The emerging Egyptian democracy and the Arab Spring are now synonymous in the eyes of the world, and, most importantly, in the eyes of the Egyptian people. But any sustainable democratic success rests on the transformation of the Egyptian economy, which over the past several decades produced jobless growth that was unstable, unequal, and ultimately unsustainable.
This is why the Just Jobs Network, coordinated by the Center for American Progress is holding its first annual meeting in Cairo, on May 27, 2011. The meeting will discuss key challenges and mechanisms for good job creation in Egypt, in the Arab world, and around the globe as a necessary basis for broad-based, sustainable economic growth.
The unrest in the Middle East and North Africa highlights both the importance and the urgency of creating enough just jobs in the short and long run. Just jobs, complete with labor rights including the right to organize and collective bargaining, appropriate remuneration, social protections such as health care and pensions, and opportunities for economic mobility, are key for broad-based growth and stability. By helping to raise living standards, just jobs serve as instruments for promoting global stability and security.
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