International Conference on Child Labour
Regions
Education
Development Cooperation
Trade Union Rights
Women
International
Publications

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON  CHILD LABOUR

Slowly, but surely, governments are committing themselves in more or less concrete ways to combat child labour and recognize the crucial importance of investment in education. Meeting at the end of October in Oslo (Norway), 40 governmental delegations, dozens of NGOs, of trade unionists and child labourers were invited by the Norwegian government, the International Labour Orrganisation (ILO) and UNICEF to decide on actions aiming at the elimination of child labour. 250 million children are now working across the world.

The trade union world was represented by a delegation of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) comprising trade union centers and International Trade Secretariats for various sectors such as education (EI), textiles (ITGLWF), commercial work (FIET) and the diamond trade (UADW).

The workers' delegation put forward fundamental trade union principles in the struggle against child labour: mandatory basic education, development of activities increasing families' income, setting up of rehabilitation programmes in schools for children freed from the horrors of child labour, substitution of child labourers by unemployed adults preferably from the same family, etc.

These concerns of trade unions were reflected in the Oslo Agenda for Action. "Education, particularly basic education, is one of the principal means of preventing and eliminating child labour. Children outside the school system are prone to various forms of exploitation, particularly to economic exploitation such as child labour. (...) Child workers or potential child workers and the flow of children into work can be stemmed by establishing a system of accessible, relevant quality, universal, compulsory free basic education for all" affirms this action program which everybody hopes will materialize.

"It is essential that signatory governments respect this program and commit adequate resources for its implementation", declared EI Deputy General Secretary Sheena Hanley following the adoption of the document, adding: "We will call them to account if need be".

Unions intend to make sure that governments abide by the principle of Initiative 20/20 which "invites interested developed and developing countries to allocate, on average, 20 % of ODA (Overseas Development Aid) and national budget, respectively, to basic social programmes including basic education and primary health care." While much was said about the forthcoming ILO convention on the most intolerable forms of child labour, its content was not clearly defined.

EI affiliates have the opportunity to have their say by getting actively involved in the Global March against child labour which starts in the first months of 1998, will go through five continents and converge on the International Labour Conference in Geneva where the new convention will be debated in June 1998. 

REGIONS

Europe

Eastern and Central European unions examine their role and responsibilities

The Education International conference "Democratic Societies: Living and Learning Together", held in Bled, Slovenia on 9-13 November 1997 brought together representatives of member unions in Central and Eastern Europe to discuss a vital set of topics based on tolerance and human rights, along with members of EI's Task Force against Racism, Anti-Semitism and Xenophobia and representatives of some unions with particular involvement in this work.

The opening session saw contributions from the Presidents of the host state, the host union (ESWUS) and Education International. In setting the scene, Mary Hatwood Futrell stressed that the growth of democracy had not universally produced equal opportunities or trade union rights. Schools, she said, must be both an anchor and a guiding light. The President of Slovenia drew on the experiences of the break-up of Yugoslavia and emphasized that hatred knows no state boundaries.

The conference was also honoured to receive addresses from Mme Danielle Mitterand, President of France Libertés, Dr. Jagdish Gundera of the University of London Institute of Education, Dr. Hristo Kyuchukov, a Bulgarian expert in the position of the Roma (Gypsy) people (and himself a Roma) and Samidha Garg of the NUT (United Kingdom). These speakers covered a wide range of topics relevant to Central and Eastern Europe, including the causes of intolerance and the methods of confronting prejudice together with planning strategies for the future. The Conference gave consideration to the needs of the groups living in the area, including the education of the Roma people.

A particularly successful part of the Conference was the series of panels and small meetings in which participants from the area and from other parts of the world (USA, Germany, United Kingdom, Israel and Ireland) were given the opportunity to learn from each other through various methods, including theater. These sessions covered subjects as diverse as the education of travellers in Ireland to the legacy of the Holocaust.

In a closing session led by EI Deputy General Secretary Sheena Hanley, delegates reflected on the results of the discussions and each national group made proposals for continuing work, relevant to their country, towards the year 2000 when a second conference should be held at the international level. Till then, El will follow up these positive developments and work with member unions to meet the challenges.
 

