BRICS Employment Working Group Holds First Meeting in Moscow

On 10–11 April the BRICS Employment Working Group held its first meeting online as part of Russia’s BRICS Chairship.

The meeting opened with the welcome addresses by Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Russian Federation Alexey Vovchenko, Director of the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection Denis Gulyayev, Director of the Technical Support Group on Decent Work and the Bureau of the International Labour Organization (ILO) for Eastern Europe and Central Asia Mikhail Pushkin, and Coordinator of the International Social Security Association (ISSA) for Eurasia Dmitry Karasev.

The speeches highlighted the BRICS Employment Working Group’s special role not only as a well-proven format of interaction for exchanging experience and best practices, but also as a platform for discussing and finding optimal solutions to social and labour challenges in BRICS countries.

The main themes of Russia’s BRICS Chairship in 2024 in terms of social and labour issues are: ‘Development of a Vocational Guidance and Continuous Professional Education System for the Entire Population’, ‘The Role of Platform Employment in the Labour Market and Problems Regulating the Labour of Platform Workers’, ‘Ensuring the Safe Labour and Social Protection of Employees’, and ‘Development of Social Support for BRICS Citizens. Modern Social Policy Tools’.

Representatives of the ILO and ISSA took part in the event to provide expert support. They told the BRICS representatives about international experience on these issues, and also reported on the actions needed to further develop the social and labour sector in BRICS countries.

The meeting participants from BRICS countries reported on the measures that are being taken in these areas.

Following the two-day discussion, the Russian side will prepare a draft Declaration of BRICS Ministers of Labour and Employment.

The next meeting of the BRICS Employment Working Group will take place on 7–8 September 2024 in the run-up to the 10th Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Labour and Employment in Sochi.

The Roscongress Foundation manages the events of Russia’s BRICS chairship.