Navigating globalization: examining the ILO’s efforts to promote decent work

This chapter focuses on the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) efforts to promote decent work, examining its successes, failures, and the factors that influence outcomes. It explores which instruments and strategies hold the most promise for the ILO’s future endeavors. Offering a novel perspective, the chapter delves into the ILO’s enforcement mechanisms, extending beyond previous studies to include potential strategies and tools for labor rights promotion, such as declarations, the convention adoption process, ratification campaigns, the role of monitoring bodies, and technical assistance. It argues that, in general, the ILO’s instruments function as intended. However, the chapter also highlights significant challenges the ILO faces in promoting decent work globally, especially in the context of global supply chains. It concludes by emphasizing the necessity of adopting new governance models to ensure decent work worldwide.