The right to work is a fundamental human right that ensures everyone has the opportunity to gain a living through freely chosen or accepted work. For forcibly displaced and stateless persons, access to decent and lawful employment is central to achieving self‑reliance, economic inclusion, and dignity. International human rights law, along with refugee and statelessness instruments, protects not only entry into the labour market but also the conditions under which work is performed. 

Refugees and stateless persons lawfully staying in a country have rights to wage‑earning employment, self‑employment, and the practice of liberal professions on terms at least as favourable as those granted to other non‑nationals, with opportunities improving over time—for example after three years’ residence or through family connections to nationals. IDPs, as citizens or habitual residents, must enjoy equal access to work and workplace protections without discrimination based on displacement. 

Workplace rights include just and favourable conditions of work, equal pay for work of equal value, safe and healthy working environments, reasonable working hours, rest and leave, and protection from discrimination, exploitation, forced labour, and child labour. Displaced populations often face structural barriers—such as lack of documentation, limitations on movement, non-recognition of qualifications, and exclusion from financial services—that impede their ability to work or run businesses. 

This category also examines whether domestic systems provide access to employment services, skills training, entrepreneurship support, recognition of foreign qualifications, and effective remedies for violations of labour rights. Ensuring decent work for displaced and stateless persons strengthens resilience, supports host communities, and contributes to durable solutions.