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154 WIDENING PARTICIPATIONProtesting students participate in a demonstrationin front of the parliament in Sofia, Bulgaria. Corruption,low incomes and high unemployment in the EU’spoorest country has led to widespread civil unrestTrade unions are crucial in every society and areat the heart of democracy. They help workersorganise to defend their rights and to fight abusesWe continue this struggle in a world whereprecarious or informal work is increasinglythe norm; inequalities threaten the stabilityof our societies; financial markets reignsupreme with inadequate regulation,even less accountability and still even lessconnection to the real economy; trade isunbalanced; tax justice is far from a reality;and environmental challenges threaten thesurvival of our communities. Given thiscontext the impetus for the trade unionmovement to engage in the internationaldevelopment debate is self-evident.Trade unions are crucial in every society.They ensure that the workers’ rights arerespected, that they can unite for collectivebargaining with their employer and areindispensable for developing social justicein the economic system.Trade unions are at the heart ofdemocracy. They help workers organiseto defend their rights and to fight abuses.By joining democratic trade unions,workers take part in, and influence, manyaspects of the democratic life. Tradeunions promote decent work principles,labour standards, human and trade unionrights as well as fair industrial and traderelations. They fight for the redistributionof wealth, granting universal access toservices, as well as social inclusion andsocial protection for all.Trade unions promote the socialprotection floors to ensure basic incomesecurity. This includes advocating varioussocial transfers (in cash or in kind), such aspensions for the elderly and persons withdisabilities, child benefits, income supportbenefits and/or employment guaranteesand services for the unemployed andworking poor. It also includes workingfor universal access to essential – andaffordable – social services in the areas ofhealth, water and sanitation, education,© Reutersfood security, housing and others definedaccording to national priorities.Finally, trade unions run projects andprogrammes on national, regional andglobal levels to help promote their corecommitments around the world. Theseprojects include:●●human and trade union rights, and‘democratisation’ projects, which focuson collective and social rights, labourstandards, the right to organise andcollective bargaining, as well as therespect of individual freedom;● ● ‘equality’ projects, which focus onempowering women, eliminating childand forced labour and promoting actionto help migrants and young people;●●trade union capacity-building projects,which aim to strengthen trade unionorganisation, and make sure trade unionactivities, collective bargaining andsocial dialogue are really effective anddemocratic; and● ● ‘informal economy’ projects, whichorganise women and men in the informaleconomy so they can claim their rightsand improve their working and livingconditions.The post-2015 sustainable developmentagenda provides an opportunity to framethe future of UN actions on the groundunder a new direction – one that deliversequality, social inclusion, decent workand sustainable livelihoods for workingpeople, while protecting our environment.It must begin with the recognition that theeconomic paradigm governing our societiesis unsustainable. This will require ambitionfrom the world’s leaders. The new agendawill only be effective if it is relevant forworking people and underpinned by ahuman-rights-based approach. Decentwork for all and social protection for allare critical components in this regard, andthey must be considered by governmentsas fundamental steps in building dignity forthe world’s citizens.GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT GOALS 2014