The Role of Decent Work The Role of Decent Work Statistics in Times of Jobs CrisisStatistics in Times of Jobs Crisis

Rafael Diez de MedinaRafael Diez de Medina

Chief Statistician, Chief Statistician, Director Director

Department of Department of StatisticsStatistics

International Labour International Labour OfficeOffice

World Statistics Day, World Statistics Day, GenevaGeneva

20 October 201020 October 2010

Decent work as a Decent work as a global goalglobal goal

ILC report (1999) describes decent work asILC report (1999) describes decent work as ““opportunities for women and men to obtain opportunities for women and men to obtain

decent and productive work in conditions of decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity”. freedom, equity, security and human dignity”.

Endorsed by ECOSOC, Presidential Summits Endorsed by ECOSOC, Presidential Summits and Head of State Summits in all regions, UN and Head of State Summits in all regions, UN system, European Union, etc.system, European Union, etc.

ILO Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair ILO Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization (2008) endorses Decent Work Globalization (2008) endorses Decent Work Agenda:Agenda: (i) Rights at work, (ii) Employment; (iii) Social (i) Rights at work, (ii) Employment; (iii) Social

Protection; (iv) Social Dialogue and tripartism.Protection; (iv) Social Dialogue and tripartism.

Decent Work at riskDecent Work at risk Labour market distress is rising and this trend will Labour market distress is rising and this trend will

continue well into 2011 and further.continue well into 2011 and further.

Unemployment which stood at over 6% early in Unemployment which stood at over 6% early in the decade before decreasing between 2004 and the decade before decreasing between 2004 and 2007, has since increased dramatically to reach 2007, has since increased dramatically to reach about 10% on average in 2010. about 10% on average in 2010.

Relative to 2007, in 2010, there are 31 million Relative to 2007, in 2010, there are 31 million more unemployed (209 million unemployed), the more unemployed (209 million unemployed), the highest ever recorded. highest ever recorded.

Danger of long-term damage to job prospects and Danger of long-term damage to job prospects and productivity of current cohort of youth.productivity of current cohort of youth.

Strain on statistical resources to address the Strain on statistical resources to address the urgent decent work deficiturgent decent work deficit

The impact of the crisis on real GDP and unemployment: country The impact of the crisis on real GDP and unemployment: country experiences differ strikinglyexperiences differ strikingly

Changes in GDP (in percent) vs. Changes in Unemployment rate (UR, in percentage points) in Changes in GDP (in percent) vs. Changes in Unemployment rate (UR, in percentage points) in 20092009

Three margins of labour market adjustment during the crisis

Commitments to monitor Commitments to monitor progress towards decent progress towards decent

workwork 2008 Declaration on Social Justice for a 2008 Declaration on Social Justice for a

Fair Globalization recommends that ILO Fair Globalization recommends that ILO Members may consider: Members may consider: ““the establishment of appropriate indicators or the establishment of appropriate indicators or

statistics, if necessary with the assistance of statistics, if necessary with the assistance of the ILO, to monitor and evaluate the progress the ILO, to monitor and evaluate the progress made”made”

Monitoring of MDG Goal 1, Target 2: Monitoring of MDG Goal 1, Target 2: Achieve full and productive employment and Achieve full and productive employment and

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

Strategic partnerships with NSOs, Ministries Strategic partnerships with NSOs, Ministries of Labour, Social Security institutions, of Labour, Social Security institutions, International organizations, development International organizations, development banks, Academia, workers’ and employers’ banks, Academia, workers’ and employers’ organizations, etc.organizations, etc.

Present challenges facing Present challenges facing Decent Work StatisticsDecent Work Statistics

Disparities in availability and qualityDisparities in availability and quality Lack of harmonization and fragmentation due to Lack of harmonization and fragmentation due to

lack of coordination between organizations and lack of coordination between organizations and donorsdonors

Need to strengthen NSOs and other producers of Need to strengthen NSOs and other producers of Decent Work indicators.Decent Work indicators.

Reaffirming the need for coherent national Reaffirming the need for coherent national statistical systemsstatistical systems

Passive involvement among developing countries Passive involvement among developing countries in the standard-setting process in the standard-setting process

Need to have more and timelier data for Need to have more and timelier data for monitoringmonitoring

Limited accessibility to information from some Limited accessibility to information from some major economies major economies

Political concerns remain in some countries over Political concerns remain in some countries over releasing information!releasing information!

