October 24 marked the anniversary of the United Nations charter, which formally established the intergovernmental organization as a replacement for the League of Nations.  After its initial creation, the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which is comprised of thirty articles outlining fundamental freedoms. While not binding, this document has served as the basis of many national constitutions and has been used as an accountability mechanism for treaties.  However, one could argue that the right to livelihood (UDHR art. 23, section 1) – which states, “Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment” – has been interpreted arbitrarily, especially in the United States, due to the widespread acceptance of barriers to employment such as occupational licensing laws.

Occupational licensing laws harm workers, as well as consumers who purchase services from professionals that require licensure. This harm is disproportionately placed on economically disadvantaged populations.  Thus, when examining the effects of excessive occupational licensing in the U.S., it becomes apparent that these laws present an undue burden on one’s right to livelihood. 

In the U.S., the number of occupations requiring licensure from...