The State of Qatar chaired the World of Work Summit today. The summit is a part of the ongoing 111th International Labor Conference (ILC) in Geneva, Switzerland, that will continue till June 16.
This year’s summit, themed “Social Justice for All”, was attended by numerous dignitaries including Heads of State, Prime Ministers, Ministers from over 20 member countries of the Organization, and representatives from international, governmental, and labor organizations, along with workers and employers.
HE Minister of Labor and the President of the 111th International Labor Conference Dr. Ali bin Samikh Al Marri reiterated that social justice is a fundamental tenet of the International Labor Organization. He highlighted the significance of accomplishing social justice in the workplace, as it bolsters productivity, especially by enhancing dialogues among the tripartite constituents of production.
He noted that the crises that afflicted the world during the past years and their negative effects on the Labor market increased the importance of the need for more social justice and the promotion of decent work worldwide, explaining that there are many facts that direct the world of work such as inequality, security and the exacerbation of Poverty, which requires everyone to work hard to find ways to achieve social justice.
HE ILO’s Director General Gilbert Houngbo expressed that various clusters of people globally are affected by an absence of equality and social justice. This situation propels them to take chances to better their circumstances. He highlighted the necessity for social justice, which can enhance productivity across the economies of multiple nations, as well as support diverse sectors within the labor market.
He further elaborated that ILO emphasizes the accomplishment of social justice, aligning with its Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. The organization also aligns with the declaration on social justice for fair globalization. Houngbo stressed that the onus is to ensure that the economy’s transition phase is more equitable, providing employment opportunities and sustaining social well-being.
For his part, HE Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres explained that the world of labor is changing continuously and rapidly, which leads to an increase in poverty, which affects the lives of thousands of people around the world, pointing to the need to draw a road map for a just transition in the work environment for a better future for work based on social justice.
He stressed that the establishment of a global coalition for social justice would achieve the goals of sustainable development in light of the current and future challenges, referring to the new social contract that focuses on finding ways to promote social justice for all in order to achieve decent work and improve the work environment for all groups of society worldwide.
In his turn, HE President of the Swiss Confederation Alain Berset stressed that the global Labor market faces many challenges and difficult obstacles at the level of wage inequality, which has become more disparate since the beginning of the last century, indicating that this disparity directly affects the most vulnerable groups and social cohesion. And he indicated that achieving social justice in the world of work is directly related to respect for human rights, providing social protection, guaranteeing basic freedoms, and guaranteeing equality, pointing to the need to build a comprehensive and fair social and economic system.
This year, the State of Qatar is leading the World of Work Summit, assuming its role as the president of the 111th session of ILC. This came as a result of representatives from governments, employers, and workers who are ILO members electing Qatar, represented by HE Minister of Labor Dr. Ali bin Samikh Al Marri. The 111th session of the Labor Conference took place from June 5 to June 16.
Commonly referred to as the International Parliament of Labor, the International Labor Conference convenes annually in Geneva. Its primary function is to develop ILO’s overarching policies, including forming agreements and recommendations.
As ILO’s top decision-making entity, the International Labor Conference serves as an effective forum where tripartite discussions on social and labor issues can be held among governments, employers, and workers’ organizations of the member states. Each member state’s delegation comprises government delegates, employers, workers, and their respective advisors. The selection of employers and workers’ representatives is done in consultation with the most nationally representative organizations of employers and workers.
The conference witnesses the participation of heads of state and prime ministers of member states each year, with other international and governmental organizations attending as observers.
The World of Work Summit, which is held annually on the sidelines of the International Labor Conference, is one of the most prominent events that bring together workers, employers and governments to contribute to finding effective solutions to the challenges facing the world in the labor sector.
The two-day summit will underscore the central role of social justice in the creation of a sustainable and fair global society. It will also deliberate on methods for enhancing collective action aimed at fostering social justice and aligning various policies.
The platform will offer attendees a chance to share perspectives and priorities concerning social justice, and to showcase their ongoing and committed actions to advance social justice.
Source: Qatar News Agency