ACADEMY ON FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES AND RIGHTS AT WORK

More than 100 participants from 35 countries met over a period of four (4) weeks in a virtual space to learn and discuss global challenges around fundamental principles and rights at work (FPRW). The core of this course was built around 47 virtual sessions led by high-level international experts who actively engaged with participants. Acknowledging the most urgent challenges faced by constituents, the Academy was designed with a matrix structure addressing FPRW through four (4) themes: (1) Building forward better: a human centered and sustainable response to COVID19; (2) From Data to Policy from a pre COVID19 world to the new post-COVID19 “normal"; (3) From Innovation to Action: advocacy, partnerships, and technology-driven solutions; and (4) Sustainable enterprises and workplaces: best practices, strategies, and tools. The Academy was also a space to interact, network, share experience and knowledge with participants from all over the world who are passionate about the same topics and face similar challenges. OBJECTIVES • Reinvigorate efforts to address the increasing fundamental rights violations resulting from the pandemic, with special emphasis on the elimination of child and forced labour; • Promote a transformative agenda for equality, diversity and inclusion aimed at eliminating violence and harassment in the world of work and discrimination on all grounds; • Promote compliance, labour protection and inclusiveness in COVID impacted workplaces and work arrangements; • Advocate for an enabling environment for innovation, productivity growth and sustainable enterprises, including micro, small and medium-sized enterprises; • Utilize social dialogue to design and implement recovery strategies, and strengthening the capacity of employers’ and workers’ organizations to support their members in the recovery; • Draw from data to define policies and actions in the new post-COVID19 “normal”; • Engage in partnership frameworks to develop strategies that are inclusive, sustainable and resilient. CONTENT The academy shed light on conventional as well as newly emerging practices which support the realization of FPRW at a time of profound political, economic and social transformation. Its matrix structure enabled participants to examine the realization of the four FPRW, (1) freedom from child labour, (2) freedom for forced labour, (3) non-discrimination (4) and freedom of association, through the lens of the four novel themes introduced above. 47 live sessions were offered (with their correspondent available recordings that allowed for asynchronized learning), with accompanying learning material provided for each of the sessions, a multilingual library, discussion forums and active interactions with other participants and experts. In order to obtain this certificate of participation, participants attended at least fifteen (15) sessions: the seven (7) compulsory sessions and eight (8) elective sessions. The seven compulsory sessions were: LS1 & LS9: An introduction on FPRW. LS8: Promoting inclusive workplaces that are free from discrimination. LS22: Child Labour in Emergencies – sharing from the field. LS33: Ensuring FPRW and Decent Work through an Integrated Approach. LS34: Key principles and practices of freedom of association and collective bargaining. LS35: Social dialogue for realizing fundamental principles and rights at work. LS36: Detecting Forced Labour Cases.