ILO Director-General commends BRICS “far-reaching” Declaration for a more human-centred world of work

The International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Director-General, Gilbert F. Houngbo welcomed the commitments from the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates) on promoting more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient labour markets and enabling safe and healthy working environments, at the Labour and Employment Ministers Meeting (LEMM) held in Sochi, Russia, on 9 and 10 September.

“This meeting provided a valuable opportunity to build consensus on policies for a human-centred future of work, as set out in the ILO’s Centenary Declaration,” said Houngbo in his remarks to the ministers.

“Inclusive access to training, upskilling, and reskilling, decent work in platform employment, strengthened national Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) regulatory frameworks and enhanced social security can be a reality and a life changing factor for much of your population,” he added.

The LEMM Declaration, issued at the conclusion of the meeting, emphasized four priority areas: enhancing skills development, protecting workers on digital platforms, promoting social security, and ensuring safe and healthy working environments, particularly for women. It also noted the member countries’ continued efforts to strengthen social dialogue and expressed appreciation for the ILO’s expertise and technical assistance.

“Recognizing the imperative need to adapt to the evolving labour market challenges,” the BRICS member countries “commit to developing comprehensive strategies for the promotion of life-long learning, vocational guidance, continuous professional education and vocational skills training, enhancing modernization of employment services, ensuring safe and healthy working environments, and bolstering robust social support mechanisms,” the Declaration says.

The 10th Meeting also marked a significant milestone, bringing together the Labour and Employment Ministers from the BRICS nations for the first time since the group’s expansion. In January 2024, the BRICS countries welcomed four new members: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates.

Moreover, the Declaration also emphasized the aim of BRICS members to ensure that, “labour and social protection policies and systems reflect the needs of our workers and the realities of the global economy.”

To boost the exchange of knowledge and best practices, South Africa presented a progress report on the BRICS Platform on Productivity Ecosystems and member countries pledged to establish the BRICS OSH Network.