The G20 Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting recently took place in Fortaleza, Brazil, where the Labour and Employment Ministerial Declaration was approved. The meeting, held on July 25-26, brought together ministers from various countries, including India. The Indian delegation was led by Minister of State for Labour & Employment, Shobha Karandlaje. The declaration focused on key areas such as Just Transition, creating quality jobs, promoting decent work, gender equality, diversity in the workplace, and leveraging technology to enhance the quality of life.
The declaration emphasizes the importance of governments developing active inclusion policies for strong, sustainable, balanced, and inclusive economic growth. It also recognizes that creating formal jobs and promoting decent work are essential for achieving fair income distribution. The declaration highlights the significance of effective labour market policies, such as skills development, training, lifelong learning, and job matching. It also urges governments to formalize jobs, address platform work, promote adequate wage floors, provide social protection, and support social dialogue and collective bargaining.
During the meeting, Minister Karandlaje spoke about the need for skilling and reskilling to ensure a fair transition to greener alternatives. She mentioned India’s national missions in various areas such as solar energy, sustainable agriculture, and green India. She also highlighted the Sector Skill Council for Green Jobs as crucial for developing a skilled workforce in related sectors. Additionally, she reported that India generated over 80 million jobs from 2017-18 to 2021-22, with the youth unemployment rate dropping significantly.
Minister Karandlaje also discussed India’s legislative measures on gender equality and diversity, including the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act and the Equal Remuneration Act. She mentioned the extended maternity leave from 12 to 26 weeks as another initiative to promote gender equality in the workplace. On the topic of technology for improving the quality of life, Karandlaje highlighted India’s Digital India Mission, the e-Shram portal for informal workers, and Aadhaar’s role in financial inclusion. She called for addressing ethical considerations related to technology, such as data privacy, cybersecurity, and AI ethics.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Minister Karandlaje met with Gilbert Houngbo, Director General of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and Japanese State Minister for Health, Labour, and Welfare Miyazaki Masahisa. They discussed enhancing the mobility of semi-skilled and skilled workers from India to Japan. Overall, the G20 Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting in Brazil was a platform for discussing important issues related to labour and employment, with a focus on promoting decent work, gender equality, and leveraging technology for economic growth and social inclusion.
