June 2012 NEWSLETTER Study Visit on the Occasion of the 101st International Labour Conference 04 ‐ 08 June 2012, Geneva Trade union coordinators from twelve FES country offices in Sub ‐ Saharan Africa were in Geneva during the second week of the 101st International Labour Confer ‐ ence(ILC). How do the ILC and the ILO function? What are the current major topics in the international working world? What does trade policy have to do with the work of trade unions? These and more questions were at the heart of this one ‐ week study visit. Program NGO statement succeeds: ILC adopts Recommendation on Social Protection Floor 59 NGOs from all over the world“wholeheartedly” supported the ILO to adopt a Recommendation on national social protection floors at the 101st ILC in Geneva. In a meeting organized by the FES Geneva Office end of March, 14 NGOs decided to draft a statement which was endorsed by 59 NGOs. Now, the NGOs will continue to work towards the implementation of social protection floors. Statement in English Statement in Spanish Statement in French Final text of ILO's SPF recommendation Further Information on 101st ILC Civil Society Contribution to the Universal Periodic Review of Morocco Side Event to the 13th session of the UN Working Group on UPR 24 May 2012, Geneva, Palais des Nations Program Report Consultation Meeting with the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Environmental Law and the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 11 May 2012, La Perle du Lac, Geneva Environmental factors have great impact on the realization of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights(ESCR). While the UN Committee on ESCR has addressed this issue in various General Comments and Concluding Observations on State reports, it has not yet dealt with this issue in a structural manner. In view of the upcoming Rio+20 Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung  Director: Dr Matthes Buhbe  6 bis, Chemin du Point-du-Jour  1202 Geneva, Switzerland 3 Tel.+41 22 733 3450  Fax:+41 22 733 3545  E-mail: info@fes-geneva.org  www.fes-geneva.org