"Promoting Decent Work: The Role of Civil Society"
 Background
The workshop was organized by the International Institute for Labour Studies of the ILO, in the context of the Geneva 2000
Forum.
It discussed the contribution of civil society organizations in creating opportunities for decent work for people
everywhere. Decent work, which is the primary goal of the ILO today, is seen as a social paradigm based on
complementary and mutually supportive policies to promote rights at work; employment; social protection and social
dialogue. It addresses a basic aspiration of women and men everywhere: to obtain decent and productive work in
conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity.
This aspiration demands a collective endeavour by many actors: by international organizations, national governments,
business and workers, as well as by all the social actors in civil society. It requires all agents of change to be involved in
innovative economic and social initiatives, tailored to specific national and local situations. It demands, in particular,
new working alliances and dialogue between the traditional social partners in the world of work (governments,
employers' organizations and trade unions), and other associations of civil society, which have grown in numbers and
influence in recent years at the national and community levels. Greater public awareness and advances in
communications technology give them an important role in promoting job creation and sustainable livelihoods, and in the
attainment of social development goals.
This evolution opens new and mutually rewarding avenues for collaboration with ILO constituents. Effective and
accountable associations of civil society could work together with governments, and employers' and workers'
organizations, in promoting rights at work, fostering job creation, and enhancing social protection and social dialogue.
They could be particularly effective in such areas as the informal sector, gender, child labour and the socially excluded.
At the grassroots level, civic associations could be powerful drivers of programmes for decent work in terms of advocacy;
social organization; voice; and the delivery of services. In doing so, they would broaden and strengthen social dialogue,
and further democratic governance and sustainable social progress.
The workshop discussed these possibilities in the light of the practical experience of leaders of major organizations
involved in the world of work and in social development.
The first session reviewed the activities of major civic associations in promoting opportunities for decent work. It examined the problems encountered; the factors behind their successes, including the enabling environment; and identified
promising avenues for future action.
The second session drew lessons from examples of working partnerships between civil society associations on the
one hand, and governments, employers' organizations and trade unions on the other. It looked at the shared objectives
on which these partnerships are based, and the processes of collaboration and dialogue to optimize the benefits of
cooperative efforts in future.
Objectives
- To promote initiatives for decent work within civil society at large.
- To explore new partnerships for decent work between social actors based on common values and shared
objectives.
- To identify areas for future research and knowledge development to support such initiatives and partnerships.
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