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When looking for a job, what kind of factors do you prioritize? Is it flexible working hours that can be scheduled around looking after family, or enjoying the work and getting fulfillment out of it, or is it about stability and job security working for a large corporation? Working and being productive is vital for the growth of the economy. However the welfare of the employed is just as important, as work supports and creates security to livelihood. Sustainable Development Goal 8 is centered around the sustainable growth of the economy, productive employment and decent work for everybody.
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Jetzt kostenlos anmeldenWhen looking for a job, what kind of factors do you prioritize? Is it flexible working hours that can be scheduled around looking after family, or enjoying the work and getting fulfillment out of it, or is it about stability and job security working for a large corporation? Working and being productive is vital for the growth of the economy. However the welfare of the employed is just as important, as work supports and creates security to livelihood. Sustainable Development Goal 8 is centered around the sustainable growth of the economy, productive employment and decent work for everybody.
Sustainable Development Goal 8 focuses on decent work and economic growth and is one of the seventeen sustainable development goals created in 2015, by the United Nations General Assembly. The full title of Goal 8 is;
Foster sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.¹
The mission statement is "Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all." ² The goal is based on the importance of sustainable development of the economy that provides growing economic productivity and produces well-paid quality jobs. The goal also focuses on the worker's welfare and rights as it mentions full employment with decent work and seeks to stop forced labour, child workers, and human trafficking.
What does the United Nations mean when they talk about decent work? The term decent work can seem vague. However, it refers to equal opportunities for everyone, work that is productive, and secure, and a fair income that can create better chances for social integration and personal development.
Each Sustainable Development Goal has its own set of targets. These targets are designed to help reach the Goal, and they have specific indicators that measure the progress of the Goal. Sustainable Development Goal 8 has 12 targets each with accompanying indicators. SDG 8 is closely connected with economic goals such as economic growth, economic efficiency, balanced trade, price level stability, economic security, full employment, equitable distribution of income, and economic freedom.
9: Promote beneficial and sustainable tourism
Target name | Target | Indicators |
1: Sustainable economic growth | Target 8.1 is to sustain per capita economic growth with a particular focus on Low-Income countries to grow at least 7 per cent gross domestic product per annum. | The indicator for this target is the annual growth of GDP per capita. |
2: Diversify, innovate and upgrade for economic productivity | Target 8.2 is to reach higher levels of economic productivity from diversification, technological development, and innovation. The target concentrates on two areas, labour-intensive sectors, and high value-added.  Fig. 1 - Map of the growth rate of real GDP per employed person | This target is measured through the annual growth rate of real GDP per employed person. Real GDP is the GDP of a country that has been adjusted for inflation. |
3: Promote policies to support job creation and growing enterprises | Target 8.3 focuses on promoting policies on development that help with encouraging entrepreneurial opportunities, decent job creation, creativity, and innovation. Also nurturing the growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized businesses from the access to financial services. | This is recorded through the proportion of informal employment in total employment categorized by sex and sector. |
4: Improve resource efficiency in consumption and production | Target 8.4 takes into account the environmental degradation caused by consumption and production and is about working towards improving global resource efficiency according to the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production. | This target uses material footprint per capita and per GDP and also domestic material consumption per capita and per GDP as an indicator. |
5: Full employment and decent work with equal pay | Target 8.5 aims for full and productive employment and decent work for all genders and inclusive of people with different abilities and ages with equal pay for work by 2030. | This is measured by looking at the unemployment rate by sex, age, and persons with disabilities and additionally the average hourly earnings of employees according to gender, occupation, age, and persons with disabilities. |
6: Promote youth employment, education and training | Target 8.6 looked to support youth employment by reducing the number of youth not in employment, education, or training by 2020. | The indicator for this target is the proportion of young people between the ages of 15 and 24 years not in education, employment, or training. |
7: End modern Slavery, trafficking, and child labour | Target 8.7 is an urgent action to eradicate forced labour, human trafficking, modern Slavery, and child labour (which includes the recruitment and use of child soldiers.) It aims to end all forms of child labour by 2025.  Fig. 2 - Map of children aged5-17 engaged in labour | This goal is indicated through the number and proportion of children aged 5-17 years involved in child labour by age and sex. |
8: Protect labour rights and promote safe working environments | Target 8.8 is to promote secure and safe working for all workers and to protect labour rights. In particular, vulnerable workers such as women migrant workers and workers with precarious employment. | This target is measured through how much a country complies with labour laws and rights, by comparing the country's labour laws and rights with textual sources of the International Labour Organization and national legislation based on migrant status and sex. Also, the number of fatal and non-fatal injuries whilst working per 100,000 workers and categorized by migrant status and sex. |
9: Promote beneficial and sustainable tourism | Target 8.9 plans to implement policies for the promotion of sustainable tourism for the creation of jobs and also promotion of local culture by 2030. This goal is indicated through the tourism direct GDP. | This goal is indicated through the tourism direct GDP. Tourism direct GDP is the part of the GDP that is generated by visitors to the country. |
10: Universal access to banking, insurance, and financial services | Target 8.10 is about strengthening access to financial institutions and encouraging financial services such as banking and insurance for everybody. | This goal is measured through the number of bank branches per 100,000 adults and the number of ATMs per 100,000 adults. |
a: Increase aid for trade support | Target 8.a focuses on increasing Aid for Trade to support developing countries. | It considers the development of the goal through Aid for Trade disbursements and commitments. |
b: Develop a global youth employment strategy | Target 8.b is about developing a global strategy for youth employment that is implemented through the Global Jobs Pact of the International Labour Organization. | The goal is monitored based on whether there is a developed national strategy for youth employment.  Fig. 3 - Graduates of Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator |
The reason for Sustainable Development Goal 8 is that creating sustainable and inclusive economic growth can provide decent work and improve living standards which can drive progress. Although SDG 8 has good intentions, some strengths and weaknesses can be seen from the outcomes of the targets.
