>>> VERSION FRANÇAISE | |||
Inter-Parliamentary Union | |||
Chemin du Pommier 5, C.P. 330, CH-1218 Le Grand-Saconnex/Geneva, Switzerland |
Resolution adopted unanimously by the 116th Assembly (Nusa Dua, Bali, 4 May 2007)
Recalling the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966), and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966), Mindful of the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development (Copenhagen, 1995), which adopted a Declaration and a Programme of Action constituting the basic framework for the promotion of social development for all at the national and international levels, Conscious of the need to uphold and defend basic human rights, the rule of law and universal access to education, which are vital to social and economic development, as stipulated in the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work adopted by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 1998, Recalling the United Nations Global Compact, launched in 2000, the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, adopted in 2000, and the report, "Investing in Development", published by the United Nations Millennium Project in 2005, and recognizing that the creation of jobs, decent work and employment security are key to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals, Recalling that at the World Summit 2005 Heads of States and government resolved to make the goals of full and productive employment and decent work for all, including for women and young people, a central objective of their national and international macro-economic policies and poverty reduction strategies, and also recalling the World Summit’s commitment to ensure full respect for the fundamental principles and rights at work, Further recalling the resolutions of the IPU, in particular those adopted by the 98th Inter-Parliamentary Conference (Cairo, September 1997) on employment in a globalizing world, the 107th Inter-Parliamentary Conference (Marrakech, March 2002) on the role of parliaments in developing public policy in an era of globalization, multilateral institutions and international trade agreements, and the 109th IPU Assembly (Geneva, October 2003) on the contribution of new information and communication technologies to good governance, the improvement of parliamentary democracy and the management of globalization, and welcoming the new IPU/ILO programme of cooperation, Recalling the report, "A Fair Globalization: Creating Opportunities for All", drawn up by the World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization (ILO, 2004), and the Ministerial Declaration on Employment and Decent Work for All adopted at the High-level Segment of the United Nations Economic and Social Council in July 2006, Recognizing ILO's unique role and competence, as recalled in the Ministerial Declaration on Employment and Decent Work for All, in bringing about the realization of decent work for all, Recalling the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (2003), and recognizing the effects of international migration on millions of workers worldwide, Recognizing that, while many countries have adhered to the ILO Convention on the Worst Forms of Child Labour, by which they undertake to reinforce legislation prohibiting child labour, the latter is in fact on the rise and continues to be one of the biggest scourges of society, Noting that, according to data published by ILO between 2002 and 2006 in studies, conventions and reports on international events: (a) the global labour force continues to grow, with some 3 billion people currently employed or seeking employment; Noting that people with disabilities, and especially women with disabilities, face multiple layers of disadvantage in accessing the labour market, such as prejudice and lack of education, and that 80 per cent of people with disabilities are unemployed; further noting that unemployment among people with disabilities has knock-on effects for their carers, who are predominantly women and girls, Convinced that public opinion is divided on globalization, which has brought about unprecedented change in the lifestyles of individuals, families and whole societies, and that innovative approaches are required to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the phenomenon’s repercussions on social, economic and cultural development and its differential impact on women and men, Convinced that trade regimes negotiated by international financial institutions such as the World Trade Organization (WTO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have in certain instances held back economic growth, resulting in significant job losses and unemployment, particularly in developing countries, Mindful at the same time that fair globalization has the potential to promote economic growth and efficiency while advancing human development and prosperity, Convinced that, for globalization to be fair, it must imply a more just distribution of its advantages, Stressing the need for good governance to promote economic growth, Noting that the debate about the effects of globalization on decent work tends to polarize along geographic and political lines rather than along living and working conditions or social and family roots, Recognizing that lack of understanding of the driving forces of globalization and of its impact on labour markets complicates the search for adequate responses to the political challenges it poses nationally and internationally, Conscious of the "brain drain" phenomenon involving the migration of skilled labour from developing to developed countries and the negative impact it has had on economic growth in developing countries, Conscious of the breathtaking speed at which the process of globalization is affecting labour markets, in particular with regard to job creation and conditions of employment in both industrialized and developing countries, Convinced that poverty reduction, compulsory State-provided and financed education until at least 16 years of age, the provision of full and productive employment and decent work should be central objectives of the long-term national development policies of all countries, Conscious that the concept of work as a source of dignity has been devalued, the leading school of economic thought viewing labour as merely a factor of production and taking scant account of the value of work for individual human beings, their families, communities and society at large, Concerned that globalization risks being accompanied by a process of polarization whereby some people, countries and companies reap the benefits in terms of increased markets, job creation, growth and further progress, while others bear the brunt in terms of limited competitiveness, job loss and impoverishment, Noting that increased international competitiveness has led labour markets in many countries to evolve in the direction of greater flexibility and wider application of non-standard conditions of employment (temporary and part-time work, fixed-term contracts, etc.) which are not necessarily covered by labour legislation and social security norms, thus exposing workers to additional risks and disadvantages, Also noting that the phenomenon of increased labour market flexibility can contribute to the insecurity and social marginalization of substantial portions of the population and that it is therefore necessary to improve employment security in all sectors of the national economy, Convinced of the importance of striking a balance between the need for employers to exercise flexibility in workforce management, on the one hand, and the legitimate right of employees to freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, job security, safe and healthy work conditions, access to vocational training and social protection, on the other, and recognizing that parliaments have an extremely important role to play in this respect, Persuaded that, to meet the challenges of globalization while providing effective protection of employees' rights and duties, labour laws and their enforcement should be regularly reviewed, and recognizing that parliaments have an extremely important role to play in this respect, Stressing the need for proactive labour market policies and targeted job-creation measures that enhance the prospects for better jobs and productive employment for all, and the need to create an enabling environment for entrepreneurship and private sector development, especially through small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and cooperatives, Stressing the need to develop both the public and the private sectors of the economy and to use the potential of international fair trade and foreign direct investment to create jobs and improve the performance of labour markets, Convinced that education is a potentially liberating force and a fundamental tool for the professional development of women and men, and that it is therefore imperative to promote a well-planned link, in particular between higher education and labour market needs and demands, Emphasizing that, to stay competitive in an increasingly knowledge-based economy and in the era of globalization, employees and the unemployed should have access to ongoing education and vocational training, Persuaded that policies for the control and management of immigration must be coordinated with adequate policies for social integration, education and professional training to prevent spontaneous immigration from combining with illegitimate interests to force labour costs below the legal limits, and to avoid the formation of unskilled and underpaid labour ghettos and instances of modern slavery, Mindful of the essential role of the social partners in promoting dialogue and curbing the harmful effects of labour market flexibility, Alarmed at the increase in prostitution, forced labour and the global phenomenon of trafficking of women and girls, and recognizing that coordinated efforts are needed to ensure that women are protected from all kinds of sexual exploitation, including when masked as bogus job offers, Aware that trade unions are deeply interested in preserving the potential benefits of fair globalization and in making use of faster economic growth and higher employment opportunities, coupled with the advantages of stability that come with economic interdependence, Convinced that respect for human rights, including core labour standards, should be an essential part of the broader international agenda, Emphasizing the need to uphold participatory democracy, strengthen the rule of law and promote respect for and fulfillment of international standards in the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to decent work and the right to development, Also emphasizing the need to provide social safety nets for different categories of workers who are confronted with employment difficulties as a direct or indirect consequence of globalization, especially in the informal sector, Further emphasizing the role played by parliaments and their members in extending the benefits of fair globalization to developing countries, to ensure that their populations enjoy greater social justice, economic prosperity, stability, employment security, and social protection,
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