By Precious D. Freeman
The Director-General of the International Labor Organization (ILO), Gilbert F. Houngbo, wants government and employers prioritize human-centered social justice, policies and actions of labor laws.
According to a release issued, the remark was made at a program marking this year’s International Labor Day celebration globally.
According to him, people should be allowed to pursue both their material well-being and their spiritual development in conditions of freedom and dignity, economic security and equal opportunities.
He added that the approach is not new, because it was set out and agreed in the aftermath of World War II, when the ILO’s International membership signed the 1944 declaration of Philadelphia.
He maintained that this document sets out principles for their economic and social systems, that they should not be turned exclusively to hitting specific growth rates or other statistical targets, but to address human needs and aspirations.
“This means that we need to focus on inequality, poverty alleviation and core social protection, and the most effective way to do this is by providing quality jobs so that people can support themselves and build their own futures,” he said.
The ILO’s Director General disclosed that focusing on the above mentioned factors would help to address the long-term structural transformation in ensuring that new technology creates and supports employment and proactively face the challenges of climate change ensuring that people offer the jobs, skills training and transitional support necessary for workers and businesses to benefit from the new low-carbon era.
“We must revive labor institutions and organizations so that social dialogue is effective and vigorous, we must also review laws and regulations affecting the world of work so that they are relevant and up-to-date and able to protect workers and support sustainable businesses” he said.
He further stated that to make all this happen, “We need to recommit to international cooperation and solidarity, and enhance our efforts in creating greater policy coherence, particularly within the multilateral system, as the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres calls it.”
“This is why we need a Global Coalition for Social Justice which will create a platform to bring together a broad range of international bodies and stakeholders. It will position social justice as the key stone of the global recovery so that it is prioritized in national, regional and global policies” he suggested.
Meanwhile, Mr. Houngbo urged workers across the world to take this opportunity and move forward to build the equitable and resilient societies that can underpin lasting peace and social justice.
