The Second Employment Working Group Meeting (EWG) under India‘s BRICS Presidency will begin in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. The two-day meeting will bring together representatives from BRICS member states to deliberate on labour, employment and worker welfare. The Labour and Employment Ministry said that during the meeting the member states will deliberate on advancing social security systems, formalisation of labour markets, and enhancing women’s participation in the workforce. It added that discussions on this occasion will also cover employability, skills mapping, skills development and the role of digital technologies in extending benefits to workers, including those in the gig and platform economy.

The Ministry added that the meeting will build on outcomes of the first EWG meeting and help refine priorities, discuss the proposed deliverables in greater detail, and shape the broad contours of the outcomes to be taken forward under the BRICS EWG process. It added that the proposed deliverables are expected to be further finalised during the Third EWG Meeting and subsequently placed for adoption at the BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting scheduled in July this year. Participation from global organisations such as International Labour Organization will also support the deliberations with technical inputs and global perspectives.

BRICS Member States are Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Indonesia, and the United Arab Emirates.