Standards Globally during the A+A Messe Düsseldorf International Trade Fair and Congress The conference focused on implementing standards and the role of social partners, labour inspection, non-state actors, social security and practitioners. Key themes focused on the economic crisis and safety and health at work; health and life at work as a basic human right; the European Forum on the Seoul Declaration on Safety and Health at Work; good practices on prevention and OSH management; and labour inspection in the path of change. The global financial crisis will, without a doubt, have a profound effect on the world of work. The resulting changes will have a significant impact on safety and health in workplaces around the globe. Thus, it is now more important than ever to strengthen tripartite efforts behind promoting safety and health at work and ensuring the proper implementation of occupational safety and health standards, said Assane Diop, Executive Director, Social Protection Sector, International Labour Office, Geneva. The ILO Moscow Office was represented by Wiking Husberg, senior OSH specialist, who stressed that Decent work is safe work. Social dialogue as a part of the enterprise OSH management system, and supported by the labour inspection, can sustain safe and productive work in the time of crisis. Providing decent working conditions in times of crisis is a guarantee of maintaining social balance among the workforce of an enterprise, said Yuri Gertsiy, Director General of the Federal Service on Labour and Employment (Rostrud), who represented Russia at the conference. The conference was organized within the framework of the A+A Messe Düsseldorf International Trade Fair, where Russia was represented as a partner country by the Association of designers, manufacturers and suppliers of personal protective equipment. Newsletter 4 (39), Page 3

4 This is our next report on the events in the subregion to celebrate ILO s 90th Anniversary. During the whole year we reported on the anniversary events that stressed the need for joint efforts of tripartite partners amid the economic crisis and demonstrated how the ILO's experience and standards can be applied to alleviate the impacts of the crisis in the subregion. ILO90: Decent Work at the Heart of Sustainable Society conference in Yekaterinburg YEKATERINBURG, RUSSIA - On October the Urals State University of Economics together with the ILO Moscow Office and the regional authorities held in Yekaterinburg the international scientific and practical conference Decent Work at the Heart of Sustainable Society. The event was devoted to the 90 th anniversary of the International Labour Organization. The conference focused on problems of the labour market and productive employment in different sectors of economy, transfer of advanced experience in the governance of decent work as well as the ways to reduce the decent work deficit. In his opening remarks the deputy chairman of the Sverdlovsk region legislature, Nail Shaimardanov, said despite the economic crisis it is high time to analyze the Russian economy from the point of view of decent work criteria. He congratulated the ILO upon its 90 th anniversary and the 10 th anniversary of Decent Work Agenda stressing that the forum is devoted to these remarkable events. The head of the Sverdlovsk region government, Viktor Koksharov, addressed the conference with the report entitled Decent work as the target and key resource of the region s strategic development. In his report he made assessment of the region s labour market amid crisis. In particular, Koksharov stressed that all participants of the social dialogue (employers, trade unionists and government representatives) made it possible in times of economic downturn to protect the rights of workers, including the right to decent remuneration. Ludmila Ouskova, ILO Moscow Office, told about the history and activities of the International Labour Organization as well as about the fundamental principles of the Decent Work Agenda. Participants in the forum stressed that Russia needs a national doctrine of human and labour potential development, the vocational education and training system, including the right of every person to enjoy access to life-long vocational education. Taking part in the event were also trade unionists, directors of industrial enterprises, representatives of research and public organizations, local legislatures and municipalities. ILO s international standards most important source of labour law (Anniversary roundtable at the Moscow Humanitarian University) MOSCOW, RUSSIA - On October 19, the Moscow Humanitarian University s department of civil process and social branches of law organized a roundtable meeting devoted to the 90 th anniversary of the ILO and the 50 th anniversary of the ILO Moscow Office. The roundtable meeting was chaired by Professor and Doctor of Law Tamara Soshnikova, the head of the department of civil process and social branches of law. ILO s actions towards protection of fundamental rights and freedoms in the sphere of labour. Students also delivered reports at the event. Fifth grade student Mikhail Kuznetsov spoke about the problems of the implementation of international standards in the Russian legislation, while third grade student Farid Mussa-zade focused on one of the most vital human rights the right to housing. Professor Tamara Soshnikova sharing her knowledge with students Students eagerly studying ILO s publications She told students about the sources of labour law, where ILO s conventions and recommendations occupy an important place. ILO Moscow Office Communications Specialist Olga Bogdanova reported on the activities of the ILO and showed a film about the history of the International Labour Organization and its current activities. The ILO Moscow Office handed over to the department and its students publications about the Newsletter 4 (39), Page 4

