BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers' Meeting
The BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers convened in Hyderabad under India's 2026 chairship, adopting a joint declaration focused on various labor market improvements.
Key Objectives of the Declaration
- Social Security Coverage: Commitment to expand social security coverage from current levels and formalize labor markets.
- Women's Workforce Participation: Emphasis on improving women's participation through:
- Enhanced access to skills development.
- Strengthened parental leave provisions.
- Tackling workplace harassment and discrimination.
- Increasing women's representation in leadership roles in both public and private sectors.
- Skills Development and Digital Governance: Prioritization of skills mapping and future workforce requirements with a focus on digital technologies.
- Gig and Platform Workers: Recognition of gig and platform work's importance and collaboration for labor market transitions.
BRICS CONNECT Initiative
An initiative proposed by India to create a platform for technical cooperation on labor and employment among member countries.
- Facilitates collaboration on:
- Labor market intelligence.
- Skills forecasting and future skills development.
- Digital employment services and social security systems.
- Labor market reforms through technical expertise exchange and best practices.
International Labour Organization (ILO) Feasibility Study
The declaration noted an ongoing ILO feasibility study on an International Reference Classification of Occupations (IRCO), conducted with India's collaboration and Brazil's participation. It encourages other BRICS members to join this pilot, targeting the digital, care, and green sectors.
Significance of the Meeting
The meeting, part of the annual BRICS chairship events, facilitates discussion on labor market policies and cooperation areas. India, hosting the meeting in Hyderabad, will hold the chairship in 2026.
