Civil Society Forum to the United Nations ECOSOC High Level Segment

The "Civil Society Forum to the ECOSOC High-Level Segment on Employment and Decent Work" was held at the International Labour Organization Headquarters (ILO).

The aim of the Forum was to allow NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC and other relevant Civil Society Organizations to make the best possible impact on the dignitaries' deliberations (High-level Segment, 3-5 July, Geneva) on the issues of employment and decent work.

Among the keynote speakers were Micheline Calmy-Rey, Head of the Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs, Ali Hachani, President of ECOSOC,  Sergei Orkhonikidze, Director General UNOG, Walter Hofer, Deputy Director the Swiss Agency of Development and Cooperation as well as Laurent Walpen, Head, Geneva international for the Republic and State of Geneva.

The various sessions of the Forum focused on:

• Equality of opportunity for women;
• Youth Employment challenge: the role of young people in creating decent work, as well as issues such as child labor;
• Human rights and employment for vulnerable groups: indigenous peoples, people with disabilities; people living in post-crisis situations, HIV/AIDS and decent work;
• Employment in the rural and urban areas (including informal economy), decentralized cooperation, informal economy in rural and urban areas;
• Strategic partnerships for employment;
• Social protection and core rights for new forms of employment (including e-employment)
• "The Global Marshall Plan: a concept to truly combat child-labor.