Globalization Report stresses value and dignity of work

Vatican City, Feb 27, 2005 / 22:00 pm

The conclusions of a Report of the World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization was presented Friday afternoon at the Lateran University in Rome.

Cardinal Renato Martino, president of the Pontifical Council Justice and Peace, and Juan Somavia, director of the International Labor Office (ILO), presented the conclusions of the commission, which was established by the ILO in 2002. The Report was published in 2004.

A press release announcing the event at the, summarized the findings of the Report, which said, "The current functioning of the world economy suffers from deeply rooted and profound imbalances that are unacceptable from an ethical point of view and politically indefensible.”

“For the majority of men and women in the world”, it said, “globalization does not respond to their legitimate aspirations to have a dignified job and a better future for their children."

The communique also summarized Cardinal Martino's talk, in which he stressed the need to re-think policies and institutions of world governance.

He said that now is the moment to place the question of human work and its dignity in the front line of action for a just and fair globalization. He also stated that work is the key to the social question which today is a global question.

Work, when recognized and appreciated, is the path for individuals to get out of situations of absolute poverty in a sustainable way and is also the key for a change in societies and institutions. The possibility of work transforms a poor person from being a "problem" that has to be taken care of to becoming a "resource."