Social dialogue

The main goal of social dialogue is to promote consensus building and democratic involvement among the main stakeholders in the world of work – governments and employers’ and workers’ organizations. Successful social dialogue structures and processes have the potential to resolve important economic and social issues, encourage good governance, advance social and labour peace and stability and boost economic progress.

A number of enabling conditions must be present for social dialogue to take place. These include respect for the fundamental rights of freedom of association and collective bargaining: strong, independent and representative organizations of workers and employers with the technical capacity and the access to relevant information to participate in social dialogue; the political will and commitment to engage in social dialogue on the part of all parties; and appropriate institutional support. Governments are responsible for providing the enabling environment within which employers and workers can exercise their right to form and join organizations of their own choosing without fear of reprisal or intimidation and for establishing the legal, institutional and other frameworks that enable the parties to engage effectively.

To see whether your government has ratified the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87), click here.

To see whether your government has ratified the Right of Association (Agriculture) Convention, 1921 (No. 11), click here.

To read more about social dialogue and the promotion of better governance, empowerment and institutions, click here.