RES/28/15 The right to work

GE.A/68/970. 5-07096 (E)



Human Rights Council Twenty-eighth session

Agenda item 3

Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,

political, economic, social and cultural rights,

including the right to development

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council

28/15. The right to work

The Human Rights Council,

Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,

Reaffirming the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Vienna Declaration

and Programme of Action, and recalling the International Covenant on Economic, Social

and Cultural Rights and other international human rights instruments relevant to the right to

work,

Recalling Economic and Social Council resolutions 2007/2 of 17 July 2007, on the

role of the United Nations system in providing full and productive employment and decent

work for all, and 2008/18 of 24 July 2008, on promoting full employment and decent work

for all,

Taking note of the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental

Principles and Rights at Work and its follow-up, adopted by the International Labour

Conference at its eighty-sixth session, on 18 June 1998, the Declaration on Social Justice

for a Fair Globalization, adopted by the Conference at its ninety-seventh session, on 10

June 2008, the Global Jobs Pact, adopted by the Conference at its ninety-eighth session, on

19 June 2009, and the resolution of the International Labour Organization on the follow-up

to its Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, adopted by the

Conference at its ninety-ninth session, on 15 June 2010,

Recognizing the primary role, mandate, expertise and specialization of the

International Labour Organization within the United Nations system in relation to the

promotion of decent work and full and productive employment for all,

Reaffirming that all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural

rights, including the right to development, are universal, indivisible, interrelated,

interdependent and mutually reinforcing, and that all human rights must be treated in a fair

and equal manner, on the same footing and with the same emphasis,

Emphasizing that States should undertake to guarantee that the right to work is to be

exercised without discrimination of any kind as to race, colour, sex, language, religion,

political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status,

Underscoring the equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of all human

rights, including the right to work, and recognizing that women are on many occasions

subject to discrimination in the context of realizing their rights in that regard on an equal

basis with men,

Recognizing that progress has been made, yet deeply concerned that many persons

with disabilities in all regions continue to face significant obstacles in exercising their right

to work on an equal basis with others,

Reaffirming, as enshrined in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and

Cultural Rights, the right to work, which includes the right of everyone to the opportunity

to gain his or her living by work which he or she freely chooses or accepts, and that States

should take steps to achieve the full realization of that right, including technical and

vocational guidance and training programmes, policies and techniques, to achieve steady

economic, social and cultural development and full and productive employment under

conditions that safeguard the fundamental political and economic freedoms of the

individual,

Reaffirming also, as enshrined in the International Covenant on Economic, Social

and Cultural Rights, the right of everyone to the enjoyment of just and favourable

conditions of work,

Reaffirming further that States have the primary responsibility to ensure the full

realization of all human rights and to endeavour to take steps, individually and through

international assistance and cooperation, especially economic and technical, to the

maximum of their available resources, with a view to progressively achieving the full

realization of the right to work, including in particular the adoption of legislative measures,

Recalling the United Nations Millennium Declaration and the Millennium

Development Goals, in particular target 1 (b) of the Goals, to achieve full and productive

employment and decent work for all, including women and young people,

Recognizing that full and productive employment and decent work for all are key

elements of poverty-reduction strategies that facilitate the achievement of the

internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals,

and that they require a multidimensional focus that incorporates Governments, the private

sector, civil society organizations, representatives of employers and workers, international

organizations and, in particular, the agencies of the United Nations system and international

financial institutions,

Encouraging States to pay due consideration to the right to work and the issue of

full and productive employment and decent work for all in the ongoing negotiations on the

elaboration of the post-2015 development agenda, and welcoming the inclusion of the

promotion of sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth and decent work for all

as a proposed stand-alone goal in the report of the Open Working Group on Sustainable

Development Goals,1

Concerned that global unemployment stood at 201.3 million in 2014, representing

an increase of 1.2 million compared with the previous year and of about 31 million

compared with 2007, and highlighting the severe impact that the international economic

and financial crisis has had in that regard,

Expressing deep concern that approximately 74.5 million young people are

unemployed and that the global youth unemployment rate is around 13.1 per cent, and

resolved in that regard to pay particular attention to the realization of the right to work for

young people, bearing in mind the fundamental importance of equal opportunities,

education and vocational training in the context of realizing the right to work for young

people,

Underscoring that there is an urgent need to create at the national and international

levels an environment that is conducive to the attainment of full and productive

employment and decent work for all as a foundation for sustainable development, and that

an environment that supports investment, growth and entrepreneurship is essential to the

creation of new job opportunities, and reaffirming that opportunities for men and women to

obtain productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity are

essential to ensuring the eradication of hunger and poverty, the improvement of economic

and social well-being for all, the achievement of sustained economic growth and

sustainable development of all nations and a fully inclusive and equitable globalization,

Recognizing that employment should be a central objective of economic and social

policies at the national, regional and international levels for the sustainable eradication of

poverty and for providing an adequate standard of living, and emphasizing in that regard

the importance of relevant social protection measures, including social protection floors,

Encouraging the private sector to continue to exercise its vital role in generating

new investments, job opportunities and financing for development and in advancing efforts

towards the full realization of the right to work and the promotion of full and productive

employment and decent work for all,

Acknowledging the work of the treaty bodies, in particular the Committee on

Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, in relation to the right to work,

Acknowledging also the work of United Nations agencies, programmes and funds, in

particular the International Labour Organization, in supporting the efforts of States to

promote full and productive employment and decent work for all and the full realization of

the right to work,

1. Requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to

prepare a report in consultation with States, United Nations agencies, funds and

programmes, particularly the International Labour Organization, as well as the treaty

bodies, special procedures, civil society and other relevant stakeholders on the realization

of the right to work, in accordance with their respective obligations under international

human rights law and the relevant major challenges and best practices in that regard, and to

submit the report to the Human Rights Council prior to its thirty-first session;

2. Decides to remain seized of the matter.

56th meeting

26 March 2015

[Adopted without a vote.]