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Generalinfo@workershealth.eu
Rudolf van der Haar
r.vanderhaar@workershealth.eu
Ad de Rooij
a.derooij@workershealth.eu
The Netherlands
member of
letter writing comeptition
Universal Postal Union Letter writing competition about decent work. The theme for the 2009 competition is "Write a letter to someone to explain how decent working conditions can lead to a better life".This theme was chosen in coordination with the International Labour Organization (ILO), which is currently launching a worldwide campaign on the importance of decent work.
In a better world of "decent work", there would be no child labour, no forced labour, no inequality, and no danger at work. To find out more about decent work, a brief presentation is available on the sidebar.
The UPU's international letter-writing competition for young people promotes letter writing among young people. The first competition was launched in 1971 and since then, millions of youngsters all over the world have participated in the competition at national and international level.
Each year, the UPU International Bureau chooses a theme, taking into consideration international commemorations and special events supported by the United Nations.
Participating Posts then organize the letter-writing competition at national level, often with the support of education authorities and the media. The UPU does not accept entries from individuals or schools. All entries must be submitted through a national post. Although the methods may vary from country to country, each Post chooses a national winner and submits one entry for the UPU international competition. The UPU sends on the entries received from participating member countries to UNESCO, who select the three first prize winners and up to four entries that deserve a special mention.
The competition is open to young people up to the age of 15. Entries must reach the UPU International Bureau no later than 30 April each year.
Sri Lanka better health facilities than Russia
Date: 01/09/2008The Health service in Sri Lanka is considerably better than in Russia despite considerably higher incomes in Russia than Sri Lanka, said Sir Michael Marmott, Professor Epidemiology and Public Health who chaired the World Health Organization's Commission on the Social Determinants of Health.
While there has been an enormous increase in global wealth, technology and living standards in recent years, the key question is how it is used for fair distribution of services and institution building especially in low income countries.
Wealth alone does not determine the health of a nation's population. Some low income countries like Cuba, Costa Rica, China, State of Kerala in India, and Sri Lanka have achieved levels of good health despite relatively low national incomes. But, the Commissioner pointed out, wealth can be wisely used. Nordic countries, for example, have allowed policies that encouraged equality of benefits and services, full employment, gender equity and low levels of social exclusion. The commission has inspired and supported action in many parts of the world. Brazil, Canada, Chile, Iran, Kenya, Mozambique, Sri Lanka, Sweden and the UK have become country partners on the basis of their commitment to make progress on the social determinants of health equity and are already developing policies across Governments to tackle them. These examples show that change is possible through political will. The report pointed out that gender equality is thought to be crucial.
Gender equality and ILO in 2009
GENEVA (ILO News) ─ The International Labour Organization is launching a one-year global campaign to highlight the central role of gender equality in its Decent Work Agenda and in the work of its constituents – governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations.The campaign is built around 12 different Decent Work themes. These themes will be looked at through a gender lens to illustrate how various issues in the world of work may affect women and men in different ways, particularly in their accessing rights, employment, social protection and social dialogue.
“During the next 12 months we will actively reach out to our constituents and other international partners, provide information on different themes and facilitate access to a body of material that the ILO has developed on gender equality around the world”, explains Evy Messell, Director of the ILO’s Bureau for Gender Equality.
For more information on the campaign, please visit: http://www.ilo.org/gender/Events/Campaign2008-2009/lang--en/index.htm or contact the ILO Bureau for Gender Equality at +4122/799-6730, gendercampaign@ilo.org
