Raymond Saner & Emanuele Sapienza
Abstract: In 2002, the International Labour Organization (ILO) decided to start an initiative aimed at increasing the Decent Work content of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) originally developed by the World Bank and the IMF. As the ILO Governing Body concluded its consideration of work in this area (March 2008), the present paper reviews the ILO experience from a partnership-building and development diplomacy point of view. The paper argues that, while significant progress has been achieved, there is a need to take the process one step forward in order to trigger a significant reframing of the PRSP debate and a shifting of its boundaries. This step will involve a partial repositioning of the ILO’s partnership building within the PRSP process and an effort to move beyond the traditional tripartite constituency of the ILO and build more systematic alliances with other segments of the national civil society as well as global poverty reduction advocacy groups.
