The Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions is accelerating the global promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that aims to address the greatest challenges to eradicate poverty in all its forms.
The Global Accelerator was launched by the UN Secretary-General in September 2021 as a response to that global promise and to support countries in creating millions of decent jobs primarily in the green, digital, and care economies, and to extend social protection to billions of people who are currently excluded. This year, the initiative has demonstrated the firm commitment of Member States, UN agencies, international financial institutions, social partners, civil society, and the private sector to work together to address the worldwide deficits in decent work and social protection to improve the lives of workers and their families.
Sixteen Member States have joined the Global Accelerator, and four of the 16 countries have developed their national roadmaps for implementation built on multi-stakeholder collective efforts. Two calls for proposals will be organized in 2024 for the implementation of the initiative in selected countries.
The Global Accelerator is supported by the governments of Germany, Belgium, and Spain, which have pledged €21 million to fund technical assistance to the pathfinder countries. In addition, France and Korea are also supporting the initiative and several UN country teams are mobilizing resources locally.
This year, the initiative received high-level political support being endorsed by G20 leaders and the European Council issued conclusions to support the engagement of EU Member States with the Global Accelerator.
It was also one of the twelve UN High Impact Initiatives showcased during the SDG Action Weekend and is one of the multilateral initiatives that contributes directly to one of the six key transitions prioritized by the UN for their catalytic and multiplier effects on the Sustainable Development Goals: (1) food systems; (2) access to and affordability of energy; (3) digital connectivity; (4) education; (5) employment and social protection; and (6) climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.
Following the Finance in Common Summit (FICS) in September 2023, a working group was set up with the Public Development Banks for their involvement in the development of the Global Accelerator at national level, to agree on indicators and to conduct joint research.
The Global Accelerator is also one of the main pillars under the Global Coalition for Social Justice, which was endorsed this year by the ILO´s Governing Body.
The Global Accelerator has the potential to make a real difference in the lives of millions of people around the world by creating a virtuous cycle of sustainable development that generates economic and social returns and facilitates the transition to a resilient, sustainable, and inclusive economy.
“The Global Accelerator will help countries create decent jobs, extend social protection, and align their national skills agendas with the new opportunities that the big transformations and transitions will bring.” Mia Seppo, ILO Assistant Director-General