5 Migration projects gain pace in the region Kazakhstan s trade unions discuss effective governance of labour migration On November 12, the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan held a roundtable meeting on effective governance of labour migration. The event was organized within the framework of the ILO s project Towards Sustainable Partnerships for the Effective Governance of Labour Migration in the Russian Federation, the Caucasus and Central Asia. Participants in the discussions focused on the role of trade unions in protecting migrant workers rights. In times of globalization and world economic recession these issues become very pressing and require legislative solution. It s no coincidence that they stressed the need for upgrading the legislative base that regulates these relations and the whole system of labour migration governance. The chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Siyazbek Mukashev, believes that for this it is necessary to pool efforts of the ILO, the government, employers and trade unionists. The general opinion that migrants cannot lodge claims for their working conditions and remuneration should be eliminated. Parliamentarian Svetlana Ferkho reported on the legislative regulation of migration processes in the Central Asia republic. She noted that over the past five years the influx of foreign workforce in Kazakhstan tripled. Every year around 300,000 people are engaged into the process of internal migration. Taking part in the meeting were ILO experts, representatives of the Labour and Social Protection Ministry, the Interior Ministry, employers associations, trade unions and other organizations. Source: Many Tajik labour migrants undergo construction courses Over the two years many labour migrants from the Rasht Valley of Tajikistan underwent construction courses under the ILO- UNDP Project Community development through employment creation and improved migration management. The project was aimed at supporting Tajik potential labour migrants. Within the framework of the project they took Russian language courses, gained professional skills needed in the construction industry and studied legal aspects, Rastislav Vrbensky, UNDP Tajikistan s Country Director told a news conference at the republican news centre of Tajikistan on October 14. The population of the Rasht Valley numbers 280,000. Of them 80 percent are engaged in agriculture, while 42 percent are young people, most of whom went to Russia in search of a job. The project helped residents of the Rasht Valley to create new jobs and get vocational education. Over 200 members of labour migrant families in the Tavildara district who have no professional skills studied beekeeping and honey production. Beate Andrees, ILO s Special Action Programme to Combat Forced Labour, said the project totals U.S. dollars, of them 360,000 U.S. dollars are injected into the project s implementation in the Rasht Valley. Source: Russia takes further steps to ratify ILO Maritime Labour Convention The new ILO Consolidated Maritime Labour Convention (2006) also hailed as super convention and even a seafarers bill of rights that Russia can ratify soon opens a new page in regulation of the maritime industry. The thing is not only in its wide-ranging and fair approach that takes into consideration interests of seafarers, shipowners, states and public associations. First of all, the strength of this Convention is in creating equal rules of the game for all participants of the maritime industry and in controlling how the rules set forth in the document are observed. How are the Russian Federation and other leading maritime powers preparing for ratification of the Convention? To what degree should control over social and labour relations in the maritime industry be ensured? What is the role of seafarers trade unions and ship-owners associations in this process? These issues topped the agenda of a regional seminar devoted to Russia s preparation for fulfilling its flag state obligations under the ILO Consolidated Maritime Labour Convention. The seminar took place in Arkhangelsk on October and was organized by the Admiral Makarov State Maritime Academy under support of the Federal Agency for Sea and River Transport. Participants in the seminar also discussed why Russia should ensure timely ratification and implementation of the Convention, the role of a flag state in ship inspections and possible approaches