The road ahead: Sustaining peace through decent work

As conflict, displacement, climate shocks, economic crises, and rising inequalities continue to fuel fragility across many contexts, the role of decent work in prevention, recovery, and peacebuilding has become increasingly important. The first Peacebuilding Week, taking place 22-26 June 2026, provides a timely platform to examine emerging evidence, share lessons learned, and explore how employment and labour market interventions can contribute to more resilient and inclusive societies.

In this framework, the ILO, together with UNDP, the UN Peacebuilding and Peace Support Office (UN-PBPSO), and Switzerland, in collaboration with International Security and Development Center (ISDC) and the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform (GPP) are convening a joint high-level panel as a side-event to the UN Peacebuilding Week.

Marking ten years since the Joint ILO/UNDP/PBPSO/WB Statement on Jobs Aid Peace, the event reflects on the evolution of thinking and practice at the intersection of employment and peacebuilding. Discussions explore the shift from a focus on job creation alone to a broader decent work agenda that recognizes the importance of rights, inclusion, social dialogue, and social protection in building lasting peace.

Drawing on lessons from the past decade, participants examine how and under what conditions decent work can support peacebuilding outcomes, how it can be more effectively integrated into prevention efforts, and how stronger collaboration across the UN system, governments, workers and employers organisations and international financial institutions can help translate evidence into action.