The Regional Academy for Decent Work in the Western Ballkans

Regional cooperation between trade unions and civil society organizations, alongside campaigns, strikes, and negotiation strategies for labor protection, is essential for advancing labor rights through collective action and advocacy, according to the Regional Coalition for Decent Work, which includes 45 organizations from the Western Balkans.

Unpaid care work, gender equality in the labor market, the living wage as a tool for social justice, the integration of social and labor rights into the Green Agenda, and the implications of the EU Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence in the Western Balkans were among the key topics addressed at the 2024 Regional Academy for Decent Work in the Western Balkans, held in Igalo, Montenegro.

The Academy, organized by the Musine Kokalari Institute for Social Policy in Kosovo, the Center for Emancipation Policies in Serbia, the Association for Safety at Work in Montenegro, and ZORA – the Association for Social, Cultural, and Creative Development in Bosnia and Herzegovina, serves as a vital platform for the exchange of ideas, the strengthening of regional cooperation, and the development of strategies to integrate labor rights into broader social and economic policies.

More than 60 representatives from trade unions and civil society organizations reaffirmed their commitment to advancing labor rights through collective action and advocacy.

November 28-30, 2024