Decent wages are central to economic and social development and essential in reducing poverty and inequality, as well as in ensuring a dignified life and advancing social justice. Yet, in spite of positive longterm trends in real average wages, millions of workers - in the formal and informal economy - across the world continue to earn very low wages and they are still living in poverty. When wage policies are well designed and effectively implemented, they can be a powerful tool to protect workers against unduly low pay and ensure a just share of the fruits of progress to all. Well-crafted wage policies can also have positive effects on labour productivity - both at the enterprise level and at the aggregate economy-wide level. Poorly designed, by contrast, they can put workers' well-being at risk, undermine effective implementation, and risk encouraging informality. Over half of the global workforce are wage earners, making wages the primary income source for many households. However, millions of these workers earn wages too low to afford a decent standard of living. The ILO Global Wage Report 2024-25 estimates that in low-income countries, half of all wage workers earn less than about US$ 201 (PPP) a month. The concept of "living wages" has garnered significant attention in recent years, with many initiatives created in response to the persistence of low pay, including in supply chains. Multinational enterprises have taken voluntary action to pay wages based on a living wage estimates that exceeds legal minimums. These initiatives are encouraged to align with ILO principles, with a view to elevate living standards for workers and their families. Join this course to learn what you always wanted to know about minimum and living wages! Take this opportunity to place yourself at the forefront of creating impactful change through wage policies.