The World Bank's Doing Business report and indicators have proved controversial in union and labour circles. This month in focus on labour we look at the methodology underpinning the rankings. Decent work is a concept with expanding international currency and is to be included as a target within the Millennium Development Goals. FoL explains what decent work covers. This edition also contains an in-depth briefing on working hours, together with news from the field of labour rights.

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Ergon has written a background paper for the regular DFID  Labour Standards and Poverty Reduction Forum looking at the origins, scope and implications of the concept of decent work. Originating in the ILO, decent work has gained significant backing as a way of integrating qualitative aspects of employment, notably adherence to labour standards, with the need to create more jobs to combat poverty.

Ergon has written a background paper for the regular DFID  Labour Standards and Poverty Reduction Forum looking at the origins, scope and implications of the concept of decent work. Originating in the ILO, decent work has gained significant backing as a way of integrating qualitative aspects of employment, notably adherence to labour standards, with the need to create more jobs to combat poverty.

This edition of focus on labour looks in detail at some of the challenges in defining what is meant by a living wage. We also set out the issues facing public authorities in developing labour elements within sustainable procurement programmes, as well as reviewing the ILO's latest survey of global discrimination trends. Finally, we look at the state of labour standards in Albania and at an innovative project to improve working practices in the Tanzanian construction sector. Plus news and developments in the labour rights field.

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