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The International Labour Organisation’s Director-General, Gilbert Houngbo, has urged G20 labour and employment ministers to take decisive action to reduce inequalities, promote gender equality, and encourage diversity in the workplace.
Houngbo made the call at a recent high-level meeting in Fortaleza, Brazil, to address global labour market challenges, ensure just transitions, and promote decent work.
“In a world that is constantly grappling with new challenges and crises, it is becoming clearer every day that we need to accelerate our efforts towards making social justice a reality for all. This requires a set of well-coordinated social policies, including social protection and other policies to ensure social inclusion,” he noted.
The ILO director-general introduced the G20 Social Policy Portal, created with the International Social Security Association, and highlighted the role of universal social protection and strong labour market institutions in addressing inequalities and promoting sustainable development.
The ILO director-general participated in the Just Transition Leadership Forum, emphasising the need to create pathways for decent work and social justice. The forum called on G20 leaders, governments, employers, and workers’ organisations to jointly address the social impacts of climate change on labour markets.
Meanwhile, the ILO Deputy Director-General, Celeste Drake, mentioned that taking advantage of and harnessing those technologies in the workplace meant respecting fundamental principles and rights at work and encouraging social dialogue.
She also announced the launch of an ILO Observatory on AI and Work in the Digital Economy in September and a forthcoming standard-setting discussion in 2025 on decent work in the platform economy.
According to ILO, the ministers in attendance reaffirmed their commitment to reducing the gender gap in labour market participation in line with the so-called Brisbane Target, which aims to reduce the gender gap in labour market participation rates by 25 per cent by 2025 and accelerate progress on gender equality.
“Looking ahead towards achieving the Brisbane Goal in 2025, countries should continue consolidating efforts to advance gender equality and create more inclusive and equitable societies,” said Celeste Drake, at the Equal Pay International Coalition side event.
She underlined the need for increased focus on improving women’s income security, addressing gender pay gaps, and enhancing conditions for paid care work.
In their closing declaration, the ministers emphasised fair wage policies and strong labour market institutions in addressing global employment challenges and reaffirmed their commitment to the ILO’s decent work agenda.
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