Ecuador
Trade for Decent Work in Ecuador emphasised the importance of labour inspection in accordance with the Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81). Strengthening Ecuador’s labour inspection system required a comprehensive multistakeholder approach. In 2021, the project supported a pilot initiative to bolster the labour inspectorate in the agriculture sector in Quito. Following its success, this support was replicated in other rural areas in 2022.
Ecuador has been a member of the ILO since 1934. The country has ratified eight out of ten fundamental conventions, three governance conventions and fifty-two technical conventions. The country acceded to the EU-Colombia-Peru- Ecuador agreement in 2017.
Under Chapter IX of the Agreement on Trade and Sustainable Development, State parties commit to promoting Fundamental Rights at Work and to complying with Fundamental ILO Conventions (Article 269). In this framework, the Government of Ecuador requested technical assistance to strengthen its labour inspection, particularly agriculture.
In line with the comments of the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations (CEACR), the project Work supported the government of Ecuador in strengthening its labour inspection system.
The Ministry of Labour, together with workers’ and employers’ organizations, participated in workshops to identify the main challenges of the national labour inspection system. As a result, a diagnoses on labour inspection, with short, medium and long term recommendations was developed and published by the end of 2023.
Based on this, a second stage was launched to train labour inspectors in three cities- Quito, Guayaquil, and Cuenca on occupational safety and health, international labour standards applicable to labour inspections as well as a gender and human rights approaches.
Objective
The project contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 8 on promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment, and decent work for all, through improved labour relations and working conditions globally.
In Ecuador, the project had the following objective:
- strengthening the capacity of the labour inspectorate to ensure labour law compliance in the agriculture sector/ OR strengthening the labour inspection system
Achievements
In Ecuador, progress was made in supporting the labour inspectorate through:
- The elaboration of a strategy of intervention to strengthen labour inspection in the rural sector, including a proposal to review legislation and a training programme for labour inspectors
- Training 100 labour inspectors in 3 cities- Quito, Guayaquil, and Cuenca- on occupational safety and health and the legal frameworks applicable to labour inspectors in rural areas.
Activities
In Ecuador, Trade for Decent Work prioritises the following:
- Supporting capacity building of the Labour Inspectorate by
- Developing a diagnostic on labour inspectorate
- Developing labour inspection tools, including inspection protocols and action guides
- Training labour inspectors based on the diagnostic
- Following up on the pilot training conducted in 2021
- Enhancing social dialogue on labour inspection through
- The development of a diagnostic on collective bargaining in the country
- Consultations with employers’ and workers’ representatives, thereby identifying labour inspection challenges in the rural/agricultural sector
- Raising awareness on the role of labour inspectors
- Strengthening reporting to the ILO supervisory bodies
- Enhancing the capacity of the Ministry of Labour to report to the ILO supervisory bodies
Resources
There are no project interventions in this area yet.
Constituents effectively participate in national processes that address gaps between national law and practice and targeted conventions
Strengthening labour inspection
Strengthening labour inspection in the rural sector, particularly agriculture
Labour inspection in Ecuador’s rural sector faced gaps in legislation, institutional organization and inspector capacities, requiring targeted strategies and training. The general framework of activities highlighted the importance of labour inspection in accordance with the ILO Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81).
Action
- Elaboration of a strategy of intervention to strengthen labour inspection in the rural sector, including a proposal to review legislation
- Selection of a region and a sector to pilot the intervention
- Training of labour inspectors
Results
- Improved knowledge of national legislation as it applies to the labour inspection process
- Developed a proposal for the design of tools to strengthen the labour inspection system in rural Ecuador
- Enhanced the capacity of labour inspectors to effectively perform their duties
Supporting the development of a diagnostic on labour inspection
Workshops were conducted to identify the main challenges of the national labour inspection system, with the participation of the Ministry of Labour, employers’ and workers’ organizations. A diagnosis study was developed and published at the end of 2023, with short-, medium-, and long-term recommendations to accelerate improvements in the country’s labour inspection systems. In the short term, it was recommended to update the legal framework governing labour inspection and build the capacities of inspectors. Long term recommendations emphasised the need to create a comprehensive labour inspection system based on a defined public policy and strengthened tripartite dialogue.
Action
- Development of a diagnostic on the national labour inspection framework with the participation of the tripartite constituents
- Training of labour inspectors in 3 cities- Quito, Guayaquil and Cuenca
Results
- Identification of gaps in the labour inspection framework
- Provision of short-, medium- and long- term recommendations
- Training of 100 labour inspectors on occupational safety and health, international labour standards and national legislation applicable to labour inspections, including a gender and human rights approach