Fundamental rights at work and poverty alleviation

1. Fundamental rights at work and poverty alleviation ILO approach(es) Poverty alleviation approach(es) Common space? Challenges

2. ILO approach(es) ILO standards (Conventions and Recommendations); new integrated approach Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work Relationship to work on poverty alleviation and employment?

3. A few features of the Declaration Origins in development; universal buy-in Rights at work, not workers’ rights only = many stakeholders Reciprocal obligations (Member States/ILO) Declaration method and tools Read the text!

4. Millenium Development Goals – connection to FPRs? International development targets (with dates, eg 2015) Eradicate extreme poverty Universal primary education Empowerment of women Global partnership for development (e.g. DFID commitments/targets) ETC

5. Development tools and FPRs CDF/PRSP – where are FPRs? IDA 12 Decision World Bank core labour standards toolkit CAS inclusion of core labour standards Operations (procurement; Employment Intensive Investment Programmes) Special issues (conflict, youth employment, HIV/AIDS, etc.)

6. Poverty alleviation approaches: UNDP Human Development Report 1999: human rights and sustainable human development are inextricably linked, compementary, multidimensional (seven freedoms) Poverty alleviation/sustaining livelihoods, promoting advancement of women, capacity for good governance, etc.

7. Poverty alleviation: World Bank World Development Report 2000/2001 Expand economic opportunity for poor people Facilitate empowerment Enhance security Reduce inequalities Social capital; voice, participation – but for whom? Costs – for whom? Decentralization – with what effects?

8. Indices/measurements World Development Indicators (WB) Human Development Index (UNDP) Art. IV reviews (IMF) Relevance of FPRs? ILO reports (WER, Declaration Follow-up annual/global reports, others)

9. Freedom of association/collective bargaining The ultimate enabling rights Exercise of individual and collective action (social capital?) Can create stable, investment-friendly environment Help societies adjust to shocks (governance) Narrow divide between formal, informal economies Chance to redress gender, other imbalances

10. Elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour FL challenges the value of labour as a key input for ec/social development FL distorts the labour market and challenges validity of supply/demand FL does not contribute to productivity FL perpetuates inequalities between social groups

11. Effective abolition of child labour CL is cause and effect of poverty CL harms survival & mental and physical development of child Spoils future opportunities and choices Undermines competitiveness of national economies Erodes pay and working conditions of adult workers

12. Elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation Disc is important source of reproduction of poverty Disc is obstacle to full realization of human resources potential Disc is cauldron of social tension, armed conflict Disc perpetuates gender and other imbalances

13. Matching FPRs and poverty alleviation perspectives Freedom of association Collective bargaining Elimination of forced labour Abolition of child labour Elimination of discrimination Expanding opportunity Facilitating empowerment Enhancing security Ensuring voice Promoting good governance

14. FPRs as ends and means for overcoming poverty Respect for FPRs expands choices, capabilities and freedoms Open the door to Empowerment Opportunity Security Dignity

15. Challenges: arrogance and ignorance Conceptual - research or ideology? Vocabulary Measurement Institutional New tools? Finding common ground

16. Thanks To Manuela Tomei and Stanley Taylor for sharing ideas and information To you for feedback