The fundamental principles and rights of employers and workers are part of the ILO Constitution and the Declaration of Philadelphia. At these principles and rights centre is the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining, the elimination of forced or compulsory labour, the abolition of child labour, and the elimination of discrimination with respect to employment and occupation. These principles are translated in eight International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions which have had wide acceptance at the international level.

In 1998, the importance of these basic protections and guarantees was reinforced by the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, adopted by the International Labour Conference.

All of these fundamental principles and rights are also of core importance and interest in the industry sector overall, and vital for women workers, in particular those concerning non-discrimination, as they promote the equality between male and female workers, including in terms of access to employment, equal remuneration for work of equal value, and equal opportunity and treatment.

The ILO has a programme which specifically focuses on the promotion of the Declaration Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, which offers technical cooperation support, providing technical advice to member States, to advance and implement them at the national level.
All the ILO Principles have been mirrored in EU labour legislation and incorporated to different extents in the national legislation of Member States.