The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the United Nations' principal judicial body based in The Hague, issued a landmark advisory opinion on Thursday finding that workers' right to strike is protected under a major international labour convention. The court ruled that the 1948 Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize Convention — ratified by 158 countries and embedded in numerous trade agreements and employment standards — implicitly covers the right to strike, even though the word itself never appears in the text. While advisory opinions are not legally binding, the ruling carries significant weight and could influence labour regulations and court challenges worldwide, though the judges noted the right may still be subject to restrictions in certain circumstances.