Topics which have gained Topics which have gained prominence during the prominence during the

jobs crisisjobs crisis Growing world labour force: need to have better Growing world labour force: need to have better

estimatesestimates

InformalityInformality

Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment

Discouraged workersDiscouraged workers

Sectorial labour statisticsSectorial labour statistics

Labour migrationLabour migration

Wage inequalityWage inequality

Rise of insecure forms of work (hours of work, self Rise of insecure forms of work (hours of work, self employment, temporary contracts)employment, temporary contracts)

Labour share, Productivity and Labour costsLabour share, Productivity and Labour costs

Impact of stimulus packages Impact of stimulus packages

Labour statistics & decent Labour statistics & decent work work

Decent work dimensions have not been adequately Decent work dimensions have not been adequately covered in the past system of labour statistics.covered in the past system of labour statistics.

Historically, labour market statistics have taken a Historically, labour market statistics have taken a macro-perspective on an economy and focused on:macro-perspective on an economy and focused on: Labour supply and labour demand in an economyLabour supply and labour demand in an economy

Employment and unemployment statistics; ICLS 1925 ... 1998)Employment and unemployment statistics; ICLS 1925 ... 1998) Volume of work and labour cost in an economy Volume of work and labour cost in an economy

Statistics of wages and hours of work (ICLS 1923, 1925 ...)Statistics of wages and hours of work (ICLS 1923, 1925 ...) Classifications:Classifications:

Classification of industries and occupations (ICLS 1923, 1925 Classification of industries and occupations (ICLS 1923, 1925 …)…)

International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) (ICLS 1949, ..., 1988, 2008)(ICLS 1949, ..., 1988, 2008)

International classification according to status in employment International classification according to status in employment (ICSE) (ICLS 1957, 1993, 1998)(ICSE) (ICLS 1957, 1993, 1998)

Principles and framework for Principles and framework for measuring decent work measuring decent work

Purpose: (i) to assist constituents to assess progress Purpose: (i) to assist constituents to assess progress towards decent work (PRS, National development towards decent work (PRS, National development frameworks and DWCP) and (ii) to offer comparable frameworks and DWCP) and (ii) to offer comparable information for analysis and policy development.information for analysis and policy development.

NO ranking of countries & NO composite index.NO ranking of countries & NO composite index.

Needs to cover all four dimensions of Decent Work Needs to cover all four dimensions of Decent Work derived from various sources: household and derived from various sources: household and establishment surveys, administrative records, establishment surveys, administrative records, qualitative information, among others.qualitative information, among others.

New framework recommended by the 18New framework recommended by the 18thth ICLS ICLS Model of international relevance that permits the Model of international relevance that permits the

adaptation to national circumstances adaptation to national circumstances Has the potential to evolve dynamically over the yearsHas the potential to evolve dynamically over the years.. A layered approach to indicators: Main, Additional, A layered approach to indicators: Main, Additional,

Context, Future and Legal Framework indicatorsContext, Future and Legal Framework indicators

Grouping of Decent Work IndicatorsGrouping of Decent Work Indicators

Grouping of indicators under 10 substantive elements of the Decent Work Agenda Grouping of indicators under 10 substantive elements of the Decent Work Agenda plus one area on economic and social context:plus one area on economic and social context: 1. Employment opportunities (1 + 2)1. Employment opportunities (1 + 2) 2. Adequate earnings and productive work (1 + 3)2. Adequate earnings and productive work (1 + 3) 3. Decent hours (1 + 3)3. Decent hours (1 + 3) 4. Combining work, family and personal life (1 + 3)4. Combining work, family and personal life (1 + 3) 5. Work that should be abolished (1 + 3)5. Work that should be abolished (1 + 3) 6. Stability and security of work (1, 2 + 3)6. Stability and security of work (1, 2 + 3) 7. Equal opportunity and treatment in employment 7. Equal opportunity and treatment in employment

(1, 2 + 3)(1, 2 + 3) 8. Safe work environment (1 + 3)8. Safe work environment (1 + 3) 9. Social security (1 + 3)9. Social security (1 + 3) 10. Social dialogue, workers’ and employers’ representation (1 + 4)10. Social dialogue, workers’ and employers’ representation (1 + 4)

