High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2017
Trade Unions were at the High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) 2017, the annual follow-up and review mechanism of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The focal points of the event were the reviews of individual SDG implementation, the voluntary national reviews of progress by governments and the ministerial declaration.
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development - New ITUC Webpage
Through the TUDCN, trade unions are heavily involved in the 2030 Agenda process at global, regional and national level. This new webpage is the focal point of this work. It contains the trade union country reports on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as jointly established trade union position papers and submissions to the 2030 Agenda process.
The European Development Days (EDDs) is a yearly event organised by the European Commission that brings together actors from across the development community. Trade unions were at the 2017 edition (EDD17), which took place in Brussels on 7-8 June.
Trade unions at the Africa-EU Intercontinental CSO Forum in Tunis
A trade union delegation attended the 3rd Africa-EU Intercontinental CSO Forum in Tunis, on 11-13 July 2017. This Forum was organised in the framework of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy (JAES), and supported by the African Union’s Citizens and Diaspora Directorate (AU/CIDO) and the European Union (EU). The final declaration reflects many trade union priorities to advance decent work and social dialogue in the JAES.
ITUC Global Rights Index 2017: Violence and repression of workers on the rise
The number of countries experiencing physical violence and threats against workers has risen by 10 percent in just one year, according to the annual ITUC Global Rights Index. Attacks on union members have been documented in fifty-nine countries, fuelling growing anxiety about jobs and wages.
Belgian Solidarity Support Organisation WSM and ACV-CSC national trade union confederation teamed up to provide detailed recommendations to the Belgian government on how it can better help in the effort to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With this outlook, it assesses Belgium’s international commitments for decent work, social protection and universal health coverage.
CC.OO. (Spain) event: "Get involved with development, SDGs and Decent Work"
Together with the Peace and Solidarity Institute, the CC.OO. organised an event on 3 July 2017 in Valencia. Following the adoption of a resolution on the 2030 Agenda by the CC.OO., this event highlighted the priorities of trade unions on the SDGs. Paola Simonetti, TUDCN coordinator, presented the trade union engagement strategy on the 2030 Agenda.
Palming Off Responsibility - Labour rights violations in the Indonesian palm oil sector
“Even at certified palm oil companies, human rights, including trade union rights, are regularly violated and employees are faced with poor working conditions. There are even cases of child labour”, according to Arend van Wijngaarden, CNV (Netherlands) vice-chair. This appears from a study by CNV Internationaal into the employment conditions at palm oil plantations in Indonesia.
TUC (England & Wales) Aid Project Update: Improving the Conditions of Women Textile Workers in South India
TUC Aid funds granted to the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) are being used to support a trade union coordinator for the ETI programme to improve the condition of women in the textile sector in Tamil Nadu, South India. This programme has brought trade unions, NGOs, local employers and ETI member companies together to better understand the kind of problems women workers face and develop activities to address them.
The Commitment to Reducing Inequality Index uses a new database of indicators covering 152 countries, which measures government action on social spending, tax and labour rights - three areas found to be critical to reducing inequality.
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Upcoming events
TUDCN Working Group EU Meeting (Brussels)
18-19 September 2017
TUDCN Partnerships Working Group (Brussels)
24 October 2017
TUDCN Open Coordination Meeting (Brussels)
25-26 October 2017
This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of the ITUC and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.