A/79/159 III. Role of workers’ organizations in addressing contemporary forms of slavery 11. The following section outlines the vital role of workers’ organizations in addressing contemporary forms of slavery directly or indirectly. It showcases diverse strategies and interventions employed by them globally in order to empower workers and promote decent work, all of which undoubtedly contribute to the prevention of exploitation and abuse. A. Promotion of international and regional labour standards 12. Workers’ organizations in all geographical regions undertake significant efforts in promoting international and regional labour standards. 40 This is an important first step in preventing contemporary forms of slavery. At the national level, workers’ organizations in countries such as Guinea-Bissau, the Republic of Korea and the Sudan achieved the ratification of ILO Conventions Nos. 87 and 98. 41 Others promote regional standards. In North America, workers’ organizations have advocated for the inclusion of labour rights in trade agreements such as chapter 23 of the United States Mexico-Canada Agreement 42 and those in Europe have made a number of important interventions during the developments of proposals for the European Union regulation on prohibiting products made with forced labour and on the directive on corporate sustainability due diligence. 43 13. At the international level, workers’ organizations play a key role in developing international labour standards. Under the unique tripartite structure of ILO, which ensures equal voices from States, workers and employers, workers’ representatives are part of the ILO Governing Body which makes strategic decisions on ILO policy and activities. 44 They also take part in the annual International Labour Conference where delegates adopt ILO conventions and recommendations. 45 B. Advancement of domestic legislative or policy changes 14. Workers’ organizations are at the forefront of driving legislative changes with a view to promoting the rights of workers and preventing labour exploitation. In Colombia, workers’ organizations lobbied for the inclusion of the right to collective bargaining in Labour Reform Bill 166/C of 2024, 46 and the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria has long advocated for the protection of the constitutional right of association, one prominent result being the addition of article 174b to the Bulgarian Criminal Code which now prescribes “crim es against the right of employees to associate with trade unions and unions”. 47 The Trade Union Congress of Maldives played an important role in the enactment of an Industrial Relations and Occupational Safety and Health Bill which established a legal mechanism for __________________ 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 24-13043 Submissions by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), International Transport Workers’ Federation, Federation of Korean Trade Unions, Trades Union Congress Ghana and Hari Welfare Association. Submission by ITUC. Submission by Canadian Labour Congress. Submission by York Centre for Applied Human Rights. ILO Constitution, art. 7. ILO Constitution, art. 19. Submission by Colombia. Submission by Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria; and https://rm.coe.int/penal-code-bulgaria-appendix-1-to-eu-survey/1680ad2b38. 7/21