The
World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization is an
independent body set up by ILO in February 2002.
At the time of the Commission′s creation, there was no place within the
multilateral system for appropriate in-depth coverage of the social
dimension of various aspects of globalization. The Commission′s report,
A Fair Globalization. Creating
Opportunities for All, was the first step towards establishing a
structured dialogue between players with different and divergent opinions
on the social dimension of globalization.
Hamish Jenkins, Eddy Lee and Gerry Rodgers recall that the Commission was established
“at a time of persistent disquiet over the uneven impact of globalization
on people, the exclusion of many from its benefits and the failure to
adequately realize its potential for good. Much had already been written
and said about globalization, but the World Commission was different, an
attempt to build consensus […] on the key issues to be addressed and a
feasible way forward” (see
The quest for a fair globalization three years on, p. 6).
