The International Labour Organization (ILO) has released a practical, user-friendly publication designed to clarify the often complex terminology connecting labour rights, trade, and supply chains. Titled Understanding Rights at Work: A Guide to Key Terms Related to Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, Trade and Supply Chains, the guide provides accessible explanations of critical concepts such as forced labour, child labour, collective bargaining, equality and non-discrimination, occupational safety and health, and major trade frameworks. Each entry includes plain-language definitions, concise references from international sources, and illustrative examples, supported by QR codes and links for readers seeking more in-depth exploration.
The guide is intended for a broad audience, including governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations, businesses, researchers, and academics. It addresses the growing demand for practical tools that foster a shared understanding of labour rights within the context of trade and decent work. This need has been heightened by the increasing incorporation of labour-rights provisions into trade agreements and the expansion of regulatory due-diligence obligations across global supply chains.
Kaori Nakamura-Osaka, ILO Assistant Director-General and Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, emphasized that the guide aims to strengthen collective understanding and commitment to labour rights principles, ensuring that trade and economic growth align with basic rights, decent work, and social justice for all.
Developed under the ILO’s Trade, Labour and Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work in Southeast Asia project and funded by the Government of Canada, the publication provides a practical resource to support dialogue, policy development, and responsible business practices across the region.
