Is Work a Human Right?

In our founding meeting, as we worked to define the mission and values of our organization, we grappled with how to articulate workers’ fundamental rights in the age of AI. A brief review of existing discussions on this topic shows that much of the focus has traditionally centered on fair labor standards—namely, working conditions, remuneration, equity, safety, and the right to organize through trade associations or unions.

However, in the era of AI, attention is increasingly shifting towards the impact of the technology itself. Emerging topics include debiasing—that is, ensuring equality in the design, application, and deployment of AI technologies to prevent algorithmic discrimination—as well as protecting workers’ rights to privacy by safeguarding personal data and informational identity from unauthorized access or use.

While all of these issues are significant, the driving force behind our mission is even more fundamental: a belief in every person’s right to work. A seemingly basic, human right. So, we ask ourselves—is the right to work a human right?

To explore this further, we turn to the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The UN General Assembly adopted the declaration on December 10, 1948. It contains 30 articles that serve “as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations”—in other words, a statement of the fundamental human rights that should be universally protected. In 1946, the UN General Assembly established the Commission on Human Rights to draft what it called an “International Bill of Human Rights,” motivated by concern for the victims of World War II and a resolve to prevent the atrocities of the war from ever occurring again.

Appointed by President Truman, Eleanor Roosevelt—widow of President Franklin D. Roosevelt—chaired the drafting committee of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). She worked alongside seven drafting members: Dr. Peng-chun Chang of China, Vice-Chair; Dr. Charles Malik of Lebanon; William Hodgson of Australia; Hernán Santa Cruz of Chile; René Cassin of France; Alexandre Bogomolov of the USSR; Charles Dukes of the United Kingdom; and John P. Humphrey of Canada.

The Declaration serves as the foundation for defining the “human rights” and “fundamental freedoms” referenced in Article 55(c) of the United Nations Charter, as well as Article 56, which states that “[a]ll Members pledge themselves to take joint and separate action in cooperation with the Organization for the achievement of the purposes set forth in Article 55.” Among these human rights is the right to work, enshrined in Article 23(1) of the UDHR, which proclaims that “Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favorable conditions of work, and to protection against unemployment.”

Article 6 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights – one of 9 core international human rights treaties – expands on the definition of the right to work as “the right of everyone to the opportunity to gain his living by work which he freely chooses or accepts, and will take appropriate steps to safeguard this right”.  Member countries that have ratified the treaty are called to take steps to achieve the full realization of this right through “technical and vocational guidance and training programs, policies and techniques to achieve steady economic, social and cultural development and full and productive employment”. There are currently 72 signatories of the ICESCR, which have formally approved and consented to be bound by it.

This recognition is significant to our advocacy efforts as we work to safeguard workers’ rights in the age of AI. As new technologies are deployed and efficiency gains are realized, it is critical to preserve pathways for self-determination through work. Public policies, vocational training, and career guidance must take the necessary steps to protect this right. Safeguarding it is not only essential for economic growth and social progress—it is a fundamental human right.