towards creating a system of inspections in Russia. They also studied actions of the European Economic Area and open register countries and experience of the port state control under the Merchant Shipping (Minimum Standards) Convention C 147. Taking part in the seminar were representatives of the Russian Transport Ministry, Federal Agency for Sea and River Transport, Trade Union of Water Transport Workers, Russian Maritime Register of Shipping, Seafarers Union of Russia, training and research organizations, shipping and crewing companies. Source: Conference on Decent Work Country Programme priorities The sub-regional conference to set up the Decent Work priorities and anti-crisis response in five CIS countries Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian Federation and Tajikistan -- was organized by the ILO Moscow Office and the International Training Centre, Turin, in Baku on December Tripartite delegations from the five countries discussed the results and lessons learnt after the implementation of the first Decent Work Countries Programmes ending in December 2009 and formulated the key priorities for the new DWCPs that are currently being developed and planned to be signed by spring Participants also focused on the ILO s Global Jobs Pact and the anti-crisis measures that are being taken by their governments and social partners at the national level. Newsletter 4 (39), Page 5

6 Following international labour standards - hearings at State Duma What should be done amid economic downturn to protect workers rights? This issue topped the agenda of parliamentary hearings at the State Duma that focused on the development of Russia s legislation in the social sphere and prospects for ratification of conventions of the International Labour Organization. Participants in the hearings came to conclusion that it is necessary to bring the domestic legislation into line with international labour standards. Of late importance of international labour standards in Russia has increased, said Nadezhda Gerasimova, State Duma deputy speaker. ILO s conventions should form the backbone of domestic legislation, as they are aimed at protecting citizens labour rights, promoting employment and expanding opportunities for professional advancement. There is a general agreement signed by Russia s trade unions, employers and government. It is aimed at conducting social and economic policy to ensure citizens rights to decent work and better living standards and to reduce poverty. Participants stressed that ratification of ILO s Conventions would ease the way to achieve the intended goals. At the same time Ildar Gabdrakhmanov, the first deputy head of the Duma s labour and social policy committee, expressed dissatisfaction with the preparation for ratification of international documents. For instance, the tripartite commission on the regulation of social labour relations has been discussing Protection of Workers' Claims (Employer's Insolvency) Convention C173, for over ten years. The process would drag out for a longer period until the president and the government have instructed the Health and Social Development Ministry to speed up work on ratification of several conventions. As a result in January the ministry will submit nine ILO conventions to the State Duma for ratification. In particular, parliamentarians will consider Medical Care and Sickness Benefits Convention C130, Holidays with Pay Convention C132, Maternity Protection Convention C3 and Prevention of Major Industrial Accidents Convention C174. According to the Health and Social Development Ministry, ratification of several conventions will require amendments to the effective legislation. Some conventions should be ratified later as their ratification will bring about additional spending. At the same time representatives of the government agreed with parliamentarians that certain conventions of the ILO should be urgently ratified. Such issues as regulation of labour migrants and social protection of those citizens who went jobless should be high on the agenda. Therefore it is necessary to submit for consideration of parliamentarians such conventions as Home Work Convention C177 and Private Employment Agencies Convention C181. We are interested in ratifying the maximum number of ILO s conventions, said Deputy Health and Social Development Minister Maxim Topilin. This would give a fresh impetus to upgrade the domestic legislation. ILO Subregional Office Director Martina Lubyova noted that the crisis inspired a considerable interest in the ILO s documents and the idea of tripartite cooperation itself. She focused participants attention on Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention (C 144) that Russia still has no plans to ratify. At present, Russia ratified 54 of ILO s 188 conventions. Source: Parlamentskaya Gazeta newspaper Training of Trainers on the Skills and Entrepreneurial E-learning Campus In early October at the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization (ITCILO) twenty professionals from eight different countries of the subregion met in Turin to participate in the training of trainers on the Skills and Entrepreneurial E-learning