Roughly half the world’s population still lives on the equivalent of about US$2 a day.³
On top of the issues with poverty that exists in the world, there have been unprecedented challenges recently to economic growth and decent work such as the COVID-19 pandemic which caused a financial shock with disruptions to production, growing insecurity, and financial market volatility, making SDG 8 relevant at the present time and an important goal to face. Another strength is that it looks at growth from a multisectoral perspective that can support sustainable business practices and also create inclusive opportunities for decent jobs.
The SDG Fund program has funded young people in Cote d'Ivoire, San Pedro to receive vocational training and engage in activities such as aquaculture and chicken rearing which rely on traditional knowledge and can create income. This stops the exploitation of young people in cacao plantations and provide sustainable work.
One of the main weaknesses of SDG 8 comes from the fact that decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation and growing inequalities is presumed. Although there have been goals set and action taken, this hasn't been accomplished yet and fundamental changes to economic and financial systems need to be considered to create sustainable development. Another weakness would be that one of the main targets of this SDG is economic growth across all countries, however, there are contextual differences between countries and regions.
For example, economic growth in the Western hemisphere, where there are high-income countries, would view the necessary actions for economic growth to be around responsible consumption and production with a focus on systematic transformation for sustainable development. In the Global South where there are low-income countries, economic growth is necessary to stop poverty and hunger.
Coca-Cola has been aligning its strategies for sustainable development with the Sustainable Development Goals. Particularly with SDG 8, there is a commitment to action on the supply chain by protecting labor and human rights and eradicating forced labor and modern slavery. Coca-Cola has also taken action for the economic empowerment of women across the global value chain with their initiative 5by20 launched in 2010. 5by20 has enabled 550,000 women through entrepreneurship in 44 countries.
SDG 8 is based on the importance of sustainable development of the economy which provides growing economic productivity and produces well-paid quality jobs. It also focuses on the worker's welfare and rights as it mentions full employment with decent work and looks to stop forced labor, child workers, and human trafficking.
Decent work refers to equal opportunities for everyone, work that is productive with security, and a fair income that can create better chances for social integration and personal development.
SDG 8 has 12 goals each with accompanying indicators.
The challenges of SDG 8 is that decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation and growing inequalities is presumed so there is no fundamental changes to economic and financial systems need to be considered to create sustainable development. Another challenge would be that one of the main targets of this SDG is economic growth across all countries, however, there are contextual differences between countries and regions.
The eight goals of economics are economic growth, economic efficiency, balanced trade, price level stability, economic security, full employment, equitable distribution of income, and economic freedom.
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SIGNUP SIGNUPFlashcards in Sustainable Development Goal 812
Start learningSDG 8 is based on the importance of _____ development of the economy which provides growing economic _____ and produces well-paid quality jobs.
Sustainable, productivity
SDG 8 focuses on worker's welfare and rights, which of the below do they focus on?
Full employment with decent work
What does the United Nations mean when they talk about decent work?
Equal opportunities for everyone
How many targets does Sustainable Development Goal 8 have?
12
True or false
SDG 8 target of sustainable economic growth is measured by the annual growth of GDP per capita.
True
How does SDG target 8.3 support job creation and growing enterprises?
Encouraging entrepreneurial opportunities
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