The Labour and Employment Ministers of the G-20 countries have stressed that better anticipation and matching of skills to jobs can help the workforce benefit from the post-crisis restructuring and new opportunities.
They also stressed that education, life-long learning, job training and skills development should be prioritised and linked to growth strategies.
Looking at ways to help G-20 leaders put employment at the centre of international economic policy coordination, the two-day meeting of Labour and Employment Ministers from these countries called on to accelerate job creation to ensure sustained recovery and future growth and take measures to strengthen social protection systems.
The Ministers presented a set of five recommendations, on which they arrived at the end of the two-day meet, to U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House on yesterday afternoon.
The meeting was held at Mr. Obama’s initiative.
Union Labour and Employment Minister Mallikarjun Kharge attended the meet chaired by Hilda. L. Solis.
“We looked at ways to strengthen our social safety nets and employment services to help those still out of work and others who would have to adjust to changes in our economies,” Ms. Solis told reporters after the meeting.
Ms. Solis said they worked with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and other international organisations to develop a 21{+s}{+t}{+ }century job skills training strategy for the G-20 leaders consideration later this year.
“We discussed ways to improve labour and social policies to make sure that workers share in productivity growth in the form of rising living standards and that worker’ rights were fully respected in the workplace,” she said.
Noting that the G20 ministers have recommended to accelerate job creation to ensure a sustained recovery and future growth, Ms. Solis said: “As some countries begin to experience economic recovery, we recommend that continued attention be paid to job creation and job preservation, including vigorous implementation of existing policies and consideration of additional employment measures.”
In countries with extensive underemployment, informal sectors or high rates of poverty, G20 recommended targeted efforts to generate employment for poor households and vulnerable groups, utilising lessons learned from recent policy innovations.
Calling to strengthen social protection systems and promote inclusive active labour market policies, Ms. Solis said: “We recommend where needed social protection systems and active labour market policies be strengthened, because significant numbers of people, including the most disadvantaged, will remain unemployed even after recovery takes hold. Others will need help to adjust to changes in our changing economy.”
The G-20 meetings also recommend that all countries establish adequate social protection systems, so that households have sufficient security to take advantage of these economic opportunities, she said.
Noting that employment and poverty alleviation be placed at the centre of national and global economic strategies, Ms. Solis said the ministers recommend that the G-20 leaders prioritise employment and poverty alleviation, as they lay the foundation for a strong, sustained and balanced growth that is beneficial to all.
Asking to improve the quality of jobs for people, the Ministers recommend renewed attention to labour—market policies and institutions to improve the quality of jobs and respect for fundamental rights to work.
Better anticipation and matching of skills to jobs can help the workforce benefit from post-crisis restructuring and new opportunities, she said.
“At the end of the day, recovering from the crisis, restoring sustained and balanced growth that creates enough good jobs for our people is something that we cannot do alone in our own countries. It is an integrated global economy. We have to work together,” Ms. Solis said.
