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There has been progress in education and poverty reduction over the years.
But global social justice is hindered by persistent inequalities and declining trust in institutions.
The report calls for renewed commitment to social justice, emphasising the need for inclusive policies and cooperation to address unequal access to opportunities and resources.
Although there have been notable improvements in education, poverty alleviation and productivity over the last thirty years, persistent inequalities, waning trust in institutions and sluggish advancement in crucial sectors still obstruct social justice globally, according to a new International Labour Organization (ILO) report.
Social justice is the goal that every individual, regardless of race, belief or gender, should have the right to seek both their material prosperity and spiritual growth in an environment of freedom and respect, with economic stability and equal chances.
The report The state of social justice: A work in progress was published ahead of the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha from November 4-6, 2025 that marks 30 years of the landmark 1995 Copenhagen Summit on Social Development.
There are four pillars underpinning ILO's vision for advancing social justice: Fundamental human rights and capabilities; equal access to opportunities; fair distribution; and fair transitions.
The report highlighted that the world is wealthier, healthier and better educated than in 1995, but the benefits have not been evenly shared and progress in reducing inequality has stalled.
The world in 2025 is wealthier, healthier and better educated than in 1995. According to the report, there are many dimensions in which progress has been considerable. Between 1995 and 2024, child labour among those aged 5-14 years, for instance, fell from 250 million to 106 million.
Work-related mortality has fallen by more than 10 per cent since 2000.
Secondary school completion rates have risen by 22 percentage points.
Extreme poverty has fallen from 39 to 10 per cent of the world’s population.
Working poverty has fallen from 28 per cent to 7 per cent, and since 2023, for the first time in history, more than half of the world’s population is covered by some kind of social protection scheme.
However, the report underscored persistent deficits. At least 71 per cent of a person’s earnings is determined exclusively by the circumstances of their birth, over which they have no control. Currently, 55 per cent of the difference in earnings of the eight billion people on this planet will depend exclusively on the country in which they are born.
The report indicates that although there have been advancements in addressing child labour, the number of children still engaged in such work, especially in dangerous conditions, remains unacceptably high and hinders global efforts towards achieving social justice.
Poverty, working poverty and hunger (as measured by child stunting) have all fallen since 1995, although the improvement has stalled somewhat during the last 20 years.
Informality has fallen by only two percentage points in two decades and still affects 58 per cent of workers.
The gender labour force participation gap has narrowed by only three percentage points since 2005 and remains at 24 per cent.
The report also highlighted that trust in institutions has been declining worldwide since 1982, reflecting growing frustration that effort is not being rewarded fairly.
On this front, ILO warned that unless action is taken to strengthen the social contract, this erosion of trust could undermine the legitimacy of democratic systems and global cooperation.
The report underscored that the world is undergoing profound transformations — environmental, digital and demographic — that are reshaping labour markets at unprecedented speed.
Environmental transitions, including climate policies, pose risks for workers in carbon-intensive sectors without just transition policies.
Digital transformation threatens to exacerbate inequalities in access to skills, technology and decent jobs.
Demographic shifts, such as ageing populations and youth bulges in some regions, will strain labour markets and social protection systems.
The ILO stresses that without deliberate policy action, these transitions will deepen inequality. With the right investments — particularly in skills training, social protection, wage-setting systems, and active labour market policies — they can instead drive inclusion, resilience, and prosperity.
ILO called for a renewed commitment to social justice, underpinned by decisive action and inclusive policymaking. The authors of the report urged governments, international institutions and social partners to tackle unequal access to opportunities and resources, and redistribute economic gains more fairly.
They proposed embeding social justice into all policymaking from finance and industry to climate and health, and strengthen cooperation across borders to manage global challenges more coherently.