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The conclusion of the Labour and Employment Ministers Meeting (LEMM) saw the issuance of the LEMM Declaration, which emphasised four priority areas including enhancing skills development.
Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Gilbert F. Houngbo has welcomed the commitments from the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates) which hope to promote more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient labour markets and enable safe and healthy working environments.
Speaking at the Labour and Employment Ministers Meeting (LEMM) held in Sochi, Russia, on 9 and 10 September, he affirmed: "This meeting provided a valuable opportunity to build consensus on policies for a human-centred future of work, as set out in the ILO’s Centenary Declaration."
He particularly highlighted inclusive access to training, upskilling, and reskilling, decent work in platform employment, strengthened national occupational safety and health regulatory frameworks and enhanced social security as potential life changing factors for much of the BRICS population.
The conclusion of the meeting saw the issuance of the LEMM Declaration, which emphasised four priority areas:
- enhancing skills development,
- protecting workers on digital platforms,
- promoting social security, and
- ensuring safe and healthy working environments, particularly for women.
The Declaration underscores the aim of BRICS members to ensure that, "labour and social protection policies and systems reflect the needs of our workers and the realities of the global economy."
It also noted the member countries' continued efforts to strengthen social dialogue and expressed appreciation for the ILO's expertise and technical assistance.
As stated in the Declaration, "Recognising the imperative to adapt to the evolving labour market challenges," the BRICS member countries "commit to developing comprehensive strategies for the promotion of life-long learning, vocational guidance, continuous professional education and vocational skills training, enhancing modernisation of employment services, ensuring safe and healthy working environments, and bolstering robust social support mechanisms."
As a whole, the 10th meeting marked a significant milestone, bringing together the Labour and Employment Ministers from the BRICS nations for the first time since the group's expansion. In January 2024, the BRICS countries welcomed four new members: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates.
Lead image / International Labour Organization
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