Campus. The ITCILO and the ILO Moscow Office have worked on the preparation of this event since 2007 with the aim of supporting training and vocational education institutions as well as enterprises, and NGOs in building Newsletter 4 (39), Page 6 the capacity to effectively deliver distance learning programmes. The ILO Moscow Office backstops the work of several Modular Skill Training (MST) methodologists and developers, Know About Business (KAB) facilitators, Start and Improve Your Business (SYIB) trainers and master trainers working in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan. E-learning has nowadays become an attractive option for training delivery and can be particularly suitable for large countries and participants living in remote areas. The e-learning project had different phases. Initially, a resource-sharing platform was developed ( to enable the trainers to upload and share their training and learning materials. The platform was created in Russian and English and is actively used in the region. In a second phase, the Skills and Entrepreneurial E-learning Campus was created and ten professionals were trained at a distance in Module D4 Facilitate distance learning. Those ten people are today the multipliers of the ongoing process. Seven of them came to Turin with other thirteen participants and learnt how to use the Skills and Entrepreneurial E-learning Campus and build their own e-learning course. The workshop in Turin was a success and led to the (initial) development of six e- learning courses on MST, KAB and SIYB, but also on informatics and on souvenir dolls -making. Participants were extremely satisfied by the learning experience. We feel as if we were trusted to raise a child: we are now fully equipped to take care of it and help it to grow, it just depends on us! said one of the trainees. By Monica Lisa, ITC ILO, Distance Education and Learning Technology Application (DELTA) Programme

7 Our publications You can find all publications of the ILO Moscow Office in a relevant section on our website Handbook for Employers (Russian edition) Handbook for Employers on the rules of attracting and using foreign workforce on the territory of the Russian Federation was issued by the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs and the ILO within the framework of the project Towards Sustainable Partnerships for the Effective Governance of Labor Migration in the Russian Federation, the Caucasus and Central Asia. The handbook provides guidance for employers in the variety of effective legal acts on migration. Reconciling Work and Family in Georgia (in Russian, English) We continue to issue a series of publications on work and family responsibilities and consequences of the work-family conflict in different countries of the region. This publication in the series is entitled Reconciling Work and Family in Georgia. It briefly tells about family structure and the economy in Georgia, childcare facilities, Georgia s legislation on protection of workers with family responsibilities and provides extracts from selected articles from the country s legislation concerning this issue. Project Brief - Migration (in Russian, English) This publication is a brief description of ILO s Project Regulating Labour Migration as an Instrument of Development and Regional Cooperation in Central Asia - Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan. Outreach countries are Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. We ever more focus on printing the publications on national languages in the region. This series of publications on occupational safety and health is issued on the Armenian language. It is important to note that the Republican Union of Employers of Armenia together with the ILO were engaged in this project. Under ILO s technical support an OSH training and information centre was set up in Armenia, several trainings were organized and these publications were translated into the Armenian language and printed within the framework of the projects WISE-up: Promotion of Safe Work and Equal Opportunities at Small and Medium Enterprises in Armenia and Towards Sustainable Partnerships for the Effective Governance of Labor Migration in the Russian Federation, the Caucasus and Central Asia. Newsletter 4 (39), Page 7

8 In Brief Kazakhstan s social insurance system On October 16-17, Kazakhstan s town of Borovoe hosted a roundtable meeting on the development of pension and social insurance. It was devoted to the 5 th anniversary of the State Social Insurance Fund of Kazakhstan. Taking part in the event were officials of the Labour and Social Protection Ministry, Russia s Pension Fund, Kyrgyzstan s Social Fund, experts of the ILO and the International Association of Pension and Social Funds. ILO Moscow Office Social Security Specialist Mariko Ouchi reported on international experience in unemployment and maternity benefits as well as occupational safety insurance. In her report she focused on ILO Maternity Protection Convention (C 183) as Kazakhstan has not ratified this document so far. Labour legislation and social dialogue in Georgia The tripartite roundtable on labour legislation and social dialogue