How can developing economies overcome the challenges of informality to ensure decent work, and what role does technology play? How can this process help to build fairer societies and ensure the achievement of the sustainable development goals?
The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in partnership with The United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER) is organizing a panel discussion event on ‘how to build fairer societies through decent work’.
For thirty years global inequality has been falling, but a closer look at the data reveals that this is driven by a decline in inequality between populous countries, while inequality within countries is climbing. Given the implications across dimensions such as education, public health, economic well-being, and democratization, reducing within-country inequality to foster fairer societies is essential to achieving the aspirations of humanity in our lifetime.
Towards addressing inequality, a key priority is to ensure decent work for all. This will require rethinking education and training while considering the changes that automation is bringing, and building opportunities for informal workers to move up the job ladder.
The event will commence with the launch of UNU-WIDER’s report, Towards peace, decent work, and greater equality: Research evidence for transforming economies, states, and societies which synthesizes the institution’s most salient research and policy lessons on the three universal aspirations shared by humans everywhere— peace, decent work, and fairer societies.
Following this, experts from the UN, academic, and policy networks will engage in a discussion to exchange ideas and opportunities for progress towards decent work and greater equality, and how to achieve this at the speed necessary for achieving the global goals. The panel discussion will cover, among other topics, inequality in the labour market, labour market formalization, gender gaps in employment, decent work for informal workers, economic opportunity and social mobility, as well as redistributive tax and social protection policy. An interactive exchange with the audience will follow the panel discussion.
To join this event, please register here.
