Global labour markets have seen significant progress, with historically low unemployment, better job quality, and rising formal employment, highlighting economic resilience, ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo said. However, he warned that persistent inequalities demand urgent action to ensure equitable benefits from these gains.

In a conference, Houngbo emphasised the need to advance social justice through ‘decent work’. He highlighted the importance of addressing challenges facing the global labour market, including rising unemployment among young people, persistent decent work deficits, and the disproportionate impact of these issues on women, youth, and other vulnerable populations.

“It is important that we address ways to foster an inclusive labour market that works for all people, based on decent work and social justice principles,” Houngbo said in a press release.

Houngbo noted that digitalisation, climate action, just transition efforts, and demographic changes are fundamentally reshaping the world of work, creating both opportunities and challenges. He also underscored the compounded pressures of global crises, such as armed conflicts, extreme weather events, and political instability, on jobs and livelihoods.

The ILO defines ‘just transition’ as “Greening the economy in a way that is as fair and inclusive as possible to everyone concerned, creating decent work opportunities and leaving no one behind.”

According to Houngobo, prioritising structural improvements to labour markets is key, including investing in education and skills training to meet the evolving demands of AI-driven industries and the green economy.

He further highlighted the significance of social dialogue as an essential mechanism for addressing labour market challenges, noting the importance of collaboration among governments, employers, and worker representatives.