Labour rights and protecting the planet: Does work bring dignity?
Within the programming of
Changing Our World: Ideas for New Times 2019| Duration: | 2 hours |
Continuing the cycle “Changing Our World: Ideas for New Times”, on this occasion we’ll address two of the Sustainable Development Goals: number 8, decent work and economic growth; and number 12, responsible consumption and production.
Working and living in poverty aren’t mutually exclusive. According to statistics from the World Labour Organisation (WLO), 780 million working men and women don’t earn enough to rise above the poverty line of 2 dollars a day. In Spain, 13% of the working population lives below the poverty threshold. In Spain and the world, women bear the brunt of this problem, as they have the worst terms of employment and the lowest wages. This situation is particularly precarious for migrant, racialised or undocumented women.
The WLO estimates that 600 million new jobs per year need to be created between now and 2030. But the real issue is what kind of jobs should be created, and under what conditions. It’s not enough to just provide work; it also has to be decent. Decent work means ensuring fair wages, safety at the workplace and social welfare for families, freedom for people to express their opinions, organise themselves and have a say in decisions that affect their lives; it means equal conditions and treatment for men and women.
Speakers:
- Montserrat Mir, special adviser, Just Transition Centre
- Carolina Elías, chair of SEDOAC (Active Domestic Service) and coordinator of CETHYC (Centre for the Empowerment of Domestic Workers and Carers)
Coordinated by: Development NGO Coordinator