The 2025 Trade Union-OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) Forum served as a crucial platform for global trade unions to advocate for a development cooperation agenda centered on decent work, workers’ rights, and poverty reduction. Union representatives from around the world engaged with OECD DAC delegates and development experts, emphasizing the urgent need to prioritize labor protections and economic security within development policies. This collective call to action aims to reshape the development landscape, ensuring that it effectively addresses the pervasive challenges of poverty and inequality faced by workers worldwide. The forum’s core message resonated through the pronouncements of key figures, including the International Trade Union Confederation’s Deputy General Secretary and the TUAC General Secretary, who underscored the importance of prioritizing workers’ rights and well-being in development cooperation strategies.
A central theme emerging from the forum was the critical role of development cooperation in combating inequality. Participants emphasized that achieving this goal necessitates promoting living wages that enable workers to escape the poverty trap, ensuring responsible business conduct that upholds labor standards and respects workers’ rights, and strengthening labor market institutions that can effectively protect and empower workers. The discussions highlighted the fact that millions of workers globally remain impoverished despite being employed, underscoring the inadequacy of current development approaches. The forum participants advocated for a fundamental shift in focus, urging development cooperation efforts to prioritize decent wages, robust labor market institutions, and comprehensive social protection as proven strategies for poverty reduction and inequality mitigation.
The forum further highlighted the urgent need to address the pervasive issue of informal work, which traps a significant portion of the global workforce in precarious and exploitative conditions. Participants stressed the importance of formalizing informal work, extending labor protections to those in the informal economy, and ensuring that these workers have access to the same rights and benefits as those in the formal sector. This emphasis on formalization recognizes the vulnerability of informal workers and the need to integrate them into the broader social protection system, providing them with economic security and opportunities for advancement.
Furthermore, the forum underscored the necessity of aligning private sector investments with international labor standards. This aligns with the recognition that private sector development can contribute significantly to economic growth and job creation, but only if it is conducted responsibly and respects workers’ rights. Participants advocated for mechanisms to ensure that private sector investments adhere to labor standards, preventing exploitation and promoting fair labor practices. This emphasis on responsible investment recognizes the interconnectedness of economic development and social justice, advocating for a model of growth that benefits both businesses and workers.
Social protection measures, including healthcare, pensions, and unemployment benefits, were also identified as crucial components of economic security. The forum highlighted the importance of expanding access to these social safety nets, ensuring that workers have a cushion against economic shocks and vulnerabilities. These protections are essential for mitigating the impact of job loss, illness, and other unforeseen circumstances, preventing individuals and families from falling into poverty. The discussions emphasized the role of development cooperation in supporting the development and strengthening of social protection systems, promoting resilience and reducing vulnerability among workers.
The trade unions present at the forum expressed their unwavering commitment to advocating for policy changes that prioritize workers’ rights and well-being within development cooperation frameworks. They pledged to continue pressuring policymakers to utilize development cooperation as a tool for achieving fair wages, strengthening labor rights, and fostering sustainable economic growth that benefits all members of society. This commitment to ongoing advocacy reflects the determination of trade unions to ensure that development cooperation becomes a genuine force for positive change, empowering workers, reducing inequality, and building a more just and equitable world.