Two more teachers killed in Turkey

"Attacks against teachers who in spite of many difficulties try to continue their education service have aroused great anger in our members and in the public" wrote two EGITIM SEN officials following the murder in mysterious circumstances of two teachers last October. The number of teachers assassinated in Turkey since 1984 has reached 154. The union met the Minister of Internal Affairs and asked for effective inquiries. The union leaders said they would monitor the situation and declared that they would not be intimidated in their struggle for democratic education and democracy in Turkey. 

EDUCATION

Highlights of EI's participation at the 1997 UNESCO General Conference

Education International played an active role in the 29th session of the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization which ended 12 November in Paris. The Conference adopted the Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher-Education Teaching Personnel and the Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights, important developments on which we will report in our next issue.

Here are excerpts from some of our representatives' interventions in the plenary, in a workshop on civics education and in the Education Commission:
 

As education returns to the center of policy discussions, we cannot help but deplore the legacy of three decades of neglect. The reports of UNESCO's own experts, who monitor the implementation of the ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers, set forth the evidence in stark terms. In many countries, the workers of "the knowledge revolution" lead a precarious existence not too far removed from that of the early workers of the industrial revolution. Ask the teachers of many developing countries or of the former Soviet Union, who have not been paid for months - or even for years. Also ask the teachers in industrial economies. Their workload is increasing, while working conditions remain poor, at least when compared to other professions. (...)

Our members have carried forward the ideal, which emerged from the industrial revolution, of public responsibility for education for all. They have played leading roles in the movements for democracy and independence in Latin America, in Africa and Europe. (...) The militant advocacy of our members can place them in the firing line. Some have paid for their beliefs with their lives. As I speak, we have teachers' leaders in jail; some are being tortured by governments which cynically send representatives to this conference.

Education by its very nature seeks to nurture, to develop the human spirit. That is the duty which a democratic global society requires of our profession. We are determined to fulfil that duty, but we expect our governments to fulfill theirs and to pursue the vision which led to the founding of UNESCO half a century ago."

Civic education we believe is education that will help prepare citizens to participate in multicultural democratic societies. This means considerably more than learning how to vote. It is essential that there is a thorough understanding of human rights principles which underlie the functioning of democratic societies.

Education for citizenship must be reflected in all aspects of our work in schools. Aspects of the work must be included throughout the curriculum at all levels and within special subject areas, particularly in secondary and tertiary institutions. The general elements that EI believes must be dealt with in schools require values, knowledge and action.

It is difficult if not impossible to teach about democracy in an authoritarian school. If students are part of a one-way communication system where students are told to be democratic but not allowed to practice democracy, or where they see their teachers subject to authoritarian rule, then we can spend time teaching all the right topics and hope that some ideas fall on fertile ground. We can also teach other messages in schools concerning gender equality, equal opportunities and non-traditional choice of careers. Having women teachers and male heads of schools and heads of departments, except in the traditionally female domains, teaches students what real life is like. Cynicism among the young is bred when we preach one thing and practice another.

Values must serve to identify the human problems that citizens must address and human rights standards assist with the diagnosis and solutions. With such a framework we can help students to prepare for active citizenship. At the heart of such education is the belief in a just democratic society that respects human rights. The idealism of the young can be channeled to help develop and maintain such societies."

The priority aims of the Education for All program propose to pay specific attention to quality and efficiency through training activities and dissemination of innovative projects, and encouraging an improved involvement of teachers' organisations. We support the proposal promoting a greater partnership of all concerned in the development and quality of education. (...) My teaching colleagues are ready to contribute to the implementation of these priority goals, insofar as they are invited to do so by Member States, which is not always the case.

We wish to reiterate our support for the conclusions of the report of the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-First Century, which presents an innovative framework that should allow us to be more active and more ambitious regarding education reforms. If the reform of educational systems lies in structural reforms and (initial and in-service) teacher training well adapted to the needs of the personnel, information technology provides a new lever for the quantitative and qualitative development of lifelong education. (...) The development of vocational education and training must be a priority in order to combat youth unemployment and exclusion. The Draft Program supports that priority and includes plans for a world congress on vocational education and training in Seoul in 1999".

The next major event organised by UNESCO, in which Education International plans to participate actively, will be the World Conference on Higher Education, convening on 5-9 October 1998 in Paris (France) to adopt a program of action for the development of higher education worldwide. 

DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION

Meetings on Development Cooperation in Africa

The implementation of the John Thompson Fellowship Programme (already in operation in Canada for 16 years) will be broadened to developing countries following a fruitful experience with EI affiliates from four African countries: Bénin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Togo. This in-depth programme, dealing with training concepts, tools and methodologies for strengthening unions in all aspects, is offered to (four) high-level union leaders for a duration of four weeks. Elaborated in preparatory meetings where training material, program and distribution of tasks are decided, the content is based upon the needs expressed by the host organisations in combination with previous experiences of cooperating member unions. CTF (Canada), SNES (France) and EI worked in partnership on this project which took place from 16 September to 10 October 1997 in Togo.

The outcome of the 1997 initiative showed that the actual needs of host organisations can be met, while cooperating partners saw the experience as an enrichment of their own membership education programs. In a meeting in Lomé October 11 and 12, more EI affiliates indicated their intention to participate with human and financial resources in the gradual expansion of the advanced leadership training programs in Africa and other regions in 1998.
A review of the political, social and trade union situation in Francophone Africa revealed dramatic, urgent cases in many countries. Various EI missions are being planned to demonstrate solidarity, assess the actual situation and establish concrete action and cooperation. Leadership training programs should be a priority in the coming years. 

TRADE UNION RIGHTS

ILO's World Labour Report 1997-98 highlights global challenges to trade unions

Trade union membership has dropped sharply during the last decade, falling to less than 20 per cent in 48 out of 92 countries surveyed, but "numbers tell only part of the story" commented International Labour Organisation Director-General Michel Hansenne at a press conference to present the annual ILO study of the world's labour markets. The World Labour Report 1997-98* says that in spite of negative trends, the drop in union numbers has not translated into a corresponding decline of influence. In most countries, trade unions have managed to consolidate their strength in core sectors, enlist constituents in emerging sectors and develop new collective bargaining strategies, often on a global scale. "Where many observers around the world see only decline, Hansenne said, I see increased democracy, greater pragmatism and freedom for millions of workers to form representative organisations to engage in collective bargaining with their employers and to participate in decisions affecting society and the workplace."

The report shows that while much of the numerical decline over the last 10 years is attributable to such economic factors as reduced public-sector employment, heightened economic competition and a falling share of manufacturing industries in total employment, the dramatic rise or fall of trade union membership is linked to systemic changes in governance or major legislative changes in many countries and regions. In regional terms, central and eastern European countries saw an average decline of almost 36 per cent following the breakup of the former Soviet bloc (-71% in Estonia, -50% in the Czech Republic, -45% in Poland, -40% in Slovakia, -38% in Hungary).

In contrast, unionisation increased in many countries: +130.8% in post-apartheid South Africa, +58% in Bangladesh, +10.7% in Canada, +89% in Chile, +61% in the Republic of Korea, +69% in the Philippines, +92% in Spain, +77% in Thailand and +54% in Zimbabwe.

According to the report, declines in membership in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand (of respectively 25, 30 and 55 per cent) resulted partly from the weakening of legislation protecting unions and changes to the institutional recognition accorded to workers' organisations. Union membership in the United States declined by 21.1 percent during the last decade, giving the USA one of the lowest levels of unionization among industrialised nations; changes in the workforce resulting from the introduction of new technologies figure prominently among the causes of this trend. In Israel, union membership during the period 1985-1995 dropped by 76 per cent, mainly because the Government removed health-care from unions and transferred it to the State, notes the study.

The World Labour Report concludes with suggestions of new strategies for employers and unions such as: provisions of new services; recruiting new members; expansion of international cooperation; forging new alliances. For more information, order the 1997-98 edition* from your bookseller or visit the ILO's Internet site at: http://www.ilo.org (for news, documents, and ten ILO databases)
* World Labour Report 1997-98. Industrial Relations, Democracy and Stability. ILO, Geneva, 1997. ISBN 92-2- 110331-5. Price: 45 Swiss francs. 

WOMEN
 
The promotion of women

A record number of affiliates (90 or so) have filled the questionnaire on Women in education, in teacher organisations and in society. The data are being processed and a report will be presented to the World Congress. In the meantime, the 1998 EI calendar will focus on women's rights and on equality, and an EI study on women and the economy will be released for International Women's Day, 8 March 1998. As announced earlier, the Status of Women Committee should meet in the first quarter of 1998. 

