Workers face worsening inequality without urgent reforms, UN agency warns

That is the warning outlined in a new assessment released on Friday by the UN International Labour Organization (ILO), which urges governments, employers and labour organizations to put dignity and workers’ rights at the centre of economic decision-making.

“This report brings together the voices, experiences and proposals of trade unions worldwide,” said Maria Helena André, Director of ILO’s Bureau for Workers’ Activities.

“Workers have defined shared priorities for advancing social justice and shaping a more inclusive future of work.”

She noted that while economies and labour markets are changing rapidly, worker protections and governance systems have not kept pace, leading to rising insecurity and deepening inequalities.

Call for a human-centred economy

According to the report, technological change, climate pressures, demographic shifts and weakening social protections are reshaping workplaces faster than policy can respond.

Without action, existing inequalities are likely to worsen, particularly for workers in informal, temporary or low-wage jobs.

Among its key messages:

• Decent work and labour rights are non-negotiable.
• Economic governance must put people first.
• Technological and climate transitions must be just and inclusive.
• Local realities require tailored solutions.
• Trade unions are transforming to remain relevant.

Global debate set to open in Doha

The findings come as more than 8,000 participants – including Heads of State and Government, ministers, employers’ groups, civil society organizations and youth representatives – prepare to gather in Doha for the Second World Summit for Social Development, opening on Tuesday.

The Summit will revisit and update commitments first made at the landmark 1995 Social Summit in Copenhagen, as inequality, insecurity and social fragmentation are once again rising in many parts of the world.

In a message ahead of the Summit, ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo urged governments to act with ambition and unity:

“Everyone deserves an equal chance at quality jobs and shared prosperity. Let us come together again – to deliver fair, inclusive and lasting progress for people everywhere.”

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