Brussels, 5 July 2023 (TDI): Today, Belgium’s Minister for Development Cooperation, Caroline Gennez, is pleased to announce that Belgium has joined Germany, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg in signing the Joint Declaration on Living Wage and Living Income, solidifying its commitment to ensuring fair wages and incomes for workers and smallholder farmers in global supply chains.
✍️ Today, Minister for Development Cooperation @CaroGennez is pleased to announce that Belgium has joined 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇳🇱 the Netherlands and 🇱🇺 Luxembourg in signing the Joint Declaration on Living Wage and Living Income.
ℹ️ Read more below and in our press release:
— 🇧🇪 Belgium MFA (@BelgiumMFA) July 5, 2023
The decision to sign the Joint Declaration on Living Wage and Living Income aligns Belgium with like-minded countries that recognize the crucial role of fair compensation in addressing pressing global challenges such as poverty, hunger, deforestation, climate change, and child labor.
By advocating for a living wage and living income, Belgium aims to promote a decent standard of living for all individuals involved in the production process, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
A living wage ensures that workers receive fair and adequate remuneration that covers essential needs like food, housing, healthcare, education, transportation, and other crucial aspects of life.
Moreover, it also allows for the accumulation of reserves, ensuring that individuals and families are not merely making ends meet but have the means to thrive and plan for the future.
Also Read: EU Foreign Affairs Council ends with important decisions
The Joint Declaration on Living Wage and Living Income, signed earlier by the Netherlands and Germany in January 2021, outlines a range of actions to advance this cause. These actions include fostering dialogue between consumer and producer countries to establish an adequate minimum income, supporting the International Labor Organization (ILO) in developing cost-of-living indicators and promoting social dialogue to empower workers in producer countries.
The declaration also emphasizes the need for collaborative efforts to prioritize this issue within European legislation.
Belgium’s decision to join the declaration builds upon the momentum generated by the initial signatories and highlights its dedication to improving the livelihoods of workers and smallholder farmers worldwide.
By working together with Germany, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, Belgium aims to amplify the impact of their collective efforts and drive positive change in global supply chains.
Minister Caroline Gennez, responsible for Development Cooperation, expressed her satisfaction in announcing Belgium’s participation in the Joint Declaration on Living Wage and Living Income.
