A/HRC/40/29 is important for social participation and individual and collective self-realization (A/HRC/31/32, para. 56). Today, a startling number of young people, in particular women, are not in education, employment or training. Many of those who find work are employed in precarious or informal situations. When these young people cannot find jobs or are forced to work in low-paid jobs and suboptimal conditions, their sense of dignity and hope is shattered and their discontent and frustration intensify. Apart from making them more prone to poverty and marginalization, such situations can also lead to social unrest and extremism. 41. The right to work receives a broad recognition in international human rights law, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (arts. 23 and 24) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (arts. 6, 7 and 8). The right to work encompasses the following interdependent and mutually reinforcing aspects: (a) the right of every person to productive and freely chosen work that ensures a dignified life for him- or herself and his or her family, without discrimination; (b) the right to economic and environmental conditions in the workplace that are conducive to meeting the needs of the individual and to realizing associated freedoms, including the right not to be arbitrarily deprived of work; (c) adequate material conditions relating to safety, security and dignity in the workplace; and (d) just and favourable social conditions that include labour rights, family leave and gender equality. 42. The realization of the right to work and economic empowerment remain a significant challenge for many women across the world. Unemployment rates in the workforce are higher among women than men. Women are also disproportionately represented in non-standard forms of employment, such as part-time and temporary contracts or self-employment, as well as in the informal economy, which is characterized by poor working conditions and a lack of job security and social protection (A/HRC/34/29, para. 15). Discriminatory laws and practices and unpaid domestic and care responsibilities inhibit women’s equal access to work opportunities and decent working conditions, including equal pay. It is critical for the economic and social empowerment of women to address the gender-related dimensions of the right to work, as the labour market reflects the social prejudices and disadvantages that undermine equality and dignity. One measure to improve the availability of work for women is to put in place specialized services that would pay specific attention to the barriers women face and assist them in identifying and securing available employment. 19 These specialized services must promote equality and accessibility, contributing to making the labour market open to everyone without discrimination. D. Right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications 43. We live in an increasingly interconnected world and are experiencing an unprecedented scale and speed of transformation that has an impact upon all people at all times. Science and technology play a central role in global and local linkages and advancements and in our understanding of the world we inhabit and the ways in which we live in it. 44. The right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications is contained in both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (art. 27) and the International Covenant of Economic Social and Cultural Rights (art. 15 (1) (b)). It seeks to ensure equitable distribution of the knowledge and tools that drive the economic and social advancement of society. It also encompasses the right to access the material benefits of science, for example, drugs, medical treatments, agricultural improvements and other technologies. 45. Until recently, neither the scientific nor the human rights community had given this right much consideration; however, its implications are now being explored and its 19 Ibid., paras. 12 and 26. 11