• Using indicators for policy making

Using indicators for policy making

This paper conceptualizes and measures numerically the gap between the real and the ideal world of basic workers’ rights with the help of the ratification, reporting, supervisory and complaints data at the disposal of the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Such gaps exist

• when there is less than full adherence by governments to fundamental ILO Conventions, principles and rights or related obligations; and
• when ILO supervisory or complaints mechanisms reveal legislative or practical implementation problems in respect of basic workers’ rights.

Lack of adherence gives rise to an adherence gap. Revealed implementation problems give rise to an implementation gap. The adherence and implementation gaps add up to the basic workers rights’ gap. Such a gap will show up in the system elaborated here as a number larger than 0. At 0 there is no gap. The maximum gap is 100.

The purpose of measuring the gap first is to track over time the evolution of a country’s gaps in order to determine whether they are getting bigger or smaller. Thanks to the distinction between international adherence and revealed implementation problems, one can see at a glance:

• which factor is responsible for the basic workers’ rights gap:
• whether it is a lack of adherence or of the ability to redress implementation problems or a combination of the two
  

Depending on the answer, quite different responses may be called for. The measurements put forward here can then be used to monitor progress.

Further pointing out gaps can induce individual governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations as well as other non-State actors to do something about them. A country with a large adherence gap may want to re-examine its political hesitations to ratify ILO Conventions. A country with a large implementation gap can commit itself to reducing it; it can set itself time-bound targets; and it can appeal to other countries or international organizations, the ILO in the first instance, for assistance in moving forward. Again, the indicators elaborated here can then be used to monitor progress.

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