PATHS2INCLUDE researchers Federico Ciani, Arianna Vivoli (ARCO), Elisabeth Ugreninov, and Justyna Bell (OsloMet) contributed to the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights’ “Roadmap for eradicating poverty beyond growth”. The roadmap is part of the Special Rapporteur’s final report to the 62nd session of the UN Human Rights Council.
The Roadmap builds on the Special Rapporteur’s July 2024 report ‘Eradicating poverty beyond growth’ to the UN Human Rights Council and aims to provide a blueprint for policy action focused on human rights, care and well-being, covering in particular social protection, the provision of public services, employment, care work, and more.
To inform the Roadmap, the Special Rapporteur published a call for input, inviting contributors to propose evidence-based policy recommendations on five policy areas. PATHS2INCLUDE findings particularly contribute to Policy Area 2: Labour policies and the care economy. This area covers the world of work, including working conditions, green jobs, promoting gender equality, fair wages, etc. It also includes the recognition and support of formal and informal care work.
In their contribution, the researchers highlighted the issue of discrimination in hiring which affects employment opportunities for many individuals. Preliminary PATHS2INCLUDE findings indeed confirm the prevalence of gender and ethnicity-based discrimination in Europe. Next to hiring, inequalities also remain prevalent in career progression, for example gender wage gaps and barriers to career advancement.
The researchers also point out the vulnerable position of caregivers, often women, in the labour market. Our research found that caregivers are more likely to exit the labour market if they can afford to do so while the poorest are forced to remain economically active out of financial necessity. This dynamic reinforces existing inequalities and puts more pressure on low-income caregivers that must navigate unpaid care work and precarious employment.
The contribution also zoomed in on regional characteristics that influence employment stressing that in poorer regions, factors exist that limit employment opportunities regardless of individual characteristics. This finding emphasises the need for tailoring employment policies to specific regions.
Next to highlighting persisting challenges identified in our research, the contribution focused on policy recommendations to enhance labour market inclusion, targeting both the broader population as well as vulnerable groups. By addressing both the structural and individual level, PATHS2INCLUDE aims to contribute to developing a more inclusive and resilient European labour market.
The researchers’ contribution is based on findings from both SPES and PATHS2INCLUDE research projects (funded by Horizon Europe) and is published here as part of a dedicated Beyond Growth Roadmap online repository.
PATHS2INCLUDE contribution to ‘A Roadmap for Eradicating Poverty Beyond Growth’