Relations with Faith-based organizations

Founded in 1919, the ILO's Constitution states that “universal and lasting peace can be established only if it is based upon social justice”.

The Declaration of Philadelphia (1944) recalls that “labour is not a commodity”, and that “freedom of expression and of association are essential to sustained progress”. It adds that “all human beings, irrespective of race, creed or sex, have the right to pursue both their material well-being and their spiritual development in conditions of freedom and dignity, of economic security and equal opportunity”.

The 2008 Declaration on Social Justice for Fair Globalization recalls these principles and invites organizations to engage in new partnerships to promote the Decent Work Agenda.
In this context, the ILO has continuously interacted with value-based and faith-based organizations, provided that they respect the values enshrined in the ILO’s Constitution. Many of them are included in the ILO Special List of NGOs.

Several projects have been based on this convergence of values.

Inter-religious platforms have been established in three countries (Senegal, Ethiopia and Chile) to promote the Decent Work Agenda within religious communities.

In 2011, a handbook, Convergences : Social justice and decent work in religious traditions , was published the result of interactive seminars organized in Geneva, Santiago, Addis Ababa and Dakar, with the sponsorship of the World Council of Churches, the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO).

A global dialogue was organized in Geneva in 2004, resulting in the publication of a book Philosophical and spiritual perspectives on Decent Work.