ILO regional meet begins on December 6; Director-General calls for social security for all

Strong and effective gender-responsive policies and institutions of work that are oriented towards human-centred recovery needed in the Asia-Pacific region, says Gilbert F. Houngbo

“Integrated policy agenda for a human–centred recovery that is inclusive, sustainable and resilient” is the theme of the 17 th Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting (APRM) of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) beginning in Singapore on Tuesday.

In his report on the theme, ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo has called for strengthening tripartism and social dialogue to address issues in employment in the region. Mr. Houngbo also pitched for strong and effective gender-responsive policies and institutions of work that are oriented towards a human-centred recovery after the pandemic and the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. He asked governments in the region to increase investments in social justice for the achievement of decent job-rich growth, universal social protection, respect for rights at work and inclusive social dialogue.

Minister of State for Labour Rameswar Teli and Secretary Arti Ahuja will represent India, while Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh’s (BMS) president Hiranmay Pandya will represent workers and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s (FICCI) Alok Bansidhar is the delegate of employers.

Meanwhile, ten Central Trade Unions (CTUs) from India wrote to Mr. Houngbo complaining that the Indian government did not allow them to attend the meeting. They said in the complaint that the government of India not only ignored their plea but has facilitated the participation of one union, which is close to the government.

“We have taken serious objection to it and would be intimating the Government of India appropriately. Here our plea before you is to take cognisance in the matter to intervene effectively to stop the deviation from and undermining these conferences as against the interest of workers and their representatives,” the letter said.

Mr. Houngbo said in his report that “the Russian aggression” against Ukraine has led to “major new disruptions to energy and food supply chains as well as rising inflation, with impacts that are filtering down to the Asia and the Pacific and the Arab States regions, adversely impacting the prospects for labour market recovery.”

Poverty in general, as well as working poverty, increased for the first time after having trended downwards for decades in the Asia and the Pacific regions as well as in the Arab States, he said in the report.