2014-2016 impact: Standards and rights at work

This is the area most of our partners focus on, and not only the trade unions. International labour standards are first and foremost about the development of people as human beings. In the ILO's Declaration of Philadelphia of 1944, the international community recognized that "labour is not a commodity". Indeed, labour is not like an apple or a television set, an inanimate product that can be negotiated for the highest profit or the lowest price. Work is part of everyone's daily life and is crucial to a person's dignity, well-being and development as a human being. Economic development should include the creation of jobs and working conditions in which people can work in freedom, safety and dignity. In short, economic development is not undertaken for its own sake but to improve the lives of human beings; international labour standards are there to ensure that it remains focused on improving human life and dignity. Though international and national standards often exist to protect workers, their knowledge of these rights are essential to their respect and implementation.

During 2014-2016:

• nearly 43.000 workers benefited from training and got better knowledge of the Right to Social Protection, or 104% of the planned impact. 
• Over 140.000 workers were informed of their labour rights through awareness raising campaigns. 
• Nearly 9.000 workers benefited from legal assistance. 
• Trade unions providing quality services to workers also translates into increased membership, which was achieved at 130%, as partner organisations were reinforced with 77.803 new members, mostly through CFTUI in India which grew with 30.840 members.