Collective progress continues to be stymied by global inequalities, reports Int’l Labour Organization

Despite notable advancements in education, poverty alleviation, and productivity over the past thirty years, deeply rooted disparities, fragile trust in institutions, and sluggish progress in critical sectors are cited as hindering social justice globally.

A recent report by the  International Labour Organization (ILO), titled “The state of social justice: A work in progress”, highlights that a troubling 71 percent of an individual’s income remains largely influenced by factors such as their country of birth and gender.

The study, released ahead of the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha and marking thirty years since the 1995 Copenhagen Summit on Social Development, acknowledges that despite increased wealth, better health, and higher education levels since 1995, benefits have not been shared evenly, and progress toward reducing inequality has stagnated.

The report also notes a steady decline in public confidence in institutions since 1982, driven by widespread frustration over perceived unfair reward for effort. The ILO warns that unless efforts are made to reinforce the social contract, this erosion of trust could threaten the legitimacy of democratic governance and international cooperation.

It goes on to share that some notable achievements since 1995 include halving child labor among children aged 5 to 14 (from 20 to 10 percent), reducing extreme poverty from 39 to 10 percent, increasing primary education completion rates by ten percentage points, and achieving social protection coverage for over half of the global population for the first time.

However, significant and persistent challenges remain: informality continues to impact 58 percent of workers with only a slight reduction over two decades; the gender participation gap in the workforce has only decreased marginally since 2005 and remains at 24 percent; and the ILO posits that, at this rate, closing the global gender wage gap at current rates will take a century.

These issues persist amidst rapid transformations driven by environmental, digital, and demographic changes that are reshaping labor markets at “unprecedented speed.” Without targeted policies, the organization asserts that the disparity will deepen because of these aforementioned factors.

Conversely, with strategic interventions—such as investing in skills development, social safety nets, equitable wage policies, and active labor market programs—they can serve as catalysts for inclusion and resilience, the report suggests.

According to Gilbert F. Houngbo, ILO Director-General, “The world has made undeniable progress, but we cannot ignore that millions remain excluded from opportunity and dignity at work.”

“Social justice is not only a moral imperative – it is essential for economic security, social cohesion and peace,” he added.

In terms of a solution, the report advocates for immediate measures to address unequal access to opportunities, promote fairer distribution of economic benefits, and manage environmental, digital, and demographic shifts in a manner that leaves no one behind.

It underscores the importance of embedding social justice at the core of all policy frameworks—covering finance, industry, health, and climate—and calls for enhanced collaboration among governments, international agencies, and social partners to develop cohesive responses to global challenges.

According to the release, the findings are set to influence discussions at the upcoming World Social Summit in November and will support the initiatives of the Global Coalition for Social Justice. Led by the ILO, this coalition unites governments, employers, workers’ organizations, and other stakeholders focused on collective action to foster fairer and more inclusive societies.