In this article, we take a look at 30 countries that receive the most aid from ILO. If you would like to skip our detailed analysis of ILO funding, you can directly go to 5 Countries That Receive the Most Aid From ILO.
The International Labor Organization exists to promote decent work opportunities and labor rights in countries around the globe. Since its creation in 1919, the organization has served to improve economic and working conditions for every man and woman while also advancing equal employment opportunities. For the accomplishment of these goals, the ILO offers knowledge and expertise, along with funding.
ILO Funding – At a Glance
ILO receives funding from its resource partners in two variants. Assessed contributions are provided by all member states, and they’re responsible for bearing the ILO’s regular budget. Each country’s contribution amount is allocated according to the UN’s assessment. According to 2022 data, the total assessed contributions amounted to approximately $421 million. The highest portion of this was from the United States (22%), followed by China (12%) and Japan (8%). The US is a huge contributor to aid around the globe, and you can also check out countries that receive the most foreign aid from the US.
On the other hand, the other form of funding is voluntary contributions, which can be earmarked for specific projects (non-core contributions) or unearmarked as a flexible pool of resources (core contributions). The unearmarked resources are also known as the Resource Budget Supplementary Account or the RBSA. ILO allocates its resources to strategic priority areas and country outcomes pertaining to employment, enterprise development, and work quality, among others. The RBSA resources, in particular, are allocated to the Decent Work Country Programmes.
As per its 2022 Annual Report on Voluntary Contributions, the ILO received $381.4 million in voluntary non-core contributions during the year 2022, whereas RBSA amounted to $16.5 million. The top contributor of voluntary non-core resources was Germany, which offered a total of $63.3 million to the ILO. The United States was second, with a contribution of $55.2 million. The top contributors of the RBSA were Belgium, Denmark, and Norway, contributing more than $9 million collectively. These are also some of the countries that gave the most foreign aid in 2023.
ILO Budget
The budget refers to the money from total contributions that ILO allocates to projects in a particular year. In 2022, ILO reported a total budget of $422.71 million, distributed across 945 projects. The most significant portion of this budget, amounting to $243.78 million, came from multi-bilateral donors. The EU was the largest donor in the budget amount, contributing $70.87 million. The region with the highest number of projects was Asia-Pacific, with a total of 251 projects. Projects in this region mainly focused on enterprise and skills development. Furthermore, Africa had 247 projects, the Americas had 146, and Europe and Central Asia collectively had 87. The country with the most number of projects was the United States, which had a total of 62 projects with a total budget of $40.57 million. From its total allocated budget, the ILO managed to spend $406.42 million.
2022 Results
In its 2022 Annual Report on Social Finance, ILO measured its progress across three areas: financial inclusion, impact insurance, and sustainable investing. Through its active projects, the agency managed to extend financial services to 1.6 million clients in 2022, which included low-income households, micro-enterprises, and smallholder farmers. ILO shared its innovative solutions with 122,000 stakeholders, 86% of whom were women. These solutions were shared through the website, social media, or direct interactions such as training courses, events, or webinars. The audience consisted of donor, development, and international organizations (18%), academics (16%), microinsurance providers (15%), and financial services providers (11%), among others.
Through ILO engagement, 42 organizations reported an improvement in their practice. These improvements included client-centered approaches, organizational changes, improved processes, and new product changes. Furthermore, the agency also advised central banks and other governmental organizations on their financial policies in eight different countries. The policies were in the areas of financial inclusion, financial literacy, and rural finance. Moreover, according to ILO’s Decent Work Results Dashboard, the agency managed to achieve 1068 results concerning its global deliverables across 143 countries during the 2022-2023 biennium. These include decent work-related policies and institutions, as well as global products.
The Private Sector Contribution
Private sector organizations play a crucial role in helping ILO achieve its annual goals. According to the 2022 Annual Report on Voluntary Contribution, public-private partnerships contributed $17.8 million to ILO in 2022, $13 million of which came from private sector companies. Other contributors included NGOs, academic institutes, foundations, and others. These partnerships enable the ILO in the fulfillment of its objectives in various domains.
Nike, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) is one of the companies that ILO has partnered with. In 2022, the ILO announced that its Vision Zero Fund had partnered up with Nike, Inc. (NYSE:NKE). The joint venture was an initiative that aimed to reduce road accident-related injuries and deaths among garment and footwear workers. Through this initiative, Nike, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) planned to understand the underlying causes of these accidents while also developing guidelines that help workers commute safely.
