About the right to work

The right to work encompasses both individual and collective dimensions. The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enunciates the right to work in a general sense in its article 6, and explicitly develops the individual dimension of the right to work through its recognition in article 7 of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of just and favourable conditions of work, and in particular to safe working conditions, and the collective dimension of the right to work in article 8, by enunciating the right of everyone to form trade unions and join the trade union of his choice, and the right of trade unions to form national federation or confederation as well as international trade unions organizations and to function freely, and the right to strike.

Key elements of the right to work

Following are essential aspects of the right to work:

• Availability: Specialized services should be available to assist and support individuals in order to enable them to identify and find available employment.
• Accessibility: The labour market must be open to everyone under the jurisdiction of States. There are three key dimensions:
  • Non-discrimination: Access to and maintenance of employment must be free from discrimination based on prohibited grounds. States should adopt and implement national policies to ensure equality of opportunity and treatment in employment. Even with limited resources, States should protect disadvantaged groups through targeted, low-cost legal or policy measures.
  • Physical accessibility: Workplaces and employment services must be physically accessible, especially for persons with disabilities.
  • Information accessibility: the right to seek, obtain and impart information on the means of gaining access to employment through the establishment of data networks on the employment market at the local, regional, national and international levels;
• Acceptability and quality: Protection of the right to work has several components, notably the right to just and favourable conditions of work, in particular to safe working conditions, the right to form trade unions and the right freely to choose and accept work.