The Commission of Inquiry, set up by the ILO Governing Body of the International Labour Office at its 344th Session in March 2022, in respect of the non-observance by Myanmar of the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87), and the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29), held its first session at the ILO Headquarters in Geneva from 25 to 27 August 2022.
In its 344th Session, the Governing Body deplored “the lack of progress towards respecting the will of the people, democratic institutions and processes” and “the continued harassment, intimidation and arbitrary arrests and detentions of labour activists, trade unionists and others, including the Rohingya, in the exercise of their human rights”. It also repeated “its profound concern over reports of increased use of forced labour by the military authorities and the fact that progress towards the elimination of forced labour has reversed since the military takeover.”
There have previously been thirteen Commissions of Inquiry established by the ILO to investigate allegations of serious non-observance of ratified international labour standards. Such Commissions represent the highest level of ILO supervisory mechanisms.