Education and Decent Work: Concepts, Models and Indicators

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to consider and evaluate indicators of decent work. The Director-General of the International Labour Office (ILO) first proposed decent work as a unifying framework and a central priority for the organization in his Report to the 87 th Session of the International Labour Conference in June 1999 (ILO, 1999a). Since then, while some work has been done on the concept, strategies and policies for decent work, relatively less attention has been given to the question of indicators.1 Information on indicators is needed to assess country performance on decent work and to evaluate progress over time. It is also needed to make inter-country comparisons regarding performance on decent work and its individual components. The discussion of indicators is thus intimately linked to the objectives and the meaning of decent work in different institutional and structural contexts. This paper first discusses the concept and components of decent work. It considers their relevance to countries with different institutional frameworks and at different stages of development. This is done through a discussion of three models of decent work - classical, transition and development - applicable respectively to market industrial economies, transition countries and developing nations. After a general discussion of indicators, the paper examines the suitability of a range of indicators on the four major components of decent work - employment, social security, workers' rights and social dialogue - illustrated with country level data. The annex illustrates the use of selected indicators to assess decent work performance in industrial countries.