The second day of the G20 Employment Working Group (EWG) meeting, held under the Brazilian presidency in the city of Brasilia, began with a special session dedicated to the follow-up of the implementation of commitments made during India’s G20 presidency to develop an international reference classification of occupations and skills.
During the meeting, the Indian delegation highlighted the need for G20 countries to work towards the G20 EWG commitment of the Indian Presidency in 2023 for the incorporation of basic and extended indicators in respective national surveys to map global skills gaps. This classification of occupations and skills has the potential to benefit developed, developing, and least developed nations alike.
The Secretary of Labour and Employment, Sumita Dawra, highlighted that the first step towards the realization of the long-awaited global skill harmonization has been taken, with the ILO and OECD having prepared the draft terms of reference (ToR) for the feasibility study for the international reference classification. The feasibility study, spanning two years, will include a pilot in select sectors, including IT, care, and green sectors.
Additionally, Joint Secretary Rupesh Thakur presented that upon completion, the global framework will cater to the anticipated immediate, medium, and long-term skill requirements of G20 countries and beyond. It will open up a world of employment opportunities for the workers of G20 countries, especially emerging economies like India and Brazil. It will enable demand-based employment mobility, fostering a more interconnected and efficient global job market.
According to the official release, the leaders also deliberated upon the critical issues of the impact of care policies and equal pay in the promotion of gender equality in the world of work and acknowledged the challenges faced by women due to disproportionate caregiving responsibilities and the necessity of supportive care policies.
The meeting concluded with a strong reiteration of the collective resolve of the G20 countries to continue working towards advancing gender equality, diversity in the workplace, and social security.
(Ani inputs)