INTERNATIONAL

UN to convene a Forum of the Millennium in the Year 2000

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan announced to the NGO Board a proposal to organize a Forum of the Millennium in the Year 2000 at UN's USA Headquarters. The aim of the Forum would be to create a new dynamic of involvement by ‘civil society' in the institutions of the UN system, and to build support for implementation of the agenda mapped out by the major summits of the 1990s. The concept could be challenging and exciting, but could also be fraught with difficulties, especially in the light of concerns expressed by EI and others such as the recent mushrooming of non-governmental organisations representation at the UN and the new orientation towards the business sector.

As reported in the EI General Secretary's Progress Report to the last Executive Board, the number of NGOs with UN status has more than tripled in the last two years, and the total now exceeds 1600. Many national organisations seek status directly rather than through international NGOs. The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) recently awarded consultative status to the National Rifle Association (NRA) of the United States, a decision which scandalises many long-standing supporters of the Organisation.

Concerning the orientation of the UN leadership towards business circles -because of their increasing investment in developing countries-, the statistics show that private investment is concentrated in ‘emerging markets', does not go to the least developed countries, and does not benefit the poor or flow through areas of social need such as education or health. Moreover, private investment is often associated with a denial of trade union rights or even the perpetuation of child labour. EI continues to play an important part among United Nations NGOs -it currently chairs the Conference of NGOs (CONGO)-, and there is some discussion with the ICFTU and ITSs about the formation of a trade union caucus at the UN. For more information on the United Nations: http://www.unsystem.org 

PUBLICATIONS
 
Recent study confirms benefits of joining a union

Unionized workers receive higher wages, greater benefits and better working conditions than non-union workers. This is the main conclusion of a new study issued in Statistics Canada's Perspectives (Winter 1997). The survey entitled A Statistical Portrait of the Trade Union Movement reports that hourly earnings of unionised full-time workers in the first six months of 1997 were CAD$18.58, versus $14.09 for non-union employees.

It was also found that union members are twice as likely to receive benefits such as a pension plan or dental plan (8 out of 10 compared to 4 out of 10). Unionised workers are also more likely to have a paid vacation, enjoy a permanent job and receive overtime opportunities at premium rates. As a result of longer working hours and higher pay (CAD$ 16.68 per hour vs $9.77 for their non-union counterparts), part-time unionised workers receive double the weekly pay of non-unionised part-timers.

For the last few decades, also notes analyst Ernest B. Akyeampong, collective agreements covering groups of 500 employees or more showed gains slightly higher than the cost of living and inflation indexes. Over the last 30 years, the rate of unionisation has been comparatively stable in Canada with 33% of the labour force for 1997, with a record 66% rate in the public sector. The study found a higher than average unionisation rate amongst workers with post-secondary (34.5% unionised) and university education (37.1%). The presence of women in union ranks has quadrupled since 1967 (402,000 to 1.6 million). Women now represent 45.4% of the country's trade union membership compared to 20% three decades ago. Statistics Canada, 1997. Catalog no: 75-001-XPE. For more information: Internet: http://www.statcan.ca  Tel: +1 613 951 7277 Address: Tunney's Pasture, Ottawa, Canada  K1A 0T6.
 

A Manual for Human Rights Education to be published by UNESCO

A Manual for Human Rights Education intended for use by teachers at primary and secondary school levels, as well as by students at secondary level, will be published in 1998 by the UNESCO Section for Humanistic, Cultural and International Education. The preliminary version (tested by EI members in different countries) will be revised and extended next year. This publication will be part of UNESCO's contribution to the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, 10 December 1998, and to the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education (1995-2004). UNESCO hopes this teaching aid will inspire teachers and students from different cultures to strive for human rights.
For more information: UNESCO ED/HCI  Fax: +33 1 45 68 56 22  E-mail: k.savolainen@unesco.org
 

