Defining “Decent Work” under SDG 8: The Role of the UN Global Compact’s Ten Principles
The definition of “decent work” within the framework of Sustainable Development Goal 8 (SDG 8) is closely linked to the core principles of the United Nations Global Compact and the broader corpus of United Nations human rights instruments. Decent work encompasses employment that is productive, pays a fair wage, ensures workplace security, and affords social protection and opportunities for individual development and social inclusion. In practical terms, a company or employer is considered to be providing decent work when both organizational management and employees conduct business in adherence to the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact, thereby upholding internationally recognized human rights. These principles (see Table 1 below) reflect fundamental responsibilities in human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption, and are drawn from key UN declarations, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Labour Organization conventions. Specifically, Principles 3 to 6 are central to labour standards, addressing freedom of association, collective bargaining, elimination of forced and child labour, and eradication of discrimination in employment and occupation.
The Ten Principles of the United Nations Global Compact
1 Human Rights Support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights
2 Human Rights Ensure not complicit in human rights abuses
3 Labour Uphold freedom of association and right to collective bargaining
4 Labour Eliminate all forms of forced and compulsory labour
5 Labour Abolish child labour
6 Labour Eliminate discrimination in respect of employment and occupation
7 Environment Support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges
8 Environment Undertake initiatives to promote environmental responsibility
9 Environment Encourage development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies
10 Anti-Corruption Work against corruption in all its forms
To achieve decent work, companies must not only respect but proactively support these principles, embedding them within strategies, policies, and daily operations, thereby ensuring dignity, fairness, equality, and safety in the workplace.
Economic Growth Beyond the Numbers: Improving Life Quality as the Core Objective of SDG 8
SDG 8 emphasizes that economic growth must be sustained, inclusive, and sustainable, with the ultimate goal not just to expand GDP figures but to translate this growth into genuine improvements in people’s lives. Growth must generate jobs that deliver products and services which materially enhance the quality of life at all levels—local, regional, national, and global. This means prioritizing job creation that offers fair wages, workplace and income security, opportunities for continuous learning, and safe, empowering environments for women, young people, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups. Additionally, the SDG 8 framework asserts that growth should be decoupled from environmental degradation, advancing global resource efficiency and promoting green, inclusive economic strategies.
In practice, economic growth in line with SDG 8 is measured not only by increased per capita income but by the ability of an economy to create decent work, support human development, ensure social justice, and protect the most vulnerable members of society.
Countries with the Worst Conditions for Decent Work
Countries where the principles of decent work are blatantly disregarded are typically characterized by systemic violations of the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact and basic international human rights. These violations manifest in pervasive forced labor, child labor, harsh or unsafe working conditions, inability to freely associate or bargain collectively, and entrenched discrimination and exclusion.
Based on reputable indices and recent reports, the following countries consistently rank as having the worst conditions for decent work:
Bangladesh
Belarus
Ecuador
Egypt
Eswatini
Guatemala
Myanmar
Philippines
Tunisia
Turkey
Further, countries such as North Korea, Eritrea, Mauritania, and Afghanistan are frequently cited among the very worst for the prevalence of modern slavery, forced labor, and the almost total absence of the rights enshrined in the UN Global Compact and international treaties.
These countries are characterized by high rates of informal and precarious employment; widespread child and forced labor; severe restrictions on union activity and collective bargaining; weak or non-existent enforcement of labour laws; frequent discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, or political beliefs; and, in some cases, violent repression of worker dissent.
Countries with the Least Economic Growth in Terms of Improving Life Quality
While many of the same countries facing decent work deficits also record low or negative official growth, the defining feature in the context of SDG 8 is that economic growth—when it occurs—contributes little to actual improvements in population well-being. Least developed and low-income countries with the least growth by this metric often include:
South Sudan
Central African Republic
Mozambique
Burkina Faso
Afghanistan
Eritrea
Mauritania
North Korea
These nations experience persistent poverty, high unemployment (especially among youth and women), widespread informal and vulnerable employment, and insufficient access to education, health, and social protection services. Economic activity, where it does exist, is frequently extractive or exploitative, produces limited jobs, and does not result in the provision of essential services or products that tangibly improve the standard of living. In these contexts, GDP increases often fail to “trickle down” into better lives, instead serving limited elites or government interests.
