Projects aim to promote the decent work agenda as well as to foster the tripartite dialogue – a strategy shared by Norway and the EU. By improving this dialogue, the social partners in each country will better contribute to a more sustainable economic and social development. Focus is also on the social dimension of working mobility and to strengthen equality and non-discrimination in the work place.
According to the ILO decent work “sums up the aspirations of people in their working lives. It involves opportunities for work that is productive and delivers a fair income, security in the workplace and social protection for families, better prospects for personal development and social integration, freedom for people to express their concerns, organize and participate in the decisions that affect their lives and equality of opportunity and treatment for all women and men.”
Projects and partnerships
The decent work fund covers 12 countries and has a total budget of €8 million. It is part of the Norway Grants for the period of 2009-2014. The 48 projects were selected among 119 applicants, and projects must be finished by 31 December 2014 with a maximum duration of 24 months.
28 of the projects will be implemented in partnership with Norwegian entities, among others the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO), the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO) the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS) and Unio, confederation of professional unions for employees.
Second call for projects
Since the available funding to Cyprus, the Czech Republic and Estonia was not absorbed in the first round, a second open call has been launched for these countries with a deadline on 18 December 2012.
Innovation Norway, a state owned entity under the Norwegian Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Norwegian County Councils, is the fund manager.
Photo credit: Christophe Vander Eecken