Most countries have a long way to go towards achieving inclusive and decent work for all, the International Labour Organization (ILO) said in a report prepared for the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in New York.
The HLPF, held from 8 to 19 July, is reviewing progress on six of the 17 Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 8 (SDG 8) is slowing down in many areas of the world, according to the report, Time to Act for SDG 8: Integrating Decent Work, Sustained Growth and Environmental Integrity.
“An urgent acceleration of efforts is required to bring about transformative change in support of SDG 8 in its three dimensions of sustained, inclusive, and sustainable growth,” the ILO study concludes.
The report also argues that SDG 8 lies at the heart of the 2030 Agenda, straddling the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.
“This means that failure to make headway on SDG 8 would impede progress towards other Goals, such as eradicating poverty, reducing inequalities, promoting peace, and achieving gender equality,” said Damian Grimshaw, ILO Director of Research. “Conversely, progress on the other SDGs is a precondition for advancing towards SDG 8.”
The ILO is playing a major role at the HLPF, whose theme this year is “Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality”.
Read and download the report: Time to Act for SDG 8: Integrating Decent Work, Sustained Growth and Environmental Integrity.
Original source: ILO
Published on 10 July 2019
