Policy levers for empowering Decent Work

There is a global rise of precarious work which does not pay enough or which is not secure enough for people to live, or which is physically or emotionally toxic.

The International Labour Organization (2022) describes ‘Decent Work’ as work which is:

productive and delivers a fair income, security in the workplace and social protection for families, better prospects for personal development and social integration, freedom for people to express their concerns, organize and participate in the decisions that affect their lives and equality of opportunity and treatment for all women and men.

This policy briefing pinpoints key factors (policy levers) impacting Decent Work for all, drawing insights from Vietnam, one of the world’s fastest-growing economies.

While the recommendations in this report are directly relevant to policymakers across the fields of education and work in Vietnam and similar developing countries, the underlying principles have a wider resonance and applicability to policymakers across other geographic contexts with similar characteristics. For example, the rising occurrence of informal and unstable work opportunities which do not provide sufficient wage ‘to live’ has been noted for over two decades in the UK and US. We invite all policymakers in the fields of education and work to consider the practical value of the recommendations and principles within this brief.