After the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action – World Summit for Social Development in 1995, the expansion of productive work and reduction of unemployment was considered one of the three pillars of social development. Full and adequately remunerated employment is an effective method of combating poverty and promoting social integration. In 2000 the Millennium Declaration has once again showed a solid global consensus that employment and decent work need to be at the centre of economic and social policies aimed to achieve the primary Millennium Development Goal – to cut poverty in half by 2015. More explicitly, the Goal 8 sets out to develop decent and productive work for youth in cooperation with the developing countries.

However, in 2005 the report of the Secretary-General – Follow-up the implementation of the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development and of the twenty-fourth special session of the General Assembly – 2005 – A/60/80 points to the fact that progress in expanding employment has fallen far short of expectations and that the past years have seen a rise in global unemployment levels. Moreover, where job growth has taken place, it has been concentrated in insecure, informal employment with low wages and few benefits. Thus, the goal of full and productive employment and decent work for all was once again brought at forefront of the United Nations development agenda. In 2006 the Economic and Social Council – Theme of its high-level segment was dedicated to a reflexion on creating an environment at the national and international levels conducive to generating full and productive employment and decent work for all, and its impact on sustainable development.

In order to follow these initiatives and contribute to the debate on this particular issue, the Social Perspective on Development Branch has the responsibility to provide several documents and publications, like the Secretary-General Report on Priority Theme and the Report on the World Social Situation.