Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work

Today, in the world

160 million

children are victims of child labour, 79 million of whom are in hazardous work.

Child Labour: Global estimates 2020

50 million

men, women and children are in modern slavery, including 28 million in forced labour and 22 million in forced marriage.

Modern slavery: Global estimates 2022

2.93 million

workers die as a result of work-related factors; 395 million workers sustain a non-fatal work injury; 2.41 billion workers are exposed to excessive heat.

Safety and Health at Work

More than 40 per cent

of the world’s population lives in countries that have ratified neither of the freedom of association and collective bargaining Conventions.

Hundreds of millions

of people suffer from discrimination because of their skin colour, ethnicity or social origin, religion or political beliefs, age, gender, sexual identity or orientation, disability or HIV status.

The ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work , adopted in 1998 and amended in 2022, is an expression of commitment by governments, employers' and workers' organizations to uphold basic human values - values that are vital to our social and economic lives. It affirms the obligations and commitments that are inherent in membership of the ILO, namely:

freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining
the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour
the effective abolition of child labour
the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation
a safe and healthy working environment