Today, our world is facing an unprecedented number of challenges: climate and demographic change, COVID-19, and a lack of decent work and social security, among others. Poverty, inequality, and hunger are on the rise. So, what can we do to shift gears and start moving forward again? A new initiative has been launched by the UN Secretary General with ILO coordinating support to address these challenges. The Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions aims to increase the level and coordination of the multilateral system’s efforts to help countries create 400 million decent jobs in both developed and emerging economies, and to extend social protection to half the world’s population who are currently excluded. To learn more about this, in this episode we interview ILO experts, Valérie Schmitt, Deputy Director of the Social Protection Department, and Jean-François Klein, Senior Administrator, Employment Policy Department.