The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has cautioned that, despite notable gains in poverty reduction, education, and productivity, persistent inequalities continue to undermine global progress toward social justice.
This was highlighted in its flagship report, The State of Social Justice 2025, released on Tuesday.
According to the report, extreme poverty has fallen sharply—from 39 percent in 1995 to just 10 percent in 2025—while child labour among children aged five to 14 has also been cut in half, dropping from 20 percent to 10 percent. However, the ILO noted that structural disparities remain entrenched.
The findings show that 71 percent of a worker’s earnings is still determined by circumstances of birth, including country and gender. Informal employment also remains widespread, affecting 58 percent of the global workforce.
On gender equity, the report observed only marginal progress, with the gap in labour force participation narrowing by just three percentage points since 2005. At 24 percent, the disparity remains stark, and the organisation warned that, at the current pace, it could take 100 years to fully close the global gender pay gap.
“Social justice is not only a moral imperative; it is essential for economic security, social cohesion, and peace,” the report stated, stressing the urgency of fairer distribution of economic gains and equal access to opportunities.
The ILO said the findings will inform discussions at the Second World Summit for Social Development, scheduled for November in Doha. They will also guide the work of the Global Coalition for Social Justice in its push for more inclusive societies.