When: 28 May to 13 June, 2008
Where: Geneva, Switzerland
Some 3.4 billion people, slightly under half of the world’s population, now live in rural areas. Though the great majority live in developing countries and are poor, their situation, along with the impact of climate change, food price rises and other factors are visibly in the news. Promotion of rural employment and poverty reduction is one of the main topics of discussion at this year’s International Labour Conference meeting in Geneva from 28 May to 13 June. Here are some questions and answers on the state of rural employment today and the key issues for consideration when discussing how to reduce rural poverty through the promotion of Decent Work.
Why is the ILO’s annual conference holding a general discussion on rural employment?
Much has changed since the last discussion took place 20 years ago. The Millennium Development goals (MDGs) call for reducing poverty and hunger by 50 per cent by 2015. Climate change – hardly a factor 20 years ago – is now at the top of the global agenda. Soaring food prices are sparking global debate on agricultural production as well as the use of farm products for fuel. The political landscape is vastly changed, with greater links between governance and economic growth. These factors, coming at roughly the halfway point since the Millennium Summit in 2000, mean that now is a good time to assess progress achieved and examine the challenges that face both the MDGs as well as the rural working population.
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