World of Work Summit, Event to mark the 20th anniversary of the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work

Statement by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein

7 June 2018

Distinguished President of the Conference,
Director-General Ryder,

Dear colleagues and friends,

It is a great pleasure to be with you to mark the 20th anniversary of the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, which coincides with our year-long celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

At a time of growing turbulence in the world, with a resurgence of blind nationalism and a backlash against progress in many rights agendas, I also take this opportunity to celebrate the tremendous synergies between our mandates.

Almost a century ago, in the wake of the First World War, the ILO was created “in the conviction that social justice is essential to universal and lasting peace”.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was drawn up amid the devastation of the Second World War, and many of its articles are clearly inspired by the international standards and common values the ILO had developed.

Article 22 on the right to social security builds on the ILO’s social security Conventions, and was further developed in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which was adopted in 1966. Article 23 on the right to work draws deeply from ILO’s work on worker’s rights, including the rights to equal pay and freedom of association.

Together, our Offices stand for the same goal: to ensure that all women and men can claim and exercise the full range of rights they are entitled to, in life as in the workplace, in dignity and without discrimination or fear.

These principles and rights, which have been expressed and developed in eight ILO Conventions, and which are anchored in the Universal Declaration and nine core international human rights treaties, are embodied in the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work we mark today.

It stands for freedom of association, and the right to collective bargaining; for the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour; for the abolition of child labour; and for the elimination of discrimination.

The Declaration commits every Member State to uphold and realise rights and freedoms which are fundamental to human dignity; and it and provides a foundation for our common vision of decent work for all.

Mme President,

Anniversaries are an occasion to take stock and look to the future. As we mark this 20th anniversary and look forward to your centenary next year, we can confidently state that the ILO’s tripartite approach has effectively promoted labour and human rights standards, through a combination of standard-setting, technical cooperation and monitoring. This has been most notable in child labour, with a total reduction of almost one third, and the worst forms of child labour reduced by half.

What can the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work contribute in the next 20 years? As we struggle to combat trafficking, modern slavery and forced labour; as digital tools generate rapid transformations to the ways we work; in a world that is still deeply challenged by issues of inequality, discrimination and sustainability; with young people struggling to achieve a foothold in the world of decent work – can the Declaration still have meaning? Can it still guide us?

It can. In fact, it must. Because, like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, this is a living document that speaks not only to principle but also to effectiveness and accountability of our actions.

Justice, and social justice, build peace. If we are to maintain peace and sustainable development on this small planet, it is essential that human rights and fundamental freedoms be at the core of the economic and social policies of States, businesses and international groupings. All of us who are engaged in working towards implementation of the 2030 Agenda know that it is a manifesto for human rights and labour rights: the Sustainable Development Goals are sustainable precisely because they are grounded in universal principles and norms. And we know it is a vital plan of action and change – an agenda essential to sustaining humanity’s future. 

A rights-based approach is fundamental to addressing the challenges of achieving decent work and keeping the promise of ‘leaving no one behind’. I am confident that no matter the difficulties, we will work in close partnership to overcome them.

I thank you