Economic security for a better world

This study is about economic insecurity, what is means to people and their societies, and what can be done about it. Insecurity affects everybody at some time. But it affects many people throughout their lives, with serious consequences for their well-being and for that of their families and communities. Much economic insecurity is unnecessary. We could do so much more at international and national level to reduce it. Poverty and economic insecurity are not synonymous. However, as argued in a Director off or unemployed, or who face discrimination or oppression, have to struggle every day, worried about what lies ahead, and are thus unable to exercise or develop their capabilities. As the 21st century evolves, we will surely devote more attention to policies an institutions to decent work, the dream of helping to ensure that more people across the world find opportunities to work in dignity, for the benefit of their families, communities and themselves. This analysis does not commit the ILO to particular policies. Rather it provides new and sometimes disturbing information that national policy makers, employers, unions and other should examine as they reflect on what policies they would wish to advocate or implement. Over the past five years, the ILO's Socio-Economic Security Programme has taken a fresh look at the most fundamental questions underlying how we organize work and how that connects to broad social goals. the work stems from a decision of our Governing Body to support the systematic compilation of information on socio-economic ad labour security, thereby contributing to the measurement of decent work. The Programme was asked to collect data to quantify the forms of insecurity, for analysis and the development of responses. The results shed light on the problems we face in a globalizing world and considers people's views on what should be done. Coming shortly after the report of the World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization, this book should enrich the debate on how we can build a fair globalization.