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From Bimbola Oyesola
The Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Gilbert F. Houngbo, has issued a strong call for urgent global action to deliver social justice, declaring that commitments alone are no longer enough to build a fair and inclusive future.
Marking the 2026 World Day of Social Justice on February 20, Houngbo said governments and institutions must move from promises to practical implementation, particularly in formalising work, guaranteeing living wages and harnessing artificial intelligence for social progress.
“Delivering on social justice is not an aspiration, it is a responsibility,” Houngbo said. “The question is no longer whether we agree. It is whether we are ready to act.”
He recalled that at the Second World Summit for Social Development last November, governments adopted the Doha Declaration, sending what he described as a clear global signal that development can only be sustainable, inclusive and resilient when it fully integrates its social dimension.
According to him, the declaration must now serve as a blueprint for coordinated action rather than a symbolic document.
To drive implementation, the ILO established the Global Coalition for Social Justice, which Houngbo said has already brought together more than 400 partners across governments, workers’ and employers’ organisations, academia, civil society, international institutions and the private sector.
“I am particularly encouraged by the diversity and depth of the contributions,” he said, noting that partners are collaborating on concrete, high-impact initiatives designed to deliver measurable change on the ground.
Top on the agenda, he said, is the formalisation of work to protect millions of workers still trapped in informal employment without job security, social protection or decent working conditions.
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“Formalization is essential if we are serious about extending rights and protections to those who need them most,” Houngbo stressed.
He also underscored the push for living wages, arguing that economic growth must translate into tangible improvements in people’s lives.
“Living wages are critical to ensuring that economic progress benefits everyone, not just a few,” he said.
On the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence, Houngbo called for a people-centred approach, insisting that AI must be shaped to advance social progress rather than deepen inequality.
“Artificial intelligence must drive social progress by developing tools and supporting access to skills development,” he said, adding that technology should empower workers, not replace or marginalise them.
Beyond these pillars, Houngbo said the coalition is advancing broader goals embedded in the Doha Declaration, including strengthening social dialogue for a just transition, promoting responsible business conduct, closing the gender pay gap through the Equal Pay International Coalition, and empowering young people.
As the world marked the day, he expressed gratitude to coalition partners but warned that the real test lies ahead.
“Let us continue to act together,” Houngbo urged. “We have the frameworks. We have the partnerships. Now we must ensure that social justice truly shapes the future of development for everyone.”
