This book presents an overview of the dialogues that took place in the Economic and Social Council on the theme of ?Creating an environment at the national and international levels conducive to generating full and productive employment and decent work for all, and its impact on sustainable development. This publication also assesses the progress of the ECOSOC reform and follow up to the 2005 World Summit. It also includes the Secretary-General's report as well as the Ministerial Declaration on the theme of the ECOSOC High-Level Segment of 2006.

Examines the relationship between growth, employment and poverty and identifies situations where high economic growth may fail to bring about a commensurate rate of poverty reduction. Explores eight employment-related interventions for achieving poverty reduction and analyses employment policies for poverty reduction based on the experiences of different regions.

The report looks closely at the interdependence of productivity, output and employment. It traces the main sources of productivity growth and pinpoints the principal influences affecting those sources such as technological change, organization and composition of the labour market. It provides a thorough definition of productivity and evaluates whether productivity growth alone is enough to eradicate poverty in the future. The implications for labour market policy around the world are examined. The World Employment Report 2004 is the fifth in a series of ILO reports that offer a global perspect.

Why has an economy that has done so many things right failed to grow fast? Under-Rewarded Efforts traces Mexico’s disappointing growth to flawed microeconomic policies that have suppressed productivity growth and nullified the expected benefits of the country’s reform efforts. Fast growth will not occur doing more of the same or focusing on issues that may be key bottlenecks to productivity growth elsewhere, but not in Mexico. It will only result from inclusive institutions that effectively protect workers against risks, redistribute towards those in need, and simultaneously align entrepreneurs’ and workers’ incentives to raise productivity.