G20 Labour and Employment Ministers' meeting finalises declaration on labour and employment track

New Delhi [India], July 27 : The Labour and Employment Ministerial Declaration was approved by the G20 Labour and Employment Ministers (LEMM) meeting in Fortaleza, Brazil, on Friday, July 26.
The final text was approved after the conclusion of the two-day-long Labour & Employment Ministers'Meeting (LEMM) on July 25-26, under the Presidency of Brazil. The Indian delegation was led by Minister of State for Labour & Employment, Shobha Karandlaje, the Ministry of Labour and Employment said in a release on Saturday.

Brazil, alongside India and South Africa, was part of the G20 troika, encompassing the previous and next hosts. The Labour & Employment Ministers' meeting was preceded by the 5th Employment Working Group meeting (EWG) on July 23-24, which finalised the text.
During the two-day meeting, ministers discussed key focus areas such as Just Transition, creating quality jobs, promoting decent work to ensure social inclusion and eliminate poverty and hunger, gender equality, diversity in the workplace, and leveraging technology to enhance the quality of life.
The declaration emphasises the need for governments to develop active inclusion policies for strong, sustainable, balanced, and inclusive economic growth.
It recognises that creating formal jobs and promoting decent work are effective tools for achieving fair income distribution.
The declaration stresses the importance of effective labour market policies, such as skills development, training, lifelong learning, and job matching, aligned with economic needs and in consultation with social partners.
It also urges governments to formalise jobs, address platform work, promote adequate wage floors, provide social protection, and support social dialogue and collective bargaining.
In her opening remarks on 'Just Transitions,' Karandlaje highlighted the need for skilling and reskilling to ensure a fair transition to greener alternatives.
She stated that just transitions require a robust framework of social protection, retraining programmes, and investments in sustainable industries, cautioning that poorly managed shifts could lead to job losses and economic instability.
The Union Minister noted India's creation of national missions in areas such as solar energy, energy efficiency, water, sustainable agriculture, health, the Himalayan ecosystem, sustainable habitat, green India, and strategic knowledge for climate change.
She also mentioned the Sector Skill Council for Green Jobs (SSCGJ) as crucial for developing a skilled workforce in related sectors.
During the session on quality jobs and decent work, Karandlaje reported that India generated over 80 million jobs from 2017-18 to 2021-22, with the youth unemployment rate dropping from 17.8 per cent in 2017-18 to 10 per cent in 2022-23 due to increased youth labour force participation.
She highlighted the 'One Nation, One Ration Card' initiative and the Ayushman Bharat Scheme as examples of India's commitment to social welfare.
On gender equality and diversity, the Union Minister detailed India's legislative measures, including the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, the Equal Remuneration Act, and extended maternity leave from 12 to 26 weeks.
In the session on technology for improving quality of life, Karandlaje discussed India's Digital India Mission, the e-Shram portal for informal workers, and Aadhaar's role in financial inclusion.
She urged G20 countries to address ethical considerations related to technology, such as data privacy, cybersecurity, and AI ethics.
On the sidelines, Karandlaje met Gilbert Houngbo, Director General of the International Labour Organization (ILO), and Japanese State Minister for Health, Labour, and Welfare Miyazaki Masahisa to discuss enhancing the mobility of semi-skilled and skilled workers from India to Japan.