Our Contribution to the ILO Governing Body Decision Process

Download Original Report: ILO GB.341NS135 English

Our Contribution to the ILO Governing Body Decision Process

International human rights work sometimes moves painfully slowly. And then, a formal decision arrives that records what we have been trying to explain for years, using the language of international law. For our association, the decision adopted by the International Labour Organization ILO Governing Body on 24 March 2021, published under the reference GB.341/INS/13/5, represents exactly such a turning point.

This decision concerns two separate complaints examined under two ILO Conventions. It includes the approval of the Committee reports, requests addressed to the Government to take specific observations into account, an invitation to provide information for further supervisory review, and the public release of the reports.

Our association played an active role in the process that enabled this outcome by preparing, compiling, and submitting key reports that supported the decision making pathway. We systematically transformed field based information and documentation into a format aligned with international supervisory standards and carried it into the relevant mechanisms. For us, this is not only an institutional achievement, but also an internationally recorded channel of visibility and monitoring for affected individuals.

What Was the Decision About

The ILO process addressed two core areas:

1. Convention No. 87 of 1948 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise, covering allegations related to trade union freedoms and the right to organise.
2. Convention No. 158 of 1982 on Termination of Employment, covering allegations related to safeguards against dismissal and access to effective protection mechanisms.

On the recommendation of the Committees established to examine the complaints, the ILO Governing Body approved the Committee reports, asked the Government to take the Committees observations into account within the application of the respective Conventions, invited the Government to provide information for review by the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations CEACR, released the reports to the public, and closed the complaint procedure.

A Key Point Highlighted in the Decision

One of the most significant aspects of the decision is the emphasis on the need for a full, independent, and impartial examination concerning workers who faced retaliatory actions linked to their membership in dissolved trade unions. This language is not merely descriptive. It is a clear international standard setting message about the protection of freedom of association and the principle that trade union membership must not be punished.

What Our Association Contributed

Mechanisms such as the ILO do not operate on general narratives alone. They require verifiable, consistent, and systematically structured information, linked to the relevant Convention obligations. Our contribution matters precisely at this point.

The reports prepared and submitted with our involvement were designed to meet several needs at once:

1. Documenting patterns
   Individual cases can be dismissed as isolated incidents. We brought cases together and made recurring patterns visible through structured documentation.
2. Clarifying the legal framework
   We clearly set out how the allegations relate to ILO standards, which protections apply, and which obligations raise concerns of non compliance.
3. Using the language of international supervision
   There is often a translation gap between lived experience and the technical language used in supervisory systems. We converted testimonies and documentation into a coherent format that can be assessed within the ILO logic and procedures.

As a result, what might have remained as a complaint in the abstract became a case file that could be evaluated within a formal international supervisory process.

Why This Decision Matters

The impact of this decision is not limited to a single dimension. It matters in several ways at the same time:

1. International record and visibility
   The public release of the reports confirms that these issues have become part of an internationally recognised record.
2. Ongoing supervision
   The invitation to provide information for CEACR review indicates that the subject is not simply dropped, but placed within the broader supervisory track.
3. A reference point for rights based advocacy
   A decision that confirms observations and recommendations on freedom of association and termination safeguards becomes a strong reference in rights based work and accountability efforts.
4. Civil society capacity
   This outcome demonstrates that civil society can be more than reactive. It can build files, carry evidence into international mechanisms, and sustain follow up.

For Us, This Is a Success Story

For our association, this was not simply a reporting activity. It was a struggle to create international visibility in an environment where violations are often made invisible.

International institutions do not move on their own. They require concrete information, consistent documentation, credible legal framing, and persistent follow up. Our contribution helped bring these elements together in a way that supported the path toward an official decision.

That is why the GB.341/INS/13/5 decision of 24 March 2021 is a milestone for our work.

What We Do Next

A decision is not the end of the story. The real question is whether the standards it points to will be reflected in practice. For that reason, our association continues to:

1. Monitor international supervisory processes and developments linked to this file
2. Document new cases and evidence with the same methodological care
3. Produce practical resources that strengthen the rights seeking capacity of affected individuals
4. Sustain advocacy and structured engagement with relevant international mechanisms

Document Reference

Reference: GB.341/INS/13/5
Date: 24 March 2021
Content: Approval of the Committee reports under Convention No. 87 and Convention No. 158, requests addressed to the Government to take the observations into account within the application of the Conventions, invitation to provide information for CEACR review, public release of the reports, and closure of the complaint procedure.