Literacy skills for the Knowledge Society: second OECD survey

Low literacy skills are holding back social and economic progress. Almost half of adults in 12 OECD countries have their prospects limited by their inability to use printed information well enough in their daily lives. The biggest ever international study of adult literacy reports that in all countries a substantial proportion of the population cannot demonstrate the skills that they need for today's knowledge-oriented society. This survey on the magnitude and nature of poor literacy was recently released (in English Literacy skills for the Knowledge Society and French Littératie et société du savoir) by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Updating a first report published in 1995 (see Monitor Vol 3   2), the 196-page study presents findings for 12 countries: Australia, Belgium (Flanders), Canada, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. The results are based on ability tests taken in various countries, mostly in Europe, by 450,000 persons aged 16 to 65. Price: FF180; US$30; DM53. ISBN 92-64-15624-0 (81 97 07 1).
You can also order the latest edition of Education at a Glance - OECD Indicators released in English, French and German on 10 December 1997. More OECD information at: http://www.oecd.org
 

EURYDICE publications and databases on education now on Internet

EURYDICE, the Education Information Network in the European Union and the EFTA/EEA Countries, can now be reached at a new URL: http://www.eurydice.org
The attractive and informative multilingual Web site will allow you to browse through a wide range of comparative statistics such as Eurybase, various studies, and documents, including the most recent titles:

Organisation of School Time in the EU, a 20-page update of the 44-page publication issued in 1995 which now also includes many Central and Eastern European countries. Also available in French Le calendrier et les rythmes scolaires dans l'UE and German Das Schuljahr und seine Gliederung.

Secondary Education in the EU: Structures, Organisation and Administration. 160 pp.  Areas covered include pupil assessment, school time, teacher training. Also available in French, and in German (02-98).

The Role of Parents in the Education Systems, 128 pp, a comparative overview of the patterns of representation and the powers and responsibilities parents have in Member States of the European Union and the three EFTA/EEA countries. Also available in French, German and Spanish.

and forthcoming publications (in several languages) for 1997/98: Key Data on Education 1997 (General Education Indicators) and 1998 (Provision and Management of Financial Resources for Education), Reforms in Higher Education: From 1980 to Present, Foreign Language Teaching, and European Terminological Glossary of Qualifications, Certificates and Examinations. Don't forget also to bookmark the Europa server http://europa.eu.int for more DG XXII information on education, training, youth, and the Socrates program. Eurydice: Tel: +32 2 238 3011   Fax: +32 2 230 6562. E-mail: eurydice.uee@euronet.be
 

Food for thought: Prices and Earnings Around the Globe in 1997

According to the tenth survey of international prices and wages published every three years by the Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS), the gross income per annum of a primary school teacher ranges from US$ 69 300 (in Geneva) to US$ 900 (in Moscow)! The 1997 edition of Prices and Earnings Around the Globe compares the cost of various consumer goods and services, the purchasing power, wages, wage deductions and work schedules in 56 cities worldwide. As usual, this vivid picture features the benchmark "Big Mac index" (see Monitor Vol 2   2, 1994); to earn enough money to buy a hamburger, fast food devotees now have to toil for 9 minutes (in selected industrialized cities) to more than two or three hours (up to 193 minutes!) in regions of the developing world. Fortunately, country-to-country cost disparities between staple food such as bread or rice are less important.

From the 20,000 data items collected and analyzed, the UBS Economic Research Department highlights the following: Tokyo, Oslo, Copenhagen, Stockholm and Zurich are the most expensive cities; Luxembourg, Switzerland and the Unites States have the highest purchasing power; working hours are longer in Asia, shorter in most of Europe. The 46-page booklet is available in English, French, German and Italian. The contents of the publication and an order form can be found on Internet at  http://www.ubs.com  or can be obtained as long as stocks last from: UBS Economic Information Center, Postbox, CH-8021 Zurich, Switzerland.  E-mail: tzh995.geic-orders@ubs.com  Fax: +41 1 234 6190.
 

The modernization of UNESCO's statistical services

Since the beginning of 1997, a vast programme using future-oriented technologies has been undertaken to modernize UNESCO's statistical information system. More than 3 million data items on education are already offered on Internet. Three services are available: "Database", "Yearbook" and "Indicators". These data banks in education statistics can be accessed at: unescostat.unesco.org . Note that two other UNESCO addresses on the WWW provide various additional statistical services: http://www.education.unesco.org  and  http://www.unesco.org