07 January 2013, Male'; The Maldives has ratified the eight core conventions of the International Labour Organisation. The formal instruments of ratification of the Government were submitted to the Director General of the ILO on 3 January 2013.
These 8 core conventions are set as part of a drive to increase respect for international labour standards and the ILO has designated these conventions as fundamental to the achievement of basic human rights and ‘decent work' in a world labour market that is increasingly buffeted by the challenges of globalization. The core conventions that the Maldives ratified are Forced Labour Convention 1973, Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize Convention, 1948, Right to Organise and Collective bargaining Convention, 1949, Equal Remuneration Convention 1951, Abolition of Forced Labour Convention 1957,Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention 1958, Minimum Age Convention 1973, Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999.
Speaking on the development Foreign Minister His Excellency Dr. Samad Abdullah said, "the Government is proud to have ratified the Conventions. This is a major achievement for the Government and breaks new ground in the promotion and protection of labour rights in the country. It is also an important accomplishment in the government's human rights agenda and one which will fill an existing gap in the national human rights framework".
The Maldives became a member of the ILO in May 2009.
ENDS