113th International Labour Conference Highlights 2025

The 113th International Labour Conference, organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO), concluded on 13 June 2025 in Geneva.

This significant global event brought together representatives from over 180 countries to discuss pressing issues affecting the modern workforce, including digital platform labour, informal employment, maritime safety, and emerging biological risks in the workplace.

The conference was notable for adopting the first-ever global standards on biological hazards at work, marking a historic step in safeguarding occupational health and safety. 

Biological Hazards Convention (C192)

One of the biggest achievements of the 113th International Labour Conference was the adoption of Convention C192 — the Biological Hazards Convention. This new labour standard mandates all member states to:

• Develop national policies to tackle biological risks at workplaces.

• Ensure training, early warning systems, and risk assessment protocols are in place.

• Define and manage exposure routes such as airborne, contact, and vector-borne transmissions.

This Convention is especially relevant in the post-COVID-19 era, where biological hazards have become a recurring threat to workplace safety.

Digital Platform Economy & Workers’ Rights

Another crucial topic at the 113th International Labour Conference was ensuring decent work for digital platform workers. A proposed Convention and Recommendation are under development to:

• Provide fair wages and social security to gig workers.

• Regulate working conditions in ride-sharing, delivery, freelancing, and other platform-based sectors.

• Continue discussions at the 114th ILC in 2026.

This aligns with India’s push for tech-enabled entrepreneurship. Programs like the C-DOT startup accelerator program and the Samarth Program for tech entrepreneurs focus on enabling innovation while also advocating for worker rights and support systems.

Resolution on Informality & Decent Work

Informal workers, who often lack basic social protection, were a central concern at the conference. A Resolution on Informality was passed, urging governments to:

• Extend labour rights to the informal sector.

• Develop national strategies with global roadmap support from the ILO.

• Improve occupational safety and employment benefits.

This complements Indian efforts through schemes like the Centre for Development of Telematics startup scheme, aimed at promoting formal employment in emerging technology sectors like telecom and ICT.

Maritime Labour Convention Amendments

Seven amendments were introduced to the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, at the 113th International Labour Conference:

• Protection against violence and harassment at sea.

• Enhanced access to shore leave and medical facilities.

• Upholding seafarers’ rights and working conditions.

International Rights & Global Solidarity

The ILC made strong statements on international worker rights:

• Urged Myanmar to uphold freedom of association and stop forced labour.

• Expressed concern over Belarus’s actions against trade union leaders.

• Approved the participation of Palestine as a non-member observer, recognizing its evolving status.

Global Coalition for Social Justice Forum

• The second edition of the Global Coalition for Social Justice forum ran alongside the ILC.

• It served as a collaborative platform for governments, civil society, and institutions to improve global labour conditions.

• India’s initiatives like the STPI and TiE startup collaboration, and C-DOT New Delhi and Bengaluru startup hubs echo the same collaborative values.

• These hubs promote safe, innovative, and sustainable employment in line with emerging technologies in India.

Summary for SSC Aspirants

Final Thoughts

The 113th International Labour Conference marked a global shift in labour protection laws, focusing on real-world challenges such as biological hazards, gig work, and informal employment.

For SSC aspirants, this topic is crucial in current affairs, especially under labour laws, international organizations, and socio-economic policies.

India’s government-supported tech and innovation programs, like the Samarth incubation initiative by C-DOT and Indian government telecom startup support, mirror these global trends in their efforts to balance innovation with workers’ rights.