6 October 2016
BRICS Ministers Pledge to Formalize Labor Markets, Introduce Social Protection
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Labor and employment ministers from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) committed to generating employment, formalizing labor markets and introducing social protection programmes in their countries, in a declaration issued at the close of their meeting in New Delhi, India.

brics_india28 September 2016: Labor and employment ministers from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) committed to generating employment, formalizing labor markets and introducing social protection programmes in their countries, in a declaration issued at the close of their meeting in New Delhi, India.


The Second BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting took place from 27-28 September 2016, with the aim of jointly addressing labor and employment issues faced by BRICS countries. In declaration, titled ‘Building Responsive, Inclusive and Collective Solutions,’ ministers prioritized the generation of decent and productive job opportunities, fair wages, and adequate social protection systems, including social protection floors. They pledged to: analyze the institutional arrangements and social networks that facilitate labor mobility, and forecast labor market needs; strengthen labor market information systems; and expand education and formal training of the workforce.

On social protection, ministers supported designing and implementing comprehensive social security systems, and they encouraged bilateral social security agreements among BRICS countries. They also agreed to work towards establishing a network of labor research and training institutions in BRICS countries for undertaking joint research and training activities. Guy Ryder, International Labour Organization (ILO) Director-General, pledged the ILO’s support for the network.

Ryder observed that the labor force in BRICS countries make up 45% of the world total, and that changes adopted by this group of countries will potentially benefit the world economy. He welcomed collective efforts to be made on employment generation, formalization of labor markets, and social protection, which he said represent pillars of economic recovery, inclusive growth, and achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Ryder also highlighted the ILO’s ‘Future of Work Centenary Initiative,’ in which ILO Member States are invited to hold national dialogues on four issues: work and society; decent jobs for all; the organization of work and production; and the governance of work. In 2017, the Centenary Initiative will establish a High-Level Global Commission on the Future of Work to examine the output from the national dialogues, leading to a report and recommendations in 2018. Finally, in 2019 the ILO will mark its centenary and discuss the Commission’s report, and that year’s International Labour Conference may adopt a Centenary Declaration. [ILO Press Release] [Ministers’ Declaration] [Future of Work Centenary Initiative][BRICS 2016 website]

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