UN Institutions Active in These Countries
UN institutions play a critical role in supporting SDG 8 objectives in countries suffering from poor decent work conditions and/or inadequate economic growth that fails to enhance well-being.
Key UN agencies operating in these contexts include:
International Labour Organization (ILO): The ILO is the lead agency for advancing international labor standards, implementing technical cooperation projects to promote decent work, provide policy advice, and strengthen social protection systems.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP): UNDP collaborates on national development strategies and capacity building, focusing on poverty reduction, entrepreneurship, and policy guidance for inclusive economic growth.
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): FAO tackles rural poverty, supports sustainable livelihoods in agriculture, and helps address food insecurity—a root cause of child labor and informal work.
International Organization for Migration (IOM): IOM addresses issues facing migrant workers, helps combat trafficking and forced labor, and supports safe labor migration.
UNICEF: UNICEF is engaged in eradicating child labor, facilitating access to quality education, and ensuring the protection of children’s rights in the world of work.
UN Women: Focuses on empowering women economically and advancing gender equality in employment.
Other key actors: World Food Programme and regional UN Economic Commissions are also involved depending on the country context.
Examples of UN Country Engagement:
In Bangladesh, agencies such as ILO, FAO, IFAD, UN Women, and UNDP focus on labor law reform, skills development, gender inclusion, social protection measures, and combating child labor.
In Myanmar, UN entities address labor rights in the garment sector, provide safe migration pathways, and partner with civil society to advance decent work for all.
In the Philippines, a comprehensive team including ILO, International Organization for Migration, UNICEF, and the Department of Labor and Employment supports decent work, workforce upskilling, social protection, and anti-trafficking responses.
In Eritrea and Afghanistan, FAO, ILO, and UNDP collaborate to deliver sustainable livelihoods, raise awareness of labor rights, support informal workers, and improve access to social and financial services.
In Eswatini, the UN supports sustainable development and the creation of decent employment through technical assistance, social protection frameworks, and skills training.
In Guatemala, the IOM and other UN institutions support the formalization of employment, social dialogue, and the inclusion of migrants and vulnerable groups in economic opportunities.
UN Institutional Support for SDG 8 Targets
UN institutional interventions are designed to directly address the bottlenecks and deficits in decent work and transformative economic growth as specified by SDG 8, including:
Promoting labor rights and social dialogue: Facilitating the development and implementation of national action plans aligned with ILO conventions and the Global Compact, as well as tripartite dialogues between governments, employers, and workers.
Combating child labor and forced labor: Supporting national legal reforms, enforcement, and cross-border cooperation to eradicate the worst forms of child labor and modern slavery, including direct interventions in supply chains and vulnerable communities.
Building skills and supporting youth employment: Launching youth programs and vocational training initiatives that target NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) populations, as well as marginalized groups such as women and persons with disabilities.
Advancing gender equality at work: Promoting equal pay, workplace diversity, and access to decent work for women, and supporting women’s entrepreneurship and participation in non-traditional sectors.
Fostering inclusive entrepreneurship and access to finance: Facilitating the development of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) through capacity building, improved access to credit, and formalization, with an explicit focus on advancing the inclusive green economy.
Enhancing occupational health and safety: Implementing programs to reduce workplace fatalities and support stronger health and safety standards, especially in high-risk sectors.
Coordinating social protection expansion: Expanding access to social security and unemployment benefits, particularly for informal workers and vulnerable populations.
Supporting structural transformation and resilient institutions: Offering policy advice and multilateral support for macroeconomic stabilization, social equity, and environmental sustainability.
Collectively, these initiatives are aimed at not just stimulating GDP growth but delivering the tangible, equitable, and sustainable improvements in livelihoods, working conditions, and social inclusion that are at the heart of SDG 8.
In conclusion, “decent work,” as articulated by SDG 8, requires that companies and employees conduct business in accordance with the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact, thus upholding international human rights. Economic growth, for its part, should always be harnessed to real improvements in the quality of life through the creation of quality jobs and services. The worst conditions for decent work and growth—measured by these standards—are found in countries with pervasive rights violations and systemic exclusion, where the UN and its agencies remain committed and active in supporting reforms, labor rights, inclusive development, and the realization of the SDG 8 targets.
