The International Confederation of Arab Trade Unions (ICATU) was founded in 1956 in Damascus. Its main objectives include: (a) Defending the rights and interests of the Arab working class and its trade union movement;(b) Securing the right to work; creating equal opportunities for all Arab workers;(c) Ensuring the Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining and strengthening the tripartite dialogue; (d) Reinforcing working women’s right to employment and equality of all rights and encouraging their involvement in union work.