Message of Pope Francis to ILO

Conference of the International Labour Organization

On the occasion of the 103rd session of the Conference of the International Labour Organization (28th May – 12 June 2014) Pope Francis sent a message to the Director General of the ILO, Mr Guy Ryder.  During the fifteen day conference workers, representatives of business and governments of the 185 Member States of the ILO were discussing migration, employment policy strategies, ways out of informality and the strengthening of the convention on forced labour.

“This Conference has been convened at a crucial moment of social and economic history, one which presents challenges for the entire world”, wrote the Pope. “Unemployment is tragically expanding the frontiers of poverty. This is particularly disheartening for unemployed young people who can all too easily become demoralised, losing their sense of worth, feeling alienated from society. Another grave and related issue confronting our world is that of mass migration: the sheer numbers of men and women forced to seek work away from their homelands is a cause for concern. Despite their hopes for a better future, they frequently encounter mistrust and exclusion, to say nothing of experiencing tragedies and disasters. Having made such sacrifices, these men and women often fail to find dignified work and fall victim to a certain ‘globalisation of indifference’. Their situation exposes them to further dangers such as the horror of human trafficking, forced labour and enslavement. It is unacceptable that, in our world, slave labour has become common coin. This cannot continue! Human trafficking is a scourge, a crime against the whole of humanity. It is time to join forces and work together to free its victims and to eradicate this crime that affects all of us, from individual families to the worldwide community”.  Read more…