Labour 20 meet lays emphasis on universal social security

Union Minister for Labour and Employment Bhupender Yadav, addressing the Labour 20 (L20), — the meeting of trade unions of G20 countries — on June 23 said the two statements adopted by the unions on universalisation of social security and the portability of social security funds and on empowering women in the future of work and upskilling the women workforce in tech-intensive environments were a testament to the spirit of social dialogue.

Union Minister for Labour and Employment Bhupender Yadav, addressing the Labour 20 (L20), — the meeting of trade unions of G20 countries — on June 23 said the two statements adopted by the unions on universalisation of social security and the portability of social security funds and on empowering women in the future of work and upskilling the women workforce in tech-intensive environments were a testament to the spirit of social dialogue.

Mr. Yadav said the deliberations at the two-day meeting proved to be enlightening with diverse perspectives and viewpoints from various stakeholders. He said a changing work environment characterised by technological advancements, globalisation, and evolving labour markets had significant implications for employment and the provision of adequate social security.

“There is therefore a need for comprehensive and forward-looking social security policies that take into account the evolving nature of work. Governments, employers, trade unions, and international organisations must collaborate to ensure that social security systems are inclusive, adaptable, and accessible to all,” the Minister said, adding that this process might involve expanding the coverage of social security to encompass informal and gig and platform workers, implementing portable benefits that follow individuals across jobs, and leveraging technology to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of social security administration.

Mr. Yadav said that by equipping women with the necessary skills and knowledge, governments could ensure their meaningful engagement in the evolving job market and promoting gender parity. “L20 summit will play a pivotal role in realising our objective of advancing decent work, with a particular emphasis on women, while ensuring equitable and enduring social protection for all in the times ahead,” he said.

Addressing a press conference after the meeting, its chairman and president of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, Hiranmay Pandya, said the summit noted that at present most of the countries allowed portability under bilateral agreements between sending and receiving countries, while discussing in detail the task force report on ‘International Migration of labour - International Portability of social security funds.’

“The task force on ‘International Portability of social security funds’ recommended that data on the susceptibilities and needs of migrants should be collected and analysed for the efficiency of social protection systems. It called for disaggregating national data pertaining to social safety schemes, considering citizenship and residency status as reliable indicators of migrant status. This would facilitate the computation of the potential financial ramifications of transferable benefits and the estimation of the labour migrants’ effective or de facto social protection coverage. Private and social partnerships should be considered to implement the portability of funds through third party service providers,” a statement by the summit said.