31.07.2025
Latest

Spotlight on labour, employment and social issues at G20 EWG meeting

4 mins



  • Delegates at the fourth G20 Employment Working Group.

The fourth G20 Employment Working Group (EWG) Meeting is hosted in George in the Western Cape. The G20 EWG’s mandate is to address labour, employment and social issues for strong, sustainable, balanced and job-rich growth for all.

The theme of the G20 EWG stream is: “Living and Working in an Unequal World: Ensuring Decent Work and Decent Lives,” which is aligned to South Africa’s G20 Presidency theme: “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability.”

Director-General for the International Labour Organisation, Gilbert Houngbo, says they are discussing issues affecting the global work force.

“There’s been progress in the global labour participation rate. Even in the pay gaps there’s been a  lot of progress, particularly when we compare it to pre-pandemic figures. Things are coming back, but we still have persistent imbalances, mainly in the pay gap between men and women. We are talking about 229-million women who are out of the labour market. That calls on the G20 countries to continue their efforts,” says Houngbo.

Cosatu President, Zingiswa Losi, says it is important to address inequality as it disadvantages people based on race, gender and age,

“I think we’ve made a lot of progress in terms of things we have agreed from Gqerberha to Ethekweni to here. For example, we have agreed to deal with youth not currently in education, employment or training. There’s a commitment to reduce the amount by 5%, so by the time we get to 2030 the figure will be significantly reduced. In terms of Ethekweni there is the issue of addressing the gender wage gap, which in 2035, we will have reduced by 25%,” says Losi.

The meeting will conclude on Thursday with a declaration, which will build on the Brisbane Goal, aimed at reducing the gender gap in the labour workforce.

 

Related News