The Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Gilbert F. Houngbo, urged G20 Labour and Employment Ministers to take decisive action on several critical issues.

He emphasized the need to bridge skills gaps, bolster social protection systems, and adopt sustainable financing methods for employment and social protection policies.

In addition, Mr. Houngbo advocated for addressing the widening disparities in the global labor market and reducing inequalities. He made these calls during the G20 Labour and Employment Ministers’ meeting, which focused on sustainable funding for social protection, extending social security to workers in the gig and platform economies, and tackling the global skills gap.

The meeting, hosted by India in Indore, centered around three key topics: addressing global skills gaps, expanding social protection to platform and gig workers, and establishing sustainable financing for national social protection systems.

Mr. Houngbo expressed concern over the deepening global employment divide, especially in the face of various global challenges and uncertainties. He stressed that more resources need to be mobilized globally to promote social justice. The UN Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions was cited as a vital initiative in generating the required technical and financial support. Mr. Houngbo proposed that such endeavors should be part of broader reforms in the international financial architecture to make more resources available for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Director-General discussed the Antalya Youth target, aiming to reduce the proportion of young people (15%) at risk of permanent labor market exclusion by 2025. He highlighted the significance of promoting more and better employment for the youth, particularly to tackle gender inequality. This could be achieved by investing in economic sectors with high youth employment potential and enhancing the quality of employment to encourage greater participation in the labor market.

Mr. Houngbo emphasized the importance of investing in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and quality apprenticeship programs to support disadvantaged youth. Combining active labor market policies with income support was also recommended to help reach those in need.

During the meeting, the Ministers discussed strategies to address skills gaps, aiming to boost productivity and wages while reducing workforce turnover. They also emphasized the need for a standardized language on skills and qualifications to enable cross-country comparability and mutual recognition of skills.