International Labor Organization grants Palestine observer state status

ISTANBUL

The International Labor Organization (ILO) has formally upgraded Palestine’s status to a “non-member observer state” from a previous designation as a “liberation movement.”

The decision was made at the General Conference of the ILO’s Board of Directors, which included representatives from Arab and international unions, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA.

Final approval of the decision is expected at the International Labor Conference in June 2025.

The decision enables Palestine to participate fully in all ILO structures and advances it toward a future participatory membership, said Shaher Saad, secretary-general of the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU).

Founded in 1919, the ILO is a United Nations agency dedicated to advancing social justice and internationally recognized labor rights. It remains the only tripartite agency within the UN, bringing together governments, employers and workers from 187 countries to set labor standards and promote fair working conditions globally.