Policy

The Vision Zero Fund is a G7-launched, G20-endorsed multi-donor trust fund administered by ILO to prevent work-related deaths, injuries, and diseases in global supply chains. In its first 5 years, the program improved health and safety for 5.6 million workers across garment, agriculture, coffee, and construction sectors in countries including Ethiopia, Madagascar, Vietnam, Myanmar, Colombia, Indonesia, and Uganda. Achievements include: Vietnam - 18,000+ farmers received OSH training; Myanmar - 198,000 garment workers gained enhanced employment injury insurance, 1,500 ginger farmers trained; Indonesia - 1.7 million coffee workers benefited from OSH improvements; Ethiopia - updated occupational disease list and National OSH Directive; Madagascar - ratified ILO Conventions 155, 161, 187.

The Fair Recruitment Initiative, launched in 2014, prevents human trafficking and forced labor by protecting migrant workers from abusive recruitment practices. The initiative's four-pronged approach: (1) enhance global knowledge on recruitment, (2) improve laws/enforcement, (3) promote fair business practices, (4) empower and protect workers. Since launch, FRI has covered 50 countries, contributed to 110 countries regulating recruitment fees, and supported 133 new ratifications of relevant ILO Conventions. The ILO General Principles state that NO recruitment fees should be charged to workers. The program addresses the estimated USD 5.6 billion annual illegal profits from exploitative recruitment fees charged to migrant workers.

TRIANGLE in ASEAN (2015-2027), supported by Australia and Canada, protects migrant workers in Southeast Asia through research, policy advice, capacity building, and service facilitation. The program covers all ASEAN countries plus key destination countries. Activities include: applied research on labor migration to inform policy changes; legislative reviews based on International Labour Standards; training for government officials, workers' organizations, and private sector; public attitude tracking surveys (Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand); publications on skills mobility and recognition in ASEAN; COVID-19 impact studies on migrant workers. Related "Safe and Fair" project (ILO-UN Women) specifically addresses women migrant workers' rights.

IPEC+, formed in 2015 by merging ILO's child labor and forced labor programs, is the flagship initiative targeting SDG 8.7 - eradicate child labor by 2025 and forced labor by 2030. Operating in 88+ countries, the program uses a theory of change with four pillars: (1) public policies and governance - better laws and enforcement, (2) partnerships and advocacy - including Alliance 8.7 global partnership, (3) empowerment and protection - bottom-up approaches for vulnerable families, (4) knowledge and data - surveys, tools, and evaluation. World Day Against Child Labour (June 12, since 2002) is a key advocacy moment. Convention 182 on Worst Forms of Child Labour achieved universal ratification by all 187 ILO members in 2020 - the fastest-ratified agreement in ILO history.

The annual World Day for Safety and Health at Work (April 28) is ILO's primary awareness campaign for workplace safety, coinciding with Workers' Memorial Day. The campaign promotes a "culture of prevention" across governments, employers, and workers through tripartite social dialogue. Each year focuses on emerging risks: 2025 explored AI and digitalization impacts on OSH (opportunities like hazard-detecting robots, risks like work intensification); previous years addressed violence/harassment prevention. The campaign supports ILO Conventions 155 (OSH) and 187 (Promotional Framework for OSH). Key messages: 2.93 million workers die annually from work-related factors; 395 million sustain non-fatal injuries. Safe work is a fundamental principle and right at work since 2022 ILC decision.

The Spotlight Initiative, launched 2017 by the European Union and United Nations with €500 million, is a global program to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls by 2030. Operating across Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Latin America, and Pacific, it addresses sexual/gender-based violence, FGM, child marriage, femicide, trafficking, and domestic violence. Results: 540+ laws/policies signed or strengthened; conviction rate for GBV doubled across 13 countries; 5,000+ grassroots women's organizations reported increased influence; 3 million women/girls accessed GBV services; 8 million young people participated in gender-equitable programs; 6 million men/boys educated on positive masculinity; campaigns reached 384 million people; 50 countries strengthened National Action Plans. 49% of funds ($195M) go to civil society organizations, with 10% earmarked for grassroots women's groups.

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is an annual global campaign running from November 25 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) to December 10 (Human Rights Day). Launched in 1991 by the Center for Women's Global Leadership at Rutgers University, it has grown to include 6,000+ organizations in 187 countries. The campaign raises awareness about the crisis affecting 1 in 3 women globally, promotes evidence-based prevention through the RESPECT Women framework (Relationship skills, Empowering women, Services, Poverty reduction, Enabling environments, Child abuse prevention, Transforming norms), and calls for action from governments, tech companies, and individuals. The 2025 theme focuses on digital violence. The campaign is supported by UN Women's UNiTE initiative and features orange as its symbolic color.