This presentation was an assignment for a post graduate diploma course. It gives an idea of hw Surinames' workforce has benefited from us being part og the ILO for the past almost 40 years. This is by no means a complete or comprehensive study, but if it can help someone why not share??

1. Student: Derrick Boldewijn
Lecturer: Mrs. M. Lieuw Kie Song LLM, MSc
Academic year 2017/2018
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THE INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
OF THE ANTON DE KOM UNIVERISTY SURINAME
(IIR/ADEKUS)
POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA
IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

2. Content
• Research question
• What is the ILO
• The ILO in International Law
• The ILO and Suriname
• Conclusion
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3. Research question
• Has Suriname’s’ signing of the ILO treaty 39 years ago lead to better
protected workers?
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4. What is the ILO
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• The only tripartite U.N. agency, since 1919 the ILO brings together
governments, employers and workers of 187 member States, to set labour
standards, develop policies and devise programmes promoting decent work
for all women and men.
• Specialized Agency of the Economic and Social Council of the U.N.

5. Main bodies
• The International labour Conference sets the International labour
standards and the broad policies of the ILO. It meets annually in Geneva.
Often called an international parliament of labour, the Conference is also a
forum for discussion of key social and labour questions.
• The Governing body is the executive council of the ILO. It meets three times
a year in Geneva. It takes decisions on ILO policy and establishes the
programme and the budget, which it then submits to the Conference for
adoption.
• The International Labour Office is the permanent secretariat of the
International Labour Organization. It is the focal point for International
Labour Organization's overall activities, which it prepares under the scrutiny
of the Governing Body and under the leadership of the Director-General.
• Regional meetings of the ILO member States are held periodically to
examine matters of special interest to the regions concerned.
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8. ILO and International Law
• The ILO is mainly concerned with that part of International Law that is
known as International Labour Law
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9. The importance of the ILO (1)
Sources of International Labour Law:
• The ILO's labour standards form the majority of the sources of International
Labour Law.
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10. ILO sources of International Labour Law
• The objectives of the ILO are contained in the Preamble to the ILO
Constitution, and the Annex to the Constitution, entitled Declaration
concerning the aims and purposes of the International Labour Organisation
(the 'Declaration of Philadelphia'). These objectives form the basis for the
formation of the international labor standards.
• ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. This
declaration is binding on all Member States and commits them to respect
and promote principles and rights in four categories, whether or not they
have ratified the relevant Conventions. These four categories are: freedom
of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective
bargaining, the elimination of forced or compulsory labour, the abolition of
child labour and the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment
and occupation (Article 2).
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11. Other sources of International Labour Law
• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948 (Article 23 establishes the
right to work, to equal and fair remuneration and the right to form and join
trade unions)
• The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial
Discrimination, 1965
• The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966
• The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 1966
• The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against
Women, 1979
• The Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989
• The International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant
Workers and Members of their Families, 2003
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12. Functions of ILO
Interpretation of Conventions:
Member States may ask the ILO to interpret the meaning of an international
labor standard. Various ILO organs offer interpretations of Conventions, which
are treated as authoritative by member States and form a body of ‘case law’
which gives content to the obligations imposed by Conventions and
Recommendations. If a member state requests a formal interpretation of a
Convention, the decision will be published in the ILO’s Official Bulletin and
circulated to all member states.
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13. Functions of ILO cont’d
• REPRESENTATIONS over the Application of Ratified Conventions
• COMPLAINTS over the Application of Ratified Conventions
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14. The ILO and Suriname
Ratifications for Suriname
• 33 Conventions – 56 not ratified
• Fundamental Conventions: 8
• Governance Conventions (Priority): 3
• Technical Conventions: 22
• Out of 33 Conventions ratified by Suriname, of which 30 are in force, 2
Conventions have been denounced; 1 instrument abrogated; 1 has been
ratified in the past 12 months.
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15. Latest conventions signed by Suriname
• C138 - Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138), Minimum age specified:
16 years, 15 Jan 2018Not in force - The Convention will enter into force for
Suriname on 15 Jan 2019.
• C111 - Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No.
111) 04 Jan 2017 In Force
• C100 - Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100)04 Jan 2017 In
Force
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16. • http://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=1000:11200:0::NO:11200:P1120
0_COUNTRY_ID:103287
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17. ILO influence on Suriname
• On October 25th 2016, 3 labour laws were passed in DNA. With the passing
of these laws, the Suriname labour laws were adapting to the ILO
standards.
• In March of 2018, the new and revised Labour Advise College was installed.
In the renewal process, the guidelines of the ILO were taken into
consideration.
• ‘Arbeidsbemiddelingwet 2017, Article 27 gives a clear reference to the ILO
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19. Conclusion
My research question was: Has Suriname’s’ signing of the ILO treaty 39 years
ago lead to better protected workers?
The evidence gives a clear indication that Suriname’s membership to the ILO
has indeed had an impact on the national legislation.
Suriname has ratified 33 conventions and protocols in the past 39 years.
The conclusion can be drawn that Suriname's participation in the ILO has
indeed had a positive effect on it’s own workforce and has led to better
protected workers.
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20. Sources
• http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/lang--en/index.htm
• http://www.un.org/en/aboutun/structure/pdfs/UN_System_Chart_2015_Rev.4
_ENG_11x17colour.pdf
• Slides International Law Course, IIR, 2017/2018
• http://unimelb.libguides.com/internationallaw/labour_law
• ILO DECLARATION ON FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES AND RIGHTS AT WORK
AND ITS FOLLOW-UP
http://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=1000:11200:0::NO:11200:P11200_CO
UNTRY_ID:103287
Staatsblad van de Republiek Suriname
http://www.gov.sr/ministerie-van-arbeid.aspx
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21. Questions?
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22. Subject seminar paper
• De invloed van de ILO op de ontwikkeling van het sociaal zekerheidstelsel
in Suriname.
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