[Opinion] Somalia: Trade Unions Applaud Somalia's Bold Defence of the Right to Strike Before the International Court of Justice

Professor Harold Hongju Koh Argues for Workers’ Right to Strike at the International Court of Justice

Sterling Professor of International Law Harold Hongju Koh returned to the Hague this month to present the closing argument in an advisory opinion proceeding concerning the right to strike.

Somalia: Trade Unions Applaud Somalia's Bold Defence of the Right to Strike Before the International Court of Justice

The Federation of Somali Trade Unions (FESTU) applauds the principled and courageous position presented by the Federal Republic of Somalia before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague on 8 October 2025. The Court, which is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, held public hearings on the request for an advisory opinion concerning the Right to Strike under ILO Convention No. 87. Somalia took a clear and authoritative…

What's behind the global attack on the right to strike?

The right to strike and the right to collective bargaining are the most powerful tools workers have to defend themselves against labour abuses. Between 1948 and 2012, these human rights were considered to be implicitly protected by the United Nations through the conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO). Yet in recent years, pressure on both has intensified worldwide, with growing violations and intimidation. The rise of neolibe…