Global Trends in Labour Rights

The Labour Rights Index tracks the changes in workplace rights during the past two years. However, some countries have enacted regressive and repressive labour legislation, undermining and frustrating workers' rights.

The section describes some major trends before delving into detail at the country level.

Minimum Wages

As per the Labour Rights Index 2024, approximately 94% of (136 of the 145) countries have established statutory or negotiated minimum wage provisions. While two countries (Singapore and South Sudan) lack any minimum wage regulations, seven countries set minimum wages exclusively for nationals or for public sector employees. All 10 newly added countries have statutory minimum wage systems; however, only eight of those revised their minimum wages during the last two years. However, thirty- three countries have received negative scores due to the fact that, despite having statutory minimum wages, these wages have not been revised in the past two years. A notable advancement in this regard is the recent implementation of a non- discriminatory minimum wage policy in Jordan in 2023, following Qatar's introduction of a similar measure in 2020. This policy ensures that all workers, regardless of nationality (or migration status), receive equal minimum wage protection.

Maternity leave

In 2024, a review of 145 countries under the Labour Rights Index revealed that 102 of these countries offer a statutory maternity leave entitlement of 14 weeks. Of the remaining countries, only 14 provide less than 12 weeks of maternity leave, while 29 countries provide maternity leave of 12-13 weeks. This indicates that maternity leave is widely recognised as a fundamental right. In the contemporary world, the primary focus has shifted from whether paternity leave is available to ensuring that maternity leave is accompanied by adequate maternity benefits. Nonetheless, it is essential to implement legislation to prevent employers from imposing disadvantages, such as termination or discrimination due to pregnancy. During the last two years, Angola, Cabo Verde, Malaysia, Oman, Rwanda and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have increased their maternity leave from previous levels though the maternity leave is still lower than 14 weeks in Cabo Verde and the UAE.

Paternity Leave

Paternity leave has experienced an upward trend over the past two years. At the time of scoring for the Labour Rights Index (LRI) 2022, only 59 countries provided a statutory right to paid paternity leave of at least seven calendar days for fathers at childbirth. This number has increased to 71 countries in 2024. This rise is partly attributed to the addition of 10 new countries to the index in 2024, among which 4 offer at least seven days of paid paternity leave. Nine countries that did not provide paternity leave in 2022 have now enacted necessary reforms requiring paid paternity of at least seven calendar days. These nine countries are spread across Africa (Cabo Verde, Mozambique, and Rwanda), Asia (Malaysia, Oman and Pakistan), Europe (Malta and Slovakia), and Latin America (Costa Rica).

Additionally, a significant number of countries (35) provide between 1-5 days of paid paternity leave, while the remainder either offer no leave (74 countries) or provide it on an unpaid basis (7 countries). Paternity leave is increasingly gaining traction among legislators, especially in the EU, as societies adapt to the realities of the modern world, where both parents often participate in the workforce. Iran and Oman are the only countries in the MENA region that require paid paternity leave of at least 7 calendar days. Such provisions facilitate a better balance between work and family responsibilities and promote a more equitable distribution of caregiving duties between men and women.

Pregnancy Testing

Though international regulatory standards (C183) prohibit requiring women workers to take pregnancy tests, with a few exceptions related to occupational risks to the worker's or child's health, there are 63 countries where the practice is not prohibited under legislation. Since 2022, Angola, Congo, and Gambia have prohibited pregnancy testing or inquiring about pregnancy during recruitment. This allows women to join the workforce rather than being stopped at the door. Moreover, nine of the ten newly added countries, Ecuador, Eswatini, Georgia, Moldova, North Macedonia, Sierra Leone, Taiwan, and Tajikistan, either implicitly or explicitly prohibit inquiring about pregnancy during recruitment.

Flexible Work Arrangements

According to the Labour Rights Index 2024, only 53 countries provide some form of flexible working arrangements for workers with family responsibilities. Of these, 34 are European countries. This prevalence is attributable to the EU Directive on Work-Life Balance for Parents and Carers, which grants all working parents of children up to at least 8 years old, as well as all carers, the right to request flexible working arrangements. These arrangements include reduced working hours, flexible working hours, and flexibility in the place of work.

European societies generally place a strong emphasis on achieving a balance between work and personal life, which has facilitated the widespread adoption of these flexible working arrangements. In contrast, such provisions are notably scarce in developing countries, where achieving a balance between work and family life remains a significant challenge. Even in developed countries outside of Europe, there is a marked disparity in the availability of flexible working arrangements, reflecting the broader emphasis European societies place on fostering work-life balance.

Sexual Harassment

According to the Labour Rights Index, over 80% (118 of the 145) of the countries have established statutory prohibitions against sexual harassment, accompanied by either criminal penalties or civil remedies. Thirteen countries have no provisions for addressing sexual harassment, while fourteen countries only have general prohibitions without any penalties. The implementation of robust sexual harassment laws is essential, as harassment frequently goes unaddressed or is not taken with the requisite seriousness. Enforcing penalties for sexual harassment is critical to ensuring that such conduct is properly deterred and addressed, thereby promoting safer and more respectful work environments. Congo, Indonesia, Jordan and Malaysia have enacted necessary reforms after 2022 to prohibit sexual harassment at work.

Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value

The gender wage gap, the difference between their earnings, expressed as a percentage of men's earnings, is a useful measure to indicate how far behind women are in terms of wages. Women earn, on average, significantly less than men. Globally, the gender wage gap currently stands on average at 23 per cent - meaning that women earn 77 per cent of what men earn for each hour worked. The pay gap is even wider for mothers, women of colour, immigrant women, and disabled women. Legislation requiring equal pay for work of equal value and mandating minimum living wages can help narrow the gender pay gap in a country. Twenty-four countries require equal pay for equal, same or similar work; however, these countries did not get a score since the legislative provisions do not meet the “equal remuneration for work of equal value” standard. scored Three countries, Gambia, Uzbekistan and Zimbabwe, have enacted reforms mandating equal pay for work of equal value.

Women’s Access to Same Jobs as Men

In the Labour Rights Index 2024, it is reported that 85 countries have provisions ensuring women have access to the same job opportunities as men. However, labour legislation in nearly half of the countries assessed by the Index imposes restrictions on women’s access to certain occupations under the guise of protection. These restrictions often include prohibitions on night work, the designation of extensive lists of jobs as dangerous or hazardous for women, and bans on women’s employment in sectors such as mining, construction, certain factories, and transportation. Such legislative measures constrain employment opportunities for women, contributing to their concentration in lower-income and lower- productivity jobs. Azerbaijan, Costa Rica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, and Uzbekistan enacted reforms during the last two years, allowing women to work the same jobs as men.

Among the 10 new countries added to the Index, Ecuador, Georgia, Moldova, North Macedonia, Sierra Leone, and Taiwan have established provisions that ensure women have access to the same jobs as men.