Meeting

Sectoral Policies Department TO ALL MEMBER STATES OF THE ILO T: +41 22 799 61 41 E: [email protected] R: IC 12-0-45-4-100 23 January 2026 Meeting of experts on the application of the fundamental principles and rights at work and on violence and harassment in the world of sport (Geneva, 2-6 March 2026) Dear Sir or Madam, In accordance with the decision taken by the Governing Body at its 353rd Session (March 2025), it is my pleasure to invite your Government to nominate an observer to participate in the Meeting of experts on the application of the fundamental principles and rights at work and on violence and harassment in the world of sport. The meeting will be held at the headquarters of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva, from Monday, 2 March to Friday, 6 March 2026. Purpose The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss and adopt guidelines on the application of the fundamental principles and rights at work and on violence and harassment in the world of professional sport. The draft guidelines may include guidance to governments, social partners and other relevant stakeholders on how to effectively apply fundamental principles and rights at work, as well as how to prevent and eliminate violence and harassment in the professional sports sector. Background documents The Office has prepared draft guidelines in English, French and Spanish on the application of the fundamental principles and rights at work in the professional sports sector, as well as on violence and harassment in the world of sport. The draft guidelines cover general principles, freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining, the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour, the abolition of child labour, the promotion of equality and non-discrimination, safe and healthy working environments, and the prevention and elimination of violence and harassment for professional athletes. The draft guidelines are posted on the meeting webpage where other meeting-related documents will also be made available.  2. Composition The meeting will be composed of 24 experts: eight Employer experts and eight Worker experts nominated by the Employers’ and Workers’ groups of the Governing Body respectively, and eight experts nominated by the following governments: 1 Australia, Canada, Chile, France, Japan, Morocco, Slovenia and South Africa. Should any of these governments decline to nominate an expert, a government from the reserve list 2 will be invited to do so. In addition to the eight government experts, the meeting will be open to interested governments who may attend as observers (one observer per government). 3 Selected official international organizations, as well as non-governmental international organizations, will also be invited to participate in the meeting as observers. Accreditation If your Government wishes to participate in this meeting, kindly send a letter of nomination before Friday, 20 February 2026 with the name, title and e-mail address of your Government observer by e-mail to [email protected]. Please indicate in the communication whether the participant will attend in-person or remotely. When making these nominations, your Government is invited to bear in mind the resolutions adopted by the International Labour Conference, calling upon members to include a greater number of women in their delegations to ILO meetings, as well as the applicable resolutions and targets of the United Nations concerning the promotion of gender balance. Interpretation Simultaneous interpretation will be provided in English, French and Spanish. Travel arrangements In keeping with the Standing Orders for meetings of experts, travel and subsistence expenses of government observers will be payable by the governments concerned. Please note that the Office neither supplies insurance coverage nor accepts any liability for a participant’s claim in connection with an accident or a medical disorder arising before, during or after the meeting. Participants are therefore responsible for obtaining adequate insurance coverage before travelling for the entire duration of the meeting, including time spent travelling to and from the event. Participants are kindly advised to only travel when in good health. Visas and accommodation I would also like to draw your attention to the fact that if participants require entry visas for Switzerland, which is part of the Schengen area, they will need to be obtained in their respective countries well in advance of their departure. Regarding accommodation, please note that the Office is not equipped to make reservations for hotel accommodation. A list of hotels offering preferential rates for participants in ILO meetings can be furnished upon request to the Office. 1 In accordance with the decision of the Governing Body at its 353rd Session (March 2025): GB.353/POL/3/Decision. 2 The list of governments in reserve: Egypt, India, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Norway, Poland and the United States. 3 Standing Orders for meetings of experts, adopted by the Governing Body of the ILO at its 334th Session (October-November 2018).  3. Delegates with disabilities The ILO recognizes that social justice and decent work for all can be realized only if persons with disabilities are fully and meaningfully included in the world of work. In this context, the ILO strives to lead by example at the meetings it hosts and organizes. Should your nominated observer require any assistance in this regard, kindly address your request to [email protected]. We look forward to receiving a positive reply from your Government. Yours sincerely, For the Director-General: Frank Hagemann Director Sectoral Policies Department Saatja: "ILO-BIT-OIT" <[email protected]> Saaja: "ILO-BIT-OIT" <[email protected]> Teema: Meeting of experts on the application of the fundamental principles and rights at work and on violence and harassment in the world of sport (Geneva, 2-6 March 2026) Kuupäev: 2026-01-23 14:45 Tähelepanu! Tegemist on välisvõrgust saabunud kirjaga. Tundmatu saatja korral palume linke ja faile mitte avada. Governments of Member States of the International Labour Organization are requested to find attached an important communication concerning the Meeting of experts on the application of the fundamental principles and rights at work and on violence and harassment in the world of sport. Please do not reply to this email. 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