Fafo has conducted a variety of studies on issues of decent work and labour rights, both in Norway and abroad. We research collective organization, legal frameworks, and social conditions of working life, analyzing the conditions for change, as well as their results.

The Just Jobs Index (JJI), developed by Fafo and the Just Jobs Network (JJN) measures the quality of jobs worldwide from 2000 to 2012. The JJI is the first international measure of its kind to offer an essential focus on employment quality to complement various indices such as the human development index (HDI). Data on decent work is vital for policymakers and other stakeholders when addressing employment issues. The index enables policymakers and the social partners to identify relevant measures – not only on how to create jobs but also to create decent work with appropriate remuneration, labour rights and social protection.

The global JJI is a result of a partnership with the Center for American Progress and the Just Jobs Network. An additional iteration of the JJI was developed with support from the European Progressive Economy in the form of a European Just Jobs Index. Fafo and the JustJobs Network have developed a dedicated interactive website for the JustJobs Index. The website is aimed at increasing the usability of the JustJobs Index by policymakers, private sector stakeholders, and the wider public. The website provides users with several functionalities including the ability to view and manipulate the data, analyze the composite index over time, and compare countries across different JJI indicators.

The Perceptions of Good Jobs study was conducted in support of the World Development Report 2013 on Jobs. Surveys designed and implemented by Fafo and our partners n four countries - Colombia, China, Egypt and Sierra Leone - were conducted to better understand and explain how jobs are perceived by people in the labour market.

Photo top right: Hossam al-Hamalawy