Employment, decent work for all and social protection
Description
The key role of decent work for all in achieving sustainable development is highlighted by Sustainable Development Goal 8 which aims to “promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all”.
Decent work, employment creation, social protection, rights at work and social dialogue represent integral elements of the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Furthermore, crucial aspects of decent work are broadly rooted in the targets of many of the other 16 goals.
In its Paragraphs 143-157, the outcome document of the Rio +20 Conference expresses its concerns about labour market conditions and the widespread deficits of available decent work opportunities. At the same time recognizes the existing linkages among poverty eradication, full and productive employment and decent work for all and urges all governments to address the global challenge of youth employment.
The global challenge of youth employment is also recalled by the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development adopted in Johannesburg in 2002.
Among the concerted and concrete measuring required for enabling developing countries to achieve their sustainable development goals, JPOI highlights the importance of providing assistance to increase income-generating employment opportunities, taking into account the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work of the International Labour Organization.
JPOI reads “Good governance is essential for sustainable development. Sound economic policies, solid democratic institutions responsive to the needs of the people and improved infrastructure are the basis for sustained economic growth, poverty eradication, and employment creation. Freedom, peace and security, domestic stability, respect for human rights, including the right to development, and the rule of law, gender equality, market-oriented policies, and an overall commitment to just and democratic societies are also essential and mutually reinforcing".
Chapter 3 of Agenda 21 identifies the need to strengthening employment and income- generating programmes as tool to eradicate poverty. The Agenda also invites governments to establish measures able to directly or indirectly generate remunerative employment and productive occupational opportunities compatible with country-specific factor endowments, on a scale sufficient to take care of prospective increases in the labour force and to cover backlogs.
Furthermore, the Agenda reiterates, in different sections, the need of generating employment for vulnerable groups, specifically women, urban poor, unemployed rural labour as well as low-income urban residents.
| Title | Category | Date Sort ascending |
|---|---|---|
| Major Groups: Children and Youth, Trade Union, Women, Indigenous Peoples | Co-chairs' meetings with Major Groups | 17-Jun-2014 |
| Landlocked Developing Countries | Energy Economic growth, employment and infrastructure | 7-May-2014 |
| Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) | Energy Economic growth, employment and infrastructure | 7-May-2014 |
| Stakeholder Group on Ageing | Dialogue with Major Groups | 7-May-2014 |
| Major Group: Children & Youth | Dialogue with Major Groups | 7-May-2014 |
| Peru and Mexico | Energy Economic growth, employment and infrastructure | 7-May-2014 |
| Cyprus, Singapore and United Arab Emirates | Energy Economic growth, employment and infrastructure | 6-May-2014 |
| Sweden | Energy Economic growth, employment and infrastructure | 6-May-2014 |
| Australia, The Netherlands and United Kingdom | Energy Economic growth, employment and infrastructure | 6-May-2014 |
| Group of 77 and China | Energy Economic growth, employment and infrastructure | 6-May-2014 |
| Bulgaria and Croatia | Energy Economic growth, employment and infrastructure | 6-May-2014 |
| Austria | Energy Economic growth, employment and infrastructure | 6-May-2014 |
| Denmark, Ireland and Norway | Energy Economic growth, employment and infrastructure | 6-May-2014 |
| Romania | Energy Economic growth, employment and infrastructure | 6-May-2014 |
| Greece | Energy Economic growth, employment and infrastructure | 6-May-2014 |
Milestones
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January 2015 SDG 8Goal 8 aims to "promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all”. Decent work, employment creation, social protection, rights at work and social dialogue represent integral elements of the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and crucial aspects of decent work are broadly rooted in the targets of many of the other 16 goals.
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January 2012 Future We Want (Para 146- 157)In its Paragraphs 146-157, the outcome document of the Rio +20 Conference expresses its concerns about labor market conditions and the widespread deficits of available decent work opportunities. At the same time, it recognizes the existing linkages among poverty eradication, full and productive employment and decent work for all and urges all governments to address the global challenge of youth employment. Future We Want also stresses the importance of job creation, by investing in and developing sound, effective and efficient economic and social infrastructure and productive capacities as well as the need for workers to have access to education, skills, health care, social security, fundamental rights at work.
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January 2012 SPFs RecommendationIn June 2012, the ILO Recommendation Concerning National Floors of Social Protection (No 202) was adopted by consensus. Social protection floors are nationally-defined sets of basic social security guarantees which secure protection aimed at preventing or alleviating poverty, vulnerability and social exclusion. These guarantees should ensure at a minimum that, over the life cycle, all in need have access to essential health care and basic income security.
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January 2009 SPFs InitiativeCreated in April 2009 by the UN System's Chief Executives Board for Coordination, the Social Protection Floors Initiative was endorsed by Member States during the Rio+20 Conference.
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January 2009 Green Jobs ProgrammeThe ILO Green Jobs Programme was established in 2009 and has been operational at multiple levels since. These multiple levels consist of the: 1) promotion of international policy coherence through research and advocacy, 2) support to constituents at national level through policy and technical advisory services as well as 3) capacity development of constituents and partners through training and knowledge sharing.
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January 2008 ILO Decl. on Social Justice for a Fair GlobalizationThrough this Declaration, governments, employers and workers from all member States wanted to call for a new strategy to sustain open economies and open societies based on social justice, full and productive employment, sustainable enterprises and social cohesion.
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January 2002 JPOI (Chap. 1.2, 3, 4, Annex)Among the concerted and concrete measuring required for enabling developing countries to achieve their sustainable development goals, the JPOI highlights the importance of providing assistance to increase income-generating employment opportunities, taking into account the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work of the International Labour Organization.
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The third commitment of the UN World Summit on Social Development, held in 1995 in Copenhagen, established full employment as a basic priority of social and economic policies. Delegates also agreed to safeguard the basic rights of workers "and to this end, freely promote respect for relevant International Labour Organization conventions, including those on the prohibition of forced and child labour, freedom of association, the right to organize and bargain collectively and the principle of non-discrimination". This commitment was at the core of the development of the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.
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January 1958 Discrimination ConventionThe Convention concerning Discrimination in Respect of Employment and Occupation or Discrimination Convention (ILO Convention No.111) is one of eight ILO fundamental conventions. The convention urges Member States to enable legislation prohibiting all discrimination and exclusion on any basis, including of race or color, sex, religion, political opinion, national or social origin in employment and repealing legislation that is not based on equal opportunities.
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January 1919 ILOThe International Labour Organization was founded in 1919. Since its establishment, ILO has been committed to protect the most vulnerable, to fight against unemployment, promote human rights, establish democratic institutions and enhance the working lives of women and men around the world.