The guidelines document was released on February 7th, 2024, and is titled: “Collective Action for a Safe Commute: Action Manual and Checklist for Employers and Workers in the Garment and Footwear Sector to Enhance Workers’ Commuting Safety.” The pilot implementation was done in Egypt and Ethiopia. The project has also generated two evidence-based assessments on commuting safety in the same countries.
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE:ANF) is a Buyer Partner with ILO’s Better Work. This initiative aims to improve working conditions, labor rights, and competitiveness within the global apparel industry. As a Buyer Partner, Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE:ANF) supports its suppliers to achieve the Better Work goals. Currently, Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE:ANF) is partnering with 108 active factories in the program across five countries, namely Bangladesh, Jordan, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Vietnam. In 2021, 100% of the company’s participating factories completed the following three Better Work training sessions: Sexual Harassment Prevention, Respectful Workplace, and Supervisory Skills Training.
Through its partnerships with both the private and the public sectors, ILO is improving working conditions in many countries. A prominent way to achieve these goals is through funding, which is why we have compiled a list of 30 countries that receive the most aid from ILO. You can also check out 25 Countries that Receive the Most Foreign Aid Per Capita.
30 Countries That Receive the Most Aid From ILO
Our Methodology
In order to compile this list, we consulted the World Bank’s 2022 dataset on net official flows from ILO. The net official flow refers to the net disbursement of grants and loans to a particular country in a year, minus any repayments on earlier loans. The countries are listed in ascending order of net official flows. Further information is added from ILO’s 2022 annual reports and 2022-2023 Decent Work Results Dashboard, which tracks the number of country program outcomes achieved in each country during the 2022-2023 biennium. Based on this methodology, here are 30 countries that receive the most aid from ILO.
30 Countries That Receive the Most Aid From ILO
30. Senegal
Net Official Flows From ILO (2022): $1,240,066
From 2022 to 2023, ILO achieved eight country program outcomes in Senegal. The agency also partners with CNAAS, the only agricultural company in Senegal, in order to help them scale their business and become sustainable.
29. Côte d’Ivoire
Net Official Flows From ILO (2022): $1,242,919
Côte d’Ivoire is one of the world’s top cocoa-producing countries, but its cocoa supply chain is lined with child labor. For the elimination of this issue, the ILO is in the process of evaluating the benefit of an impact bond. Currently, Côte d’Ivoire is one of the countries receiving the most aid from ILO.
28. Ukraine
Net Official Flows From ILO (2022): $1,259,685
According to the ILO, nearly 4.8 million jobs in Ukraine have been lost since the war with Russia started. Thus, the agency is providing funding and expertise to the country to fight this crisis. From 2022 to 2023, ILO achieved six country program outcomes in Ukraine.
27. Namibia
Net Official Flows From ILO (2022): $1,329,062
With a net official flow of $1.32 million from 2022, Namibia is one of the countries receiving the highest aid from the ILO. From 2022 to 2023, the ILO achieved six country program outcomes in Namibia, including the development of employment-related policies.
26. West Bank and Gaza
Net Official Flows From ILO (2022): $1,369,160
In the 2022 to 2023 biennium, the ILO worked to develop a comprehensive social security strategy that would enhance coverage for men and women in the Palestinian territory. In total, the agency achieved six country program outcomes in the region.
25. Zimbabwe
Net Official Flows From ILO (2022): $1,370,673
The ILO achieved nine country program outcomes in Zimbabwe during the 2022 to 2023 period, including job creation in rural and informal economies. Zimbabwe is one of the countries that receive the most aid from the ILO.
24. Moldova
Net Official Flows From ILO (2022): $1,427,236
Using the 2022 RBSA, the ILO launched a mobile application in Moldova, which trade union members can use to report workers’ rights violations to their union as well as the State Labor Inspectorate. The app was launched in September 2022.
23. Myanmar
Net Official Flows From ILO (2022): $1,438,014
The ILO achieved two country program outcomes in Myanmar during the 2022 to 2023 biennium, including ensuring that more working-age people had access to decent jobs, especially if they were vulnerably employed.
22. Bangladesh
Net Official Flows From ILO (2022): $1,452,467
On October 13, 2022, ILO released the Financial Education Trainee’s Booklet for National and Migrant Workers in Bangladesh, which is an instruction manual for the country. Bangladesh is one of the countries receiving the most aid from the ILO.
