The growing concerns about the rapid growth and expansion of multinational companies leading to exploitation of the labour and natural resources resulted in various international standards and corporate ethics. The Global Compact,[1] Business and Human Rights Framework and Guiding Principles,[2] OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises,[3] ISO 26000[4] and the MNE Declaration[5] are some of the primary standards to reform the exploitative working conditions in the globalised market economies. While the debate on corporate ethical standards continued, the ILO introduced ‘Decent Work Agenda’ in 1999 encompassing four strategic objectives: fundamental principles and rights at work; employment and income; social protection; and the social dialogue.
The DWA systemically instrumented in the Decent Work Country Programmes (DWCPs) that guide the national stakeholders in addressing the challenges of unemployment and economic hardship.[6] In Nepal, for example, the DWCP (2013-17) focused on three priority areas: employment-centric inclusive growth; labour market governance; and the fundamental principles and rights at work.[7] Outside of the ILO, the DWA intertwines with various multilateral and global instruments. The 2005 World Summit[8] adopted a goal of employment and decent work for all as a part of MGDs, and Target 1.B was added in 2007 to integrate the DWA, key to poverty reduction. The Green Jobs embraces DWA which is likely to accelerate and can become an engine of sustainable development.[9] Further, the DWA is entwined with the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS), promoted by the IMF and World Bank in mid-2000 as a country’s road map to poverty alleviation.[10] Recently, the DWA unifies with the SDGs under Goal 8 which is a key to creating much needed decent jobs and inclusive growth. [11]
Whether its involvement in the national PRS[12] or the human development index and economic growth,[13] the DWA draws the knowledge and expertise of many disenfranchised policies.[14] However, it is not free of criticism. The DWA remains obscured to employers and workers in the informal economy,[15] more efforts are needed in evaluating the effectiveness,[16] it figuratively proclaims the right to decent work without challenging the structural mechanism,[17] and the need to strengthen the organisational arrangements.[18] Some also criticise the ILO’s knotted relationship with the ‘tripartism’ which limits pluralistic views in the decision making.[19] In 2008, however, the ILO realised the shortcomings and initiated to test a comprehensive approach to measuring the DWA.[20]
The Agenda 2030 situates decent work at the mainstay of policies for sustainable development and inclusive growth. Over 600 million new employment opportunities are to be created by 2030 besides improving the working conditions for the 780 million people to come out of the US$ 2/day poverty trap. Evidence shows that the countries, who invested in quality jobs, have narrowed the income inequality and grown one percentage point faster per year.[21] Undoubtedly, the DWA is possibly the most efficient approach in today’s ambiguous market environment which is getting varied acknowledgement and proliferating outcomes in promoting fair jobs and income prospects.
References:
[1] See https://www.unglobalcompact.org/
[2] see http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/GuidingPrinciplesBusinessHR_EN.pdf
[3] See http://mneguidelines.oecd.org/
[4] See http://www.iso.org/iso/home/standards/iso26000.htm
[5] See http://www.ilo.org/empent/Publications/WCMS_094386/lang–en/index.htm
[6] ILO, Programme Financial and Administrative Committee, 291Sess., Strategic Policy Framework 2006-2009, GB.291/PFA/9 (2004).
[7] ILO, 2014. Decent Work Country Programme, Nepal (2013-2017), ILO Country Office for Nepal.
[8] UN, 2005. World Summit Outcome, resolution adopted at the 60th Session of the General Assembly. , pp.1–38.
[9] UNEP, 2008. Green Jobs: Towards decent work in a sustainable, low-carbon world, UNEP/ILO/IOE/ITUC., pp.1-376
[10] IMF/WB, 2002. The Decent Work Agenda and Poverty Reduction: ILO Contribution to IMF/World Bank Comprehensive. In Washington DC: IMF/World Bank, pp. 1–8.
[11] ILO, 2017. World Employment Social Outlook: Trends 2017, Geneva.
[12] Bell, S. and Newitt, K., 2010. Decent Work and Poverty Eradication: Literature Review and Two-Country Study. London: Ergon Associates.
[13] Ahmed, I., 2003. Decent work and human development. International Labor Review, 142(2), pp.263–271.
[14] Pascual-Teresa, G. De, 2011. Decent Work for the 21st Century. In Ninth Coordination Meeting on Internatioanl Migration, 17-18 February. New York: International Labour Organization, p. 29.
[15] Larion, A., 2013. Major objectives of decent work- ILO. Ecoforum, 2(1), pp.74–77.
[16] Ghai, D., 2003. Decent work: Concept and indicators. International Labour Review, 142(2), pp.113–145.
[17] Hauf, F., 2015. The Paradoxes of Decent Work in Context: A Cultural Political Economy Perspective. Global Labour Journal, 6(2), pp.138–155.
[18] Dunn, K. & Mondal, A.H., 2011. Report on the review of The Decent Work Country Programme: Bangladesh 2006-2009, Bangkok.
[19] Craig, J.D.R. & Luciw, S.R., 2006. Decent Work and International Labour Law : A Diversion or a New Direction ? In International Labor Law Conference. pp. 1–31.
[20] See http://www.ilo.org/integration/themes/mdw/lang–en/index.htm to get overview and update on the ILO’s effort to measure the DWA.
[21] ILO, 2015. Decent Work and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Rakesh Karna 