Established by the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, the ILO became the first specialised agency of the United Nations in 1946. The ILO is devoted to promoting decent and productive work for men and women in conditions of freedom, equality, safety and human dignity. Its chief objectives are: to promote rights at work, to encourage decent employment opportunities, to enhance social protection and to strengthen dialogue on work-related issues. The ILO is the only United Nations agency which has a tripartite structure: representatives of Governments, employers and workers jointly elaborate the policies and programmes of the Organisation. 185 States are members of the ILO.

Since its foundation, the ILO has adopted 190 conventions. Of these, the ILO has identified 10 which it defines as “fundamental” or “core” (No. 29 on Forced Labour, 1930; No. 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise, 1948; No. 98 on the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining, 1949; No. 100 on Equal Remuneration for Men and Women Workers for Work of Equal Value, 1951; No. 105 on the Abolition of Forced Labour, 1957; No. 111 on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination in Employment, Occupation, Vocational Training and Terms and Conditions of Employment, 1958; No. 138 on the Minimum Age for Admission to Employment or Work, 1973; No. 155 on health and security of workers, 1981; No. 182 on the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour, 1999; No. 187 on the Promotional Framework for health and security at work, 2006) and 4 defined as “priority” (or “governance”: No. 81 on Labour Inspection, 1947; No. 122 on Employment Policy, 1964; No. 129 on Labour Inspection [Agriculture], 1969; and No. 144 on Tripartite Consultation regarding International Labour Standards, 1976).

The ILO is present in Italy with its offices, which have been operating in Rome since 1920, and the International Training Centre, established in Turin in 1965.