Realizing Rights

Decent Work and the Every Human Has Rights Campaign

Among those standing up for the right to Decent Work is Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative. Founded in 2002 by Mary Robinson, Realizing Rights works to put human rights standards at the heart of global governance and policy-making and to ensure that the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable are addressed on the global stage.

Focusing on the right to Decent Work is particularly important as we mark the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Tragically, decent work opportunities are often overlooked in national development policies and are still a distant dream for many in rich and poor countries alike.

In September 2008, Realizing Rights is joining with The Every Human Has Rights Campaign, the ILO, the Government of Liberia, the Government of Norway, and many others to demonstrate how greater attention to the decent work agenda can contribute to achieving dignity and rights for all. Three events are planned.

  • Decent Work Conference - organized by the Financial Times and the Norwegian Government, in cooperation with the Norwegian Trade Union Confederation and the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise. The conference will bring together a wide range of stakeholders and featured speakers including Realizing Rights President Mary Robinson, ILO Director General Juan Somavia and WTO Director General Pascal Lamy. (5 September, Oslo, Norway, website).

  • Working Out of Poverty: A Decent Work Approach to Development and Growth in Africa - co-convened by the Government of Liberia, Realizing Rights and the ILO, this event will encourage specific commitments on decent work from senior representatives of governments, donors, companies and civil society organizations (5-7 September, Monrovia Liberia, website).

  • Decent Work and the MDGs - co-convened by the ILO and Realizing Rights during the week of the UN high level event on the MDGs, this meeting will explore how decent work can contribute to, and feature more prominently in efforts to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals (22 September, New York, website).

These meetings will also give impetus to important ongoing efforts like the Decent Work, Decent Life Campaign launched by an alliance of five organizations: the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), Solidar, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), Social Alert International and the Global Progressive Forum. This campaign encourages nations to incorporate decent work as a key element to achieving poverty reduction. Launched at the World Social Forum in Nairobi in January 2007, the Decent Work, Decent Life Campaign is sponsoring a World Day on Decent Work on October 7, 2008 which will focus on three themes: Rights at Work, Solidarity and Ending Poverty and Inequality.

What You Can Do

Find out what is happening in your area on October 7 - the Global Day on Decent Work (website) and hit the streets to support the campaigners.

Make your voice heard through the internet to support labor rights. Get on the mailing list of organizations like Fair Labor Association or American Rights at Work and regularly write to companies who are undermining the rights of workers.

Reward companies doing the rights thing. Go to the website of the Business and Human Rights Resource Center (www.business-humanrights.org) and check the Spotlight Companies and write letters of support to those who are promoting labor rights.

If you own any stocks, promote decent work by becoming an active shareholder and voting on any proxy that relates to employment conditions. Let companies know that you care about how their workers are treated.

Combine interests on issues like the environment or women’s rights with promoting the decent work agenda. If you already support advocacy on environmental issues, find out more about the Green Jobs movement by checking out organizations like Sustainable South Bronx (green jobs section of website) and The Blue-Green Alliance (website.)

Find out more about Fair Trade products that are internationally certified to raise the economic and social conditions of those who produce products – often chocolate, coffee and bananas. A good place to start is the Fair Trade Labeling Association.

Learn More about Realizing Rights

Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative addresses five urgent issues required for greater human development and security: fostering more equitable international trade and development; strengthening efforts to realize the human right to health; shaping more humane migration policies; encouraging women's leadership; and influencing corporate social responsibility.

Realizing Rights' mission is to put human rights standards at the heart of global governance and policy-making and to ensure that the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable are addressed on the global stage.

Return to the Right to Decent Work theme page