Within the framework of the project Institutional strengthening to promote compliance with International Labour Standards in Colombia, the International Labour Organization (ILO) delivered a training programme for judicial officials specialising in labour matters, with the aim of reinforcing the use of international standards in judicial decisions and labour proceedings. The programme consisted of five days of training and was held in person in Bucaramanga and Medellín from 11 to 15 and from 25 to 29 August 2025.
Our objective is to ensure that the judiciary has technical and procedural tools to apply International Labour Standards, with a practical approach that strengthens the quality of labour decisions, promotes respect for labour rights, and contributes to sustainable development."
Katherine Álvarez, National Project Coordinator and Focal Point for International Labour Standards at the ILO Country Office for the Andean Countries in Colombia.
Funded by the Ministry of Labour of Employment and Social Development Canada, and organised in collaboration with the Labour Cassation Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice and the Rodrigo Lara Bonilla Judicial School, the programme International Labour Standards for Judicial Officials in Colombia II combined participatory methodology with practical, legal, and procedural content relevant to judicial practice.
The programme covered eight modules on key topics such as: international labour obligations under trade agreements and the Canada-Colombia Labour Action Plan; fundamental Conventions; incorporation of international Conventions into Colombian law; judicial jurisdiction over labour rights; analysis of subcontracting and outsourcing; procedural protocols; reforms and scope of the Labour Procedure and Social Security Code; and Occupational Safety and Health, including ILO Convention No. 190 on violence and harassment in the world of work.
It is essential to deepen knowledge of International Labour Standards, as all international instruments relating to labour rights contain human rights provisions. Therefore, their applicability must be ensured by the higher courts, tribunals, and labour judges given their importance for Colombia."
Jair Corpus, President of the Labour Chamber of the Medellín High Court.
The programme also created spaces for the exchange of experiences on the practical application of International Labour Standards in real cases, enabling participants to identify effective strategies and judicial criteria that can be replicated in other courts. For Colombia, integrating ILS into judicial decisions is crucial to ensuring compliance with international obligations, strengthening the protection of fundamental labour rights, and providing legal certainty for both workers and employers.
International Labour Standards are the result of agreements between governments, employers and workers from all ILO member States. They are therefore essential tools for the administration of labour justice, and it is indispensable to strengthen their application at the national level."
Marialaura Fino, ILO Specialist in International Labour Standards at the ILO Country Office for the Andean Countries.
Furthermore, a judiciary aligned with international standards contributes to more coherent and predictable dispute resolution, reduces procedural uncertainty, and facilitates compliance with commitments under trade agreements and bilateral labour action plans. In short, applying ILS in judicial practice translates standards into real protection and legal coherence for the country.
© ILO / Adriana Mayorga
Background
In November 2024, the ILO launched the first edition of the training programme on International Labour Standards for judicial officials in Colombia, in partnership with the Supreme Court of Justice through its Labour Cassation Chamber and the Rodrigo Lara Bonilla Judicial School.
This first edition was carried out under the project Support for the participation of labour actors in Colombia's labour reform process.
Learn more: ILO launches training programme on International Labour Standards for judicial officials in Colombia
