NEW YORK (ILO News) – The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted a resolution welcoming the ILO Centenary Declaration for the Future of Work and calling on UN bodies to consider integrating the Declaration’s policy proposals into their work.

Welcoming the historic role of the ILO and its constituents in promoting social justice, the resolution emphasizes the need for a human-centred approach to the future of work. It endorses the Declaration’s stance, that “full and productive employment and decent work for all are key elements of sustainable development, and should therefore be a priority objective of national policies and international cooperation”. It was put forward by the Permanent Missions to the UN of Belgium and Jamaica, who also co-chair the informal Group of Friends of Decent Work.

The resolution also requests that UN bodies – programmes, specialized agencies, funds and financial institutions – consider integrating the Declaration’s policies, in consultation with employers’ and workers’ representatives, into their work. In particular it points to the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks (formerly known as UNDAFs), which are the UN’s main country level planning instrument.

Policy recommendations include strengthening the capacities of people to benefit from the opportunities of a changing world of work, strengthening the institutions of work to ensure adequate protection of all workers, and promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

The UNGA resolution also requests the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, to take the Centenary Declaration into account when considering related reports, noting that, as issues related to the future of work gain in importance and momentum, it provides an opportunity for the UN system to promote a human-centred approach to the future.

Guy Ryder, ILO Director-General, welcomed the resolution. “Today’s decision by the UNGA is a tribute to the work of the ILO, and makes it clear that the UN’s entire membership recognizes that the ILO’s mandate is as relevant and vital today as it was 100 years ago,” he said. “This new resolution encourages all UN member States and UN bodies to apply the principles of the Declaration. It is an important step towards ensuring that we prioritize a human-centred approach to the future of work, and invest in people, institutions and sustainable growth in ways that can create full, productive employment and decent work for all.”

The UN has now adopted a resolution that welcomes the @ILO Centenary Declaration for the Future of Work 🇺🇳🌎

The resolution requests the UN to consider a human-centred approach to the future of work, through investing in people, institutions and sustainable growth 🙌 #ILO100 pic.twitter.com/GbkFyNUjMh

— ILO-NY (@ILO_NewYork) September 16, 2019

The Centenary Declaration was adopted by the ILO’s membership during the annual International Labour Conference in June. It serves as a roadmap for the future work of the ILO.