GENEVA – (ILO News) The International Labor Organization (ILO), a specialized agency of the United Nations, has appointed Nancy Donaldson to head its Washington Office.

Ms. Donaldson brings in-depth knowledge of the ILO, its constituents and issues to her new position. She has advised governments and corporations for 25 years. She also served as an advisor to the ILO Washington office with U.S. policy makers on core labor standards and the decent work agenda since 2005. Earlier in her career, she worked for AFL-CIO President John Sweeney and Service Employees International Union President Andy Stern.

Upon announcing the appointment, ILO Director General Juan Somavia said, “Ms. Donaldson’s years of experience in Washington. and extensive policy expertise will make her a strong addition to our team and ongoing work."

The ILO is working with G-20 leaders in their commitment to implement recovery plans that support decent work, help preserve employment, prioritize job growth and provide support for the unemployed. Mr. Somavia stated, "Nancy’s prior work with the ILO and our constituencies will ensure that the ILO continues to deliver on its commitments.”

Other accomplishments include advancing a successful, bipartisan campaign to release U.S. dues to the UN and representing global corporate clients to support full funding of the UNAIDS initiative. Her work on social, humanitarian and peace issues has included representing internationally recognized scientists on nuclear non-proliferation; leading U.S. coalition-based legislative campaigns for regulation of tobacco; healthcare reform; health and safety in the workplace; and extending family and medical leave as a protected right.

“I am proud and honored to have been selected to head the ILO’s Washington Office” Ms. Donaldson said. “I am deeply committed, especially in the midst of this global jobs crisis, to working with the Obama Administration, especially Secretary Solis, U.S. employers and trade unions and the public policy and non-governmental community toward a stronger, more sustainable and balanced growth as outlined in the ILO’s Global Jobs Pact.”

Born in Lubbock, Texas, Ms. Donaldson graduated with a B.A. in Communications from Baldwin Wallace College and a J.D. from Emory University Law School. She is married and has two teenage daughters.

The US Government provides 22 per cent of the regular budget of the ILO each biennium and is the single largest donor of ILO extra-budgetary technical cooperation projects overall, with 58 active projects currently under implementation in more than 56 member States involving USDOL-ILO collaboration. The US is one of the ILO’s main partners in the international fight to eliminate child labour, with US$380 million earmarked for IPEC projects to combat child labour since 1995. The US also provides significant funding to other ILO projects on HIV/AIDS, human trafficking, improving working conditions in the textile sector, and promoting core labour standards. The US also holds a permanent seat in the Governing Body of the ILO.

About the ILO

The International Labor Organization was established in 1919 by the Treaty of Versailles and became the first specialized agency of the United Nations in 1946. The ILO is the only 'tripartite' United Nations agency in that it brings together representatives of governments, employers and workers to jointly shape policies and programs. The ILO is the global body responsible for drawing up and overseeing international labor standards. Working with its 183 member States, the ILO seeks to ensure that labor standards are respected in practice as well as principle.

The ILO's Vision of Decent Work The ILO is devoted to advancing opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity. Its main aims are to promote rights at work, encourage decent employment opportunities, enhance social protection and strengthen dialogue in handling work-related issues. Today, the ILO helps to advance the creation of decent jobs and the kinds of economic and working conditions that give working people and business people a stake in lasting peace, prosperity and progress.

The ILO Governing Body is the executive body of the International Labor Office (the Office is the secretariat of the Organization). It meets three times a year, in March, June and November. It is composed of 56 titular members (28 Governments, 14 Employers and 14 Workers) and 66 deputy members (28 Governments, 19 Employers and 19 Workers). Ten of the titular government seats are permanently held by States of chief industrial importance (Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States). The other Government members are elected by the Conference every three years.