in Georgia took place in Tbilisi on October Participants discussed the challenges ahead in reforming labour legislation in Georgia and contemporary approaches and modalities of the social dialogue, freedom of association and collective bargaining. They agreed to undertake steps to formalize social dialogue, with particular attention to mediation and settlement of the labour disputes in Georgia. ILO Executive Director visits Belarus Kari Tapiola, Executive Director of the ILO for Standards and Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, visited Belarus on October to study the observance of Belarus independent trade union rights and hold consultations on the implementation of ILO s recommendations by the Belarussian government. During his visit Tapiola met with representatives of the country s Foreign Ministry, Labour and Social Development Ministry as well as chairmen of the Belarussian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions, the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus, and the Radio Electronic Industry Workers Union. Consultations on effective governance of labour migration in Kyrgyzstan Regional Consultations on the Effective Governance of Labour Migration Improving Labour Mobility and Enhancing the Development Impact of Migration took place on Lake Issyk-Kul on October Within the framework of the project Towards Sustainable Partnerships for the Effective Governance of Labour Migration in the Russian Federation, the Caucasus and Central Asia the ILO has prepared a series of studies, with the assistance of national and international experts, on migration and development. Invitees to the consultations included senior government officials, social partners, regional organizations, researchers and NGOs from Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. Dutch company visits Bishkek to boost youth employment On October 28-30, the Federation of Employers Guild of Directors of Kyrgyzstan organized a visit of Dutch Textile Company Tootal to Bishkek to establish business to business links between the Netherlands and Kyrgyzstan in order to strengthen employment opportunities for women and men, including the country s youth. The visit took place within the framework of ILO s Boosting Youth Employment Project. Uzbekistan imposes penalty for child labour On November 4, Uzbekistan s parliamentarians adopted a law on amendments to the Republic s Code on Administrative Responsibility that envisions administrative penalty for the use of child labour in hazardous working conditions. The draft law was developed to implement the National Action Plan to meet requirements of the ILO Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention and Minimum Age Convention ratified by Uzbekistan. Parliamentarians stressed the importance of adopting the legal acts that impose responsibility on individual persons, including parents, for the use of child labour in hazardous conditions that can cause damage to health or safety of children. ILO Governing Body calls for employment oriented response to crisis The Governing Body of the International Labour Office called for an employment oriented response to the global economic crisis based on policy measures set out in the ILO s Global Jobs Pact. At the meeting in Geneva on November 5-20, the Governing Body also discussed the impact of the global economic crisis on various economic sectors and wages, and technical cooperation in support of the ILO s response to the crisis, as well as a new ILO-UNDP led United Nations Policy for post -conflict employment creation and income generation. Tbilisi hosts seminar on risk management On November 11-13, the mission of the ILO Moscow Office led by senior OSH specialist Wiking Husberg visited Tbilisi to take part in a seminar on risk management organized by the Georgia Employers Association. The event focused on risk assessment of pilot enterprises based on the ILO rapid assessment methods and ILO-OSH 2001 with the participation of OSH specialists and enterprise representatives. ILO Moscow Office marks 50th anniversary On December 16, the ILO Moscow office marked its 50th anniversary. Our tripartite partners congratulated us on this day. Photo (left to right): Yevgeny Sidorov, secretary of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia (FITUR) and ILO Governing Body Member, Marina Moskvina, director of the labour relations and labour market department, Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP) and ILO Governing Body Member, Mikhail Shmakov, FITUR chairman, Martina Lubyova, ILO Moscow Office Director, Alexander Safonov, Deputy Health and Social Development Minister and ILO Governing Body Member and Natalia Zharova, director of the wages, occupational safety and social partnership department, Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation. ILO Subregional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia Russia , Moscow, 15 Petrovka st., office 23 Tel.: +7 (495) , fax: +7 (495) Web-site: moscow@ilo.org Editor: Elena Iskandarova This newsletter is distributed free of charge. Circulation: 3500 copies On the issue of distribution please contact: +7 (495) or moscow@ilo.org