Decent Work Reduces Inequalities, Protects Vulnerable Groups in Global Crises. With the pandemic, climate crisis and geopolitical conflicts exacerbating inequalities in access to health, education and jobs, countries must create productive employment and decent work and ensure the social protection of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable groups.
Creating full and productive employment and decent work for all as a way of overcoming inequalities to Accelerate the economic recovery process and ensure sustainable social welfare. social protection is central for shared prosperity, social equity and justice. 

Tailored job-search assistance, flexible learning courses, employment programmes, and hiring and transition incentives and policies are needed to facilitate the reallocation of displaced workers.  Also needed are opportunities for young people to accumulate knowledge and skills for the labour market, as well as universal, gender-responsive and sustainable national social protection systems.
Those recommendations should help create more inclusive and adaptable labour markets and provide targeted support for vulnerable people, he emphasized, noting that about 60 per cent of the workforce, or 2 billion people, are employed in the informal economy and many vulnerable groups, including the disabled, older people and women, are bearing the brunt of unemployment.
As recovery continues, all interventions must be as inclusive as possible and not exclude young people, children or the elderly, he stressed, calling on Member States to commit to policies that are inclusive, equitable and adaptable to the labour market, and to invest in education, technology, infrastructure and health services that are accessible to all.

Frances Zainoeddin, a representative of the International Federation on Ageing, noting that she is “one of the oldest of the old”, said she counted herself lucky, having a home, food and pension, with access to health services.  However, despite strides by Governments to implement the Madrid Plan of Action on Ageing, older persons around the world continue to face persistent barriers preventing their autonomy, identity and independence, she said, urging swift and bold actions by Governments to ensure that ageing policies are human-rights-based

At this year’s Conference of the Parties – also known as COP29 – the International Labour Organization (ILO) will stress that just transition policies must be anchored in labour rights, social dialogue, and decent work to ensure climate action leaves no one behind.

Throughout the conference, the UN’s labour agency will ensure that workforce perspectives are integral into climate discussions. This includes advocating for social protections and adopting policies that empower marginalized groups, including women, and indigenous communities.

Illustrative image (internet)

The ILO will underscore that effective climate action requires fair treatment and support for workers and communities affected by the shift to a greener economy. It will stress the need for gender-responsive policies that support both ambitious climate action and social justice, delivering benefits for all.

The ILO will also highlight that climate resilience depends on universal social protection and occupational safety and health. Sustainable business practices, skills development, and robust employment policies are also essential to creating quality jobs within a green economy.

As a UN observer at COP29, the ILO will provide technical expertise and facilitate knowledge exchange. Through events such as the Just Transition Pavilion, the ILO will offer guidance on integrating these principles into climate commitments, reinforcing that inclusive policies and sustainable job creation are central to a fair and resilient future.

The UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11-22 November 2024. Amid global conflicts and economic challenges, the Conference will focus on advancing inclusive climate solutions that ensure a just transition for all.

For more, visit ilo.org/cop29.