– Under Brazil’s leadership, the G20 Labour and Employment Ministers reached a significant agreement on measures to tackle global labor market challenges and enhance decent work opportunities.
GENEVA, Switzerland – The call for decisive action against inequalities, promotion of gender equality, and embrace of workplace diversity came from the International Labour Organization’s director-general, emphasizing the importance of coordinated social policies.
During a high-level meeting held in Fortaleza on July 25-26, the ministers endorsed a comprehensive plan aimed at addressing critical global labor market challenges, ensuring equitable transitions, and advancing decent work standards. Their commitments include the creation of quality jobs, promotion of social inclusion, and the elimination of hunger and poverty through collaborative policies across social, economic, and environmental spheres.
“As we face ongoing global challenges, the urgency for achieving social justice for all becomes increasingly apparent. This necessitates well-coordinated social policies, including social protection frameworks to ensure inclusivity,” announced the director-general.
Additionally, he presented the G20 Social Policy Portal, developed with the aim of spotlighting the vital role of universal social protection systems and robust labor institutions in mitigating inequalities and fostering sustainable development.
The Brazilian Presidency’s initiation of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty was also acknowledged, with emphasis on its moral significance and its potential to foster a more equitable and sustainable work environment.
Highlighting the role of technology in enhancing life quality, the ILO’s deputy director-general stressed the necessity of respecting fundamental rights while integrating these technologies in workplaces. Efforts to establish an ILO Observatory on AI and work in the digital economy are set to commence in September, alongside discussions in 2025 aimed at setting standards for decent work within the platform economy.
The director-general also participated in the Just Transition Leadership Forum, stressing the need for collaborative efforts among G20 leaders, governments, employers, and workers’ organizations to address the social repercussions of climate change on labor markets.
Gender equality was a prominent topic, with ministers reaffirming their dedication to reducing the gender gap in labor market participation, in accordance with the Brisbane Target aimed at achieving a 25 percent reduction by 2025.
“As we aim for the Brisbane Goal in 2025, continued efforts towards gender equality are essential for fostering inclusive societies,” stated the deputy director-general at a coalition side event.
In closing, the ministers acknowledged the critical need for equitable wage policies and strong labor market institutions to overcome global employment challenges, reaffirming their support for the ILO’s Decent Work Agenda focused on job creation, fair wages, labor rights, and social protection.
The declaration also recognized the ILO’s Global Coalition for Social Justice as a pivotal initiative to expedite the reduction of inequalities on a global scale.
