DecentWorkCheck

Title: DecentWorkCheck.org in India, South Africa and The Netherlands
Acronym: DecentWorkCheck
Duration: launch April 2008
Funded by: Oxfam/Novib, WageIndicator Foundation
Status: current
Partners: Oxfam/Novib, WageIndicator Foundation
Project management: Paulien Osse, WageIndicator Foundation

First desk research is done to identify the ILO-Conventions with an impact on national labour market legislation. This research is guided by a dozen thematic topics, such as:
1. work and pay
2. work and leave
3. work and children at school
4. work and (paid) holidays
5. maternity and work
6. social security
7. work and illness
8. health and safety on the job
9. fair treatment
10. child labour
11. bonded or forced labour
12. trade union rights.
Per country an inventory of the relevant national laws and regulations is put together and the rules are then 'translated' into colloquial language.

Second: these topics are made accessible through a questionnaire comprising some 80 questions, addressing the visitor directly. On answering each score gets a dot. The end score of participants in the DecentWorkCheck is subsequently displayed in a comparative and colourful way at the result page:
• to the far right the column in indicates the international standards, all in green (ok!)
• the second column in the middle shows a variety of green and red dots, per dot indicating if the relevant ILO-Convention is abided by in one's country (red means not so ok)
• the third column (to the left) also shows a variety of green and red dots, measuring one's personal situation on the job in terms of compliance with these Conventions.

Next, one is invited to consult a backup page in which per item the pertaining national laws and regulations, i.e. one's rights, are explained. Also tips are given on how to improve one's situation if it appears to be unsatisfactory, i.e. not living up to international standards.

Finally, the tool thus developed and launched will be on display at the DecentWorkCheck.org web portal, as well as at the national WageIndicator websites in these 3 countries. It will be also offered for display at websites of other parties with a stake in a well functioning labour market. By the end of 2008 the results of this pilot in terms of visits, number of participants and relevance will be measured and evaluated. If positive, extension of this tool on a global scale will be the next goal and funding for this venture will be actively sought.