Inclusion of employment, Sibal says, is key to eliminating inequality

The Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECELAC), José Manuel, said of the first day of the event.

In a video message, ILO Director-General Gilbert Hongbo warned that if concrete action is not taken now at multiple levels, inequality in access to work will only worsen.

He said it was necessary to take medium- and long-term measures to improve education, skills development, match supply and demand for jobs, and the expectation aimed at increasing workers’ productivity.

On the first day of the symposium, the economic and social crisis facing the region was analyzed, which was exacerbated by the negative effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to data presented during the symposium, between 2002 and 2014 employment dynamics were key to reducing poverty and inequality, but as of 2015 this trend has reversed.

ECLAC noted that last year, there were 81.7 million people between the ages of 15 and 59 out of the labor market, and of that total, 57.1 million were women, with worse indicators among those in the low-income communities. the original people.

During the sessions on Monday, a book titled “Inequality, Employment Inclusion and the Future of Work in Latin America” was also presented, which focused on the challenges of creating sources of employment for women, youth, people of African descent and indigenous people.

The text proposes strategies with a regional approach to articulate macroeconomic efforts, productive development, and labor and social protection policies.

The Third Regional Symposium on Social Inclusion will address issues such as commitment to ending child labour, combating informality and the role of education in facilitating access to decent work for young people.

npg / car / eam