July 2018: A report released by Durham University, UK, authored by a global network of researchers and policymakers, looks at global challenges to effective labor rights. It notes that labor regulation frameworks and strategies must be embedded into development policy, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), in order to achieve SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth).

The report titled, ‘Unacceptable Forms of Work: Global Dialogue/Local Innovation,’ highlights labor challenges that are shared between high- and low-income countries. These include issues of casual work, recruitment, forced labor, violence and harassment, informality, and weak enforcement of standards. The report provides country case studies and examples for each issue.

To address the challenges, the network of researchers generated sets of “research agendas” on innovative regulations that can curtail unacceptable forms of work. These agendas map the current state of play on each challenge, and outline research strategies that can identify the most effective regulatory and policy approaches. For example, an introductory video on the report’s landing page notes that although capital is mobile, labor law is not, which opens up the labor market to exploitation. A research agenda to inform best practices may be able to help mitigate the issue, the authors suggest.

The report notes that a global dialogue is taking place to reform domestic and international labor laws, through the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) Strategic Network on Legal Regulation and Unacceptable Forms of Work. [Publication: Unacceptable Forms of Work: Global Dialogue/Local Innovation]