Monday, February 18, 2013

Tougher measures needed to curb forced labour ­—ILO


Forced labour illustration
A new report by the International Labour Organisation has emphasised the need for tougher measures to combat forced labour.
The report says the need to deter would-be perpetrators is widely recognised, but more effort is needed to identify cases of forced labour and to prevent the crime.
“Efforts to prevent, identify and prosecute cases of forced labour often fall short of what is needed, despite good practices in some countries,” the ILO said in a report prepared ahead of the ongoing meeting of experts on forced labour.
The meeting, which started on Monday and will last till Friday, is being attended by representatives of governments, workers and employers.
According to the report, the meeting, which is being held at the ILO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, will assess the need for further standard-setting to complement the ILO’s Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) and Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105), by focusing in particular on prevention, victim protection, including compensation and trafficking for labour exploitation.