Ms. Martha Newton

Deputy Director-General for Policy, International Labour Organization

Martha E. Newton joined the International Labour Organization as the Deputy Director-General for Policy on September 1, 2020.

Previously, Ms. Newton was the Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs at the United States Department of Labor, helming the Department’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs and leading the formulation of international economic, trade and labor policies and programs focused on international child labor, forced labor and modern slavery. Ms. Newton also served at the Department of Labor earlier in her career, as the Associate Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs. Ms. Newton began her professional career in a prosecutor’s office, serving as the Chief of the Violent Crime Victim Assistance Division for a State Attorney General’s Office. She was also previously a Director of the Administration of Children and Families Division at the United States Department of Health and Human Services, where she coordinated the health and human service response for human trafficking victims and refugees.

In addition, Ms. Newton has served the Executive Director of a non-governmental organization (NGO) focused on the rescue and rehabilitation of child slaves in the fishing sector in Ghana, and also served as the Director of Strategic Partnerships for both International Justice Mission, a leading NGO focused on combating human trafficking and slavery through effective law enforcement strategies, and the Halifax International Security Forum, North America’s leading annual event for the discussion of the world’s most pressing security challenges.

Ms. Newton is a graduate of Western Kentucky University, where she received both her Bachelor’s and Master of Arts. She is married and enjoys spending time with her husband and son.

Sessions


9:00 - 11:00 am EDT / 13:00 – 15:00 pm UTC / 15:00 – 17:00 pm CEST
ILO Special Session: Preparing for Decent Work through Safety and Health in the New Normal

The session will explore the intersected relationships between occupational safety and health, business continuity and resilience, employment and labour rights in a context of COVID-19. It will debate the short and medium-term role of safety and health at work in the definition of economic and social policy responses to build back better.

The first panel will debate how safety and health at work will continue to support effective response against COVID-19 contagion, preparations for recovery and, in addition, to being a key contributing factor for quality job creation, retention and strengthening of national social dialogue. Further, panelists will inform on how the International Labour Organization has made use of the integrated policy approach and how the diverse dimensions interact for a safe and sustainable recovery, highlighting as possible practical examples. The panel will further look into the future with particular focus on how countries and workplace can be better prepared in addressing any future safety and health challenges of a global nature.

The second panel will highlight the importance of a consistent and coordinated global approach to address worldwide occupational safety and health challenges, including COVID-19. The session will show case the example of the Global Coalition for Safety and Health at Work and will invite panelists to a dialogue on opportunities and challenges of this type of initiative, and how they envisage in the Coalitions’ work the intersect of occupational safety and health with other variables covering labour rights, employment and economic growth.

Opening:
Ms. Martha Newton, Deputy Director-General for Policy, International Labour Organization

Round Table One: Integrated policy approach for safe work in a COVID-19 and recovery period: the ILO experience - Speakers :
Ms. Corinne Vargha, Director, International Labour Standards Department, International Labour Organization
Mr. Vic Van Vuuren, Director, Enterprises Department, International Labour Organization
Dr. Sangheon Lee, Director, Employment Department, International Labour Organization
Ms. Manuela Tomei, Director, WorkQuality Department, International Labour Organization
Ms. Vera Paquete-Perdigão, Governance and Tripartism Department, International Labour Organization
Mr. Vinicius Pinheiro, Regional Director, Latin America and the Caribbean, International Labour Organization

View of Social Partners - Speakers:
Mr. Kris de Meester, International Organization of Employers (Global Coalition Steering Committee Member)
Mr. Owen Tudor, Deputy General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation, Belgium

Round Table Two: Multidisciplinary and multilateral action for common problems: the case of the Global Coalition for Safety and Health at Work - Speakers:
Mr. William Cockburn, Head of Prevention and Research Unit, European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (Global Coalition task group on occupational safety and health and the Future of Work)
Dr. Johannes Siegrist, Senior professor, Centre for Health and Society, Heinrich-Heine University, Germany (Global coalition task group on promotion of SDG work and productive employment through higher education)
Mr. Tommi Alanko, Director, Institute of Occupational Health, Finland (Global Coalition task group on vision zero at enterprise level)
Mr. Antonio Cammarota, Principal Administrator, DG EMPL/B3, European Commission (Global Coalition task group on multiregional occupational safety and health data systems)
Dr. Jukka Takala, President, International Commission of Occupational Health

Closing:
Mr. Joaquim Pintado Nunes, Chief, Labour Administration, Labour Inspection and Occupational Safety and Health Branch, International Labour Organization

Moderator:
Ms. Conny Czymoch, cc Media

Languages:
English, French and Spanish