By Funmi Komolafe
GENEVA—The International Labour Organisation, ILO,  has advised member-nations including Nigeria, to put in place policies that would create jobs and offer social protection in their efforts at economic recovery.

As it concluded the 99th session of  the International Labour Conference in  Geneva, ILO suggested that all countries “must get the right balance of policies to secure strong, sustainable and balanced growth.”

ILO noted that in view of the forthcoming G20 leaders’ summit in Toronto, representatives of the “real economy” – government, employer and worker delegates from ILO’s 183 member-states -  are  concerned  that the global economic recovery remained “fragile and unevenly distributed, and many labour markets are yet to see jobs recovery match economic recovery.”

The workers’ representative from Japan, Mr. Shigeru Nakajima, said: “It is urgent to adopt policies putting employment at the centre of economic policies.”

ILO’s Director-General, Mr. Juan Somavia, said, “Here at ILO, we have reinforced this concept: the only real recovery is a recovery without social deficit.”

He emphasised, ”Quality jobs at the heart of the recovery” was a key message from Pittsburgh last September. This remains more relevant than ever.”

Delegates called for action to apply ILO’s Global Jobs Pact. The pact was adopted at a crisis summit held during last year’s International Labour Conference and received strong support during the G20 summit in Pittsburgh last September.

Speakers also backed Mr Somavia’s call for a “balanced” policy strategy aimed at securing a “jobs-rich” economic recovery, and his warning that recent deficit reduction measures, mainly in social spending, could “directly affect jobs and salaries” at a time of weak economic recovery and continued high levels of unemployment. The employer representative from the United States, Ms. Ronnie Goldberg, called for “an effective employment policy to help ensure that growth translates into actual sustainable jobs”

The Conference reiterated its call to the ILO to place full and productive employment and decent work at the centre of economic and social policies to strengthen the social dimension of globalization. “It is urgent for the ILO to play its full role in the challenges posed by globalization”, said Mr. Gilles de Robien, France, President of the Conference.

Conference delegates called on the ILO to enhance its collaboration with the multi-lateral institutions, particularly the United Nations, the IMF and the World Bank, strengthening policy coherence across financial, economic, trade, employment, social and environmental policies.

The Conference took place against a backdrop of new concern over the continuing global jobs crisis, that has elevated global unemployment to more than 210 million, or its highest level ever recorded, according to the Director-General’s report “Recovery and Growth with Decent Work,”.

Mr. Somavia noted that the ILO had seen no significant indications of a reduction in the global rate of unemployment this year, despite signs of an economic recovery.

Speakers from governments, employers and workers alike noted that the continuing lack of a jobs recovery placed a “terrible burden” on the unemployed, while at the same time hindered efforts to create “the right environment for enterprises to create employment.” Others cautioned again premature exit from stimulus packages, which “simply were going to make matters worse.”

In his concluding remarks, Mr. Somavia said, “The message of this Conference is very clear – put jobs at the centre of the recovery. In terms of the G20 meeting in Toronto this means keeping the Leaders’ commitment, under the chairmanship of President Obama, in Pittsburgh to put quality jobs at the heart of the recovery”.