New guide outlines benefits of ratifying convention on labour statistics
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has published a new guide to underscore the benefits of ratifying ILO Convention No. 160 on labour statistics.
The ILO Convention No. 160 is an international treaty that mandates the members who ratified it to "regularly collect, compile and publish basic labour statistics."
These statistics should also cover the following subjects:
- economically active population, employment, where relevant unemployment, and where possible visible underemployment
- structure and distribution of the economically active population, for detailed analysis and to serve as benchmark data
- average earnings and hours of work (hours actually worked or hours paid for) and, where appropriate, time rates of wages and normal hours of work
- wage structure and distribution
- labour cost
- consumer price indices
- household expenditure or, where appropriate, family expenditure and, where possible, household income or, where appropriate, family income
- occupational injuries and, as far as possible, occupational diseases
- industrial disputes.
Benefits of Convention No. 160
The ILO said its quick guide "highlights the benefits of ratifying ILO Convention No. 160 on labour statistics and explains the ratification process as well as reporting obligations following ratification."
Among the benefits are:
- Enhancing the credibility of national labour statistics
- Fostering collaboration between government agencies
- Aligning with Sustainable Development Goals
- Maintaining updated and comprehensive labour statistics
- Building statistical capacity
- Promoting development and informed policymaking
- Implementing an established priority of the ILO
"Ratifying C160 not only demonstrates a Member State's commitment to international labour standards and sustainable development but also fosters capacity building and collaboration, including with the ILO, as well as informed decision-making in labour market policies based on timely and methodologically sound statistics," the quick guide stated.
The ILO Convention No. 160 has so far been ratified by 52 member-states of the United Nations.