21. Uzbekistan
Net Official Flows From ILO (2022): $1,462,864
From 2022 to 2023, the ILO achieved seven country program outcomes in Uzbekistan. These included extending and progressively raising the social protection floors, strengthening the institutional capacity of workers’ organizations, and focusing on developing gender-responsive policies.
20. Madagascar
Net Official Flows From ILO (2022): $1,490,220
Madagascar had a net official flow of $1.49 million from the ILO in 2022. It is one of the countries receiving the most aid from the agency. The ILO achieved nine country program outcomes in Madagascar from 2022 to 2023.
19. Nigeria
Net Official Flows From ILO (2022): $1,490,899
In Nigeria, the ILO partnered up with Grameen Foundation to develop a toolkit that financial sector stakeholders could utilize to address child labor in the country. Nigeria is one of the countries receiving a high proportion of aid from the ILO.
18. Peru
Net Official Flows From ILO (2022): $1,516,032
In Peru, the ILO worked on market management that could help women traders from Lima and Cusco towards formalization. Under this initiative, the agency provided technical assistance to the local governments, while also offering the women services such as childcare spaces that increased their working capacity.
17. Cameroon
Net Official Flows From ILO (2022): $1,569,944
The ILO achieved eight country program outcomes in Cameroon from 2022 to 2023. This is why Cameroon is one of the countries receiving the most aid from the agency, with a net official flow of $1.56 million in 2022.
16. Nepal
Net Official Flows From ILO (2022): $1,588,575
In Nepal, the ILO implements the RBSA-Skills Program, which aids people in recovering from the COVID-19 crisis through skill development. The initiative primarily focuses on women and workers in the informal economy.
15. Pakistan
Net Official Flows From ILO (2022): $1,626,066
In Pakistan, the ILO is collaborating with GIZ to conduct an actuarial assessment of national health insurance schemes. Pakistan is one of the countries receiving the most aid from the ILO.
14. Paraguay
Net Official Flows From ILO (2022): $1,690,329
Paraguay had a net official flow of $1.69 million from the ILO in 2022, making it one of the countries that receive the most aid from the agency. During the 2022 to 2023 biennium, the agency achieved four country program outcomes in Paraguay.
13. Sri Lanka
Net Official Flows From ILO (2022): $1,697,261
From 2022 to 2023, the ILO helped Sri Lanka develop a national strategy to respond to productive market demands such as technological advancements. The agency also worked to eliminate child labor in the country.
12. Mexico
Net Official Flows From ILO (2022): $1,730,714
In 2022, under the ILO Global Programme on Financial Education, the agency delivered 27 training of trainer workshops in 13 countries, including Mexico. ILO also conducted an assessment of the prospects of responsible digital wage payments in three economic sectors in the country: coffee, retail, and food and beverages.
11. Tanzania
Net Official Flows From ILO (2022): $1,749,680
From 2022 to 2023, ILO achieved seven country program outcomes in Tanzania, including skills development and increased provision of decent work opportunities. Tanzania is one of the countries receiving the most aid from the ILO.
10. Brazil
Net Official Flows From ILO (2022): $1,759,161
From 2022 to 2023, the ILO implemented and achieved six country program outcomes in Brazil. The country had a total net official flow of $1.75 million in the year 2022.
9. Malaysia
Net Official Flows From ILO (2022): $1,765,071
The ILO implemented five country program outcomes in Malaysia from 2022 to 2023. These included implementing analytical skills development, strengthening labor legislation, and improving the institutional capacity of workers’ organizations.
8. Argentina
Net Official Flows From ILO (2022): $1,805,874
Along with Mexico, Argentina is also one of the 13 countries that received training under the ILO Global Programme on Financial Education. For the nationwide deployment of this program, the ILO teamed up with the CONAMI National Microcredit Commission, hosted by the Ministry of Social Development of Argentina.
7. Indonesia
Net Official Flows From ILO (2022): $1,821,191
The ILO is running several pilot projects in Indonesia, which is why it is one of the countries receiving the most aid from the ILO. In 2022, net official flows from the agency amounted to $1.8 million.
6. China
Net Official Flows From ILO (2022): $1,843,600
China ranks sixth on our list of countries that receive the most aid from the ILO. From 2022 to 2023, the ILO managed to achieve four country program outcomes in the country. This included national policies that extend the coverage of social protection systems.
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