11. Economic and social context for decent work11. Economic and social context for decent work

Note: (1) Rights at work (2) Employment opportunities (3) Social Protection (4) Social Note: (1) Rights at work (2) Employment opportunities (3) Social Protection (4) Social DialogueDialogue

How the ILO is moving forward (i)How the ILO is moving forward (i)

Creation of Creation of thethe ILO Department of Statistics ILO Department of Statistics reporting to the DG (2009)reporting to the DG (2009)

New mandate: assuring quality in statistical New mandate: assuring quality in statistical methods and products, promoting methods and products, promoting coordination and coherence within the coordination and coherence within the different ILO units (child labour, labour different ILO units (child labour, labour market trends, social protection databases, market trends, social protection databases, regional information systems, etc.)regional information systems, etc.)

Enhancing data compilation to cope with Enhancing data compilation to cope with increased demand (short-term and annual increased demand (short-term and annual data)data)

Development of new user-friendly, interactive Development of new user-friendly, interactive ILO statistical database and portalILO statistical database and portal

How the ILO is moving forward (ii)How the ILO is moving forward (ii)

Development and application of time-series Development and application of time-series techniques at the international level (outliers, techniques at the international level (outliers, seasonal adjustment, etc.)seasonal adjustment, etc.)

Strengthening ILO’s technical assistance to Strengthening ILO’s technical assistance to developing countriesdeveloping countries

Capacity building to help constituents (NSOs, Capacity building to help constituents (NSOs, Ministries of labour, Social Security Institutions, Ministries of labour, Social Security Institutions, workers’ and employers’ associations, etc.)workers’ and employers’ associations, etc.)

Launching of Working Groups to discuss emerging Launching of Working Groups to discuss emerging topics for the 19th ICLS (2013) : labour topics for the 19th ICLS (2013) : labour underutilization, international classification by status underutilization, international classification by status of employment and othersof employment and others

Active involvement in the G20 reporting and Active involvement in the G20 reporting and discussiondiscussion

Statistical background to IMF/ILO conference in Oslo Statistical background to IMF/ILO conference in Oslo highlighing labour’s role in emerging from the crisishighlighing labour’s role in emerging from the crisis

“ “Better measuring progress in the realization of decent work Better measuring progress in the realization of decent work

is key to the realization of the Decent Work Agenda. We are is key to the realization of the Decent Work Agenda. We are placing high priority on enhancing the empirical basis of decent placing high priority on enhancing the empirical basis of decent work policies and providing relevant and timely data that is work policies and providing relevant and timely data that is being requested of us.”being requested of us.”

“ “The ILO is committed to constantly striving to improve its The ILO is committed to constantly striving to improve its statistical capability to support national efforts. The mandate statistical capability to support national efforts. The mandate and capacity of the ILO Department of Statistics has been and capacity of the ILO Department of Statistics has been strengthened to meet this objective.” strengthened to meet this objective.”

“ “A more comprehensive set of data is indispensable to better A more comprehensive set of data is indispensable to better diagnose trends shaping the world of work and ultimately the diagnose trends shaping the world of work and ultimately the lives of women and men, families and communities. We need the lives of women and men, families and communities. We need the skilful data producers and the sharp analysts who can relate skilful data producers and the sharp analysts who can relate their statistical capability to the realities of the world of work their statistical capability to the realities of the world of work and who can communicate effectively with policy makers and all and who can communicate effectively with policy makers and all who draw on their statistics to shape a world of decent work for who draw on their statistics to shape a world of decent work for all. Today, we celebrate “the service, the professionalism and the all. Today, we celebrate “the service, the professionalism and the integrity” of official statistics in the world.” integrity” of official statistics in the world.”

“ “The international statistical community will find in the ILO a The international statistical community will find in the ILO a committed ally in this journey.”committed ally in this journey.”

Excerpts from today’s statement by ILO’s Director General Excerpts from today’s statement by ILO’s Director General Amb. Juan Somavia Amb. Juan Somavia

Thank you!Thank you!

http://www.ilo.org/stat/lang--en/index.htmhttp://www.ilo.org/stat/lang--en/index.htm