A—7

The Preparatory Asian Regional Conference of the International Labour Organization adopts, this Bth day of November, 1947, the following resolution : I Freedom of Association 1. The recognition of the principle of Freedom of Association and the effective guarantee of the right to organize and to bargain collectively are indispensable for the improvement of labour standards and should be accepted by all Asian countries. II Labour Inspection 2. The maintenance of an adequate system of labour inspection is an essential guarantee for the proper application of measures for the protection of labour. 3. The Labour Inspection Convention, 1947, should be ratified by all Asian members of the Organization ; it should also be applied to the non-metropolitan territories in Asia in accordance with the provisions of Articles 30 and 31 thereof. 4. Where the provisions of the Labour Inspection Convention, 1947, cannot be applied immediately to non-metropolitan territories, the provisions of, the Labour Inspectorates (Non-metropolitan Territories) Convention, 1947, should be applied as a first step. 5. The Conference requests the Governing Body of the International Labour Office to place the organization of Labour Inspection on the agenda of the Asian Regional Conference to be held in China in 1949. 6. As a first step towards securing an efficient labour inspection service for the proper enforcement of labour legislation in Asian countries, a Technical Conference of * Representatives of Government Labour Inspection Services in the Asian region should be summoned as soon as possible to study in the first instance problems relating to inspection in agricultural and industrial undertakings. It is suggested for the consideration of the Governing Body that the terms of reference of such a Technical Conference might include the following matters : (a) The adoption of suitable schemes for the recruitment and training of labour inspectors with a view to securing uniformly high standards of inspection ; (b) The standardization of the collection and publication of information obtained by labour inspectors in the various countries ; (c) The desirability of the employment of women in labour inspection services ; (d) The formulation of plans for securing the efficient co-operation of employers' and workers' organizations in the enforcement of measures intended to ameliorate working and living conditions. 7. The Conference takes note with the deepest appreciation of the invitation by the Government of Ceylon that the above-mentioned Technical Conference of representatives of Labour Inspection Services should be held in Ceylon as early as possible, and that the Ceylon Government will be pleased to afford all necessary facilities for the purpose. The Conference trusts that the Governing Body will find it possible to accept this invitation and to make the necessary arrangements to convene a Conference of representatives of Labour Inspection Services on the lines indicated above, and that the findings of the Conference will be submitted to the Asian Regional Conference to be held in China in 1949.

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