Global Partnerships for Sustainable Development - a case study of the Global Deal for Decent Work and Inclusive Growth

Abstract: This thesis discusses global partnerships for sustainable development. Global partnerships have come to be considered as key tools for the implementation of certain international sustainable development goals and there is a growing literature on the subject. Nevertheless, no study has yet been done of the Global Deal Partnership for Decent Work and Inclusive Growth, initiated by the Government of Sweden in 2016. The partnership is presented as a concrete input to several of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially numbers 8, 10, and 17. This provides an important opportunity to make sense of the Global Deal partnership, in particular since it is the first attempt of its kind to unite all stakeholders on the global labour market to work together to provide decent work and inclusive growth for all. What are the goals of the Global Deal, how was it formed, and how is it being implemented? The analysis presented in this thesis is based on a literature survey, documentary analysis, and interviews with the Global Deal Partnership’s support unit at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. This thesis argues that the Global Deal partnership is a textbook example of a global multi-stakeholder partnership, developed through an inclusive goal-setting process, and implemented with monitoring and reporting functions.