ILO’s “State of Social Justice 2025” – Key Findings & India’s Progress

Syllabus: Social Justice

Source:  ILO

Context: The International Labour Organization (ILO) released its landmark report The State of Social Justice: A Work in Progress (2025) ahead of the Second World Summit for Social Development marking 30 years since the 1995 Copenhagen Summit.

About The State of Social Justice 2025:

Key Summary of “The State of Social Justice 2025”

• Purpose: Evaluates 30 years of global progress since the 1995 Social Development Summit and assesses ongoing deficits in justice, equality, and inclusion.
• Four Foundational Pillars:
  1. Fundamental human rights and capabilities — ensuring freedoms, equality, and social protection.
  2. Equal access to opportunities — removing barriers to education, employment, and fair wages.
  3. Fair distribution — equitable sharing of economic growth benefits.
  4. Fair transitions — managing environmental, digital, and demographic changes inclusively.
• Global Progress:

• • Extreme poverty fell from 39% (1995) to 10% (2025).
  • Child labour (5–14 years) declined from 250 million to 106 million.
  • Working poverty dropped from 28% to 7%.
  • Over 50% of the global population now covered by some form of social protection.

• • Top 1% control 20% of global income and 38% of wealth.
  • Gender wage gap: Women earn 78% of men’s wages; at current pace, it will take 50–100 years to close.
  • 55% of income inequality determined by country of birth, showing global location bias.

• Erosion of Trust: Confidence in governments, unions, and businesses has declined since 1982 due to perceptions of unfair reward systems and widening inequality.

Trends and Progress in India:

• Poverty Reduction: Multidimensional poverty in India fell from 29% (2013–14) to 11% (2022–23), aligning with ILO’s global progress theme.
• Education Gains: Secondary completion rate reached 79% (2024); female literacy at 77%—reflecting major strides in human capability building.
• Social Protection: Schemes such as PM-KISAN, Ayushman Bharat, and e-Shram have expanded inclusion, covering over 55 crore unorganised workers.
• Labour Market: Despite reforms, informality persists—over 80% of India’s workforce remains outside formal contracts, reflecting the global trend of limited improvement in job quality.
• Gender Gaps: Female labour participation stands at 37% (PLFS 2024–25), still below the global average, mirroring ILO’s findings on structural inequality.

Improvements So Far:

• Human Development: Increase in literacy, skill training (PMKVY, Skill India), and access to healthcare.
• Child Labour Reduction: Strengthened monitoring through NCLP and education incentives.
• Social Security: Growth in pension and maternity schemes under the Social Security Code, 2020.
• Digital Empowerment: Initiatives like Jan Dhan–Aadhaar–Mobile (JAM) have reduced leakages and enhanced equity in resource delivery.

Challenges Identified by ILO:

• Stalled Inequality Reduction: The wealth gap has widened; redistribution remains weak.
• Informal Economy: 58% of global workers are informal, with limited access to labour rights and protection.
• Gender and Birth Inequality: 71% of income outcomes depend on birth circumstances; gender gap remains static.
• Declining Trust in Institutions: Public disillusionment with fairness and accountability threatens democracy.
• Transition Risks: Digital divide, climate job losses, and ageing populations may deepen inequality

ILO Recommendations:

1. Embed Social Justice in All Policies: Integrate equity considerations in finance, trade, climate, and health governance.
2. Rebuild Trust in Institutions: Strengthen transparency, accountability, and inclusive dialogue.
3. Invest in People: Expand access to education, skills, and lifelong learning to close digital and gender gaps.
4. Strengthen Social Protection: Universal coverage, portable benefits, and fair minimum wages.
5. Promote Fair Transitions: Ensure climate and digital transitions create decent work and protect displaced workers.
6. Global Cooperation: Reinforce multilateralism to address global inequality and migration fairly.

Conclusion:

The ILO’s State of Social Justice 2025 underscores a paradox — while humanity is richer and more educated than ever, inequality and mistrust erode the gains. For India and the world, the way forward lies in embedding fairness in all transitions, ensuring that growth translates into shared dignity, inclusion, and institutional trust — the true pillars of social justice.