It is a specialized agency of the United Nations that aims to preserve human rights and respect internationally recognized labor rights, based on the principle that social justice is essential to lasting world peace.

Founded in 1919 as part of the Treaty of Versailles, which had a role in stopping World War I, the organization became the first specialized agency of the United Nations in 1946 and is the only tripartite agency of the United Nations, which includes governments, employers, and workers' representatives from the 187 member states.

Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the ILO Secretariat employs some 2,700 people from 150 countries at its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland and in some 40 countries around the world, and is directed by the Director-General and the ILO Governing Council, which includes representatives of Member States and workers' and employers' groups.

The International Labor Organization was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1969.

The ILO has a unique tripartite structure at the United Nations, where employers and workers' representatives, the "social partners" of the economy – have an equal voice for governments in shaping their policies and programmers. The ILO also promotes this tripartite structure within its member States by encouraging "social dialogue" between unions and employers in the formulation and implementation of national policy on social, economic and many other issues.

The main objectives of the organization

Achieving basic standards and principles and giving rights at work.

Access to social protection for all individuals

Create greater opportunities for women and men to obtain decent work.

Promote social dialogue.

These goals can be achieved by:

Formulate international policies and programs aimed at promoting human rights, improving the working, and living environment, and creating many job opportunities.

Develop and supervise conventions and recommendations governing international labor standards.

Develop an intensive program of international technical cooperation.

Having training, education, and research activities to help advance all these efforts.

Formulate international policies and programs aimed at promoting human rights, improving the working, and living environment, and creating many job opportunities.

Develop and supervise conventions and recommendations governing international labor standards.

Develop an intensive program of international technical cooperation.

Having training, education, and research activities to help advance all these efforts.

Egypt's accession to the organization

Egypt joined the organization in 1936.

The organization's office in Cairo was established in 1959. 

Egypt Outside the List of Individual Cases of Countries in Violation of Conventions in 2022

The ILO has managed the list of individual cases of countries accused of violating the provisions of international labor conventions, which some call the "black list", as the list did not include the name of Egypt, the reasons for not including Egypt in the short list are due to:

 The Ministry's efforts to promote compliance with international labor standards, including the decisions of the Minister of Manpower issued in 2022 on mediation, collective bargaining and protection of the right to organize.

Important legislative developments that have taken place in Egypt, including the Trade Union Organizations Law and the draft Labor Law. Several ministerial decisions that enhance Egypt's compliance with international labor standards, such as decisions on women's employment Nos. 43 and 44 of 2021, the launch of the National Plan for Gender Equality at Work, and the activation of the Higher Council for Social Dialogue.