The Human Face of Globalisation: What Will Be the Impact of the International Labour Organisation's Recently Released Report on the Social Aspects? Anver Versi Reports

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Globalisation is a chimera--it changes its appearance from whatever vantage point you look at it. For some, globalisation has brought undreamt of wealth and opportunity; to others, it is a threat. To the vast majority however, globalisation is something that is happening to somebody somewhere but you can neither see it, touch it or hear it.

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What is certain is that globalisation, for better or worse, is here to stay. The only question is how to make globalisation work to the benefit of all.

"Globalisation is among the most hotly debated issues on political agendas today," says the International Labour Organisation (ILO). "The discussion, however, tends to be fragmented, with views often polarised along political or geographic lines. This lack of consensus makes it harder to develop policies at national and international levels."

It was against this background that the ILO launched the World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalisation in February 2002. The idea was to discover the human face of globalisation--its impact on people's social lives.

The commission was co-chaired by presidents Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania and Tarja Halonen of Finland. The 26 member commission was composed of some of the world's heavyweight thinkers from all parts of the world, including Nobel prize winner for economics, Joseph Stiglitz, Aminata Traore, Malian author, former cabinet minister and social activist, Taizo Nishimuro, chairman of the board of Japan's Toshiba Corporation and Juam Somavia, director-general …