As the world celebrates the Day of the Seafarer, a human tragedy unfolds, in the tumultuous depths of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the poignant story of Mauritanian seafarers, brave and fearless men who daily confront the raging waves to feed their families and their country. But behind their bravery lies unspeakable suffering, a reality of deprivation, deadly accidents, and unbearable injustices.

The expansion of the platform economy and the rise in employment within this sector offer promising prospects for job growth and increased flexibility in production processes. However, it also brings forth challenges concerning adherence to international labour standards and the principles of decent work, especially in terms of safeguarding workers' rights and ensuring social security coverage.

After numerous delays, the Iraqi Parliament has finally voted on a new legislation regarding social security and pensions. The primary objective is to alleviate the burden on the public sector, which has experienced a significant increase in its workforce, from 850,000 employees in 2003 to approximately 4.5 million. This surge in employment has resulted in an annual wage expenditure of approximately 46 trillion Iraqi dinars (equivalent to 31 billion dollars).

A joint technical committee is working to reach a consensus on urgent measures to curb the inflation that is affecting a country already weakened by the impacts of the health crisis, the war in Ukraine, and drought. While the government has promised to provide solutions before the May 1st deadline, discussions are likely to face complications due to persistent trade union demands and significant budgetary constraints.

In the aftermath of the health crisis and the ongoing war in Ukraine, economic indicators worldwide, especially in the Arab region, are persistently declining, thereby affecting the labour market and the rights of workers. The current situation has cast a shadow over the annual celebrations of many workers, who find themselves in a challenging situation.