The International Labour Organisation (ILO) today strongly advocated the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as they relate to social protection and job security as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage national economies on a worrisome scale.
The global labour organisation is participating in a series of events at the 76th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), which opened on 14th September in New York.
The theme for this year’s UNGA is “Building resilience through hope – to recovery from COVID-19, rebuild sustainably, respond to the needs of the planet, respect the rights of people, and revitalize the United Nations.”
The ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder, will take part in a side event in the Sustainable Development Goals Action Zone on social protection and jobs.
Against the backdrop of rising inequalities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ryder will discuss how changes in working conditions and social protection can be realized and the path out of the crisis that needs to be followed.
Specifically, during the conversation, the ILO chief is expected to explore how change in working conditions and social protections can be realized and what the path out of the crisis needs to look like for the global labour market, amongst other topical issues.
Next Tuesday, the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, together with the ILO, under the aegis of the Financing for Development in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond Initiative (FfDI), will also convene a meeting of Heads of State and Government on Jobs and Social Protection for Poverty Eradication.
The high-level meeting is part of the FfDI, launched in May 2020 by the Secretary-General together with the Prime Ministers of Canada and Jamaica to respond to the socio-economic crisis caused by the pandemic.
The ILO Director General will also be taking part in other events on the sidelines of the UNGA, namely World Economic Forum Sustainable Impact Summit – session on ‘Revaluing Essential Work’ which held yesterday and ‘Laureates and leaders for children: fair share to end child labour and survivors ’, which will hold today.
