New Delhi, May 5 (IANS) The two-day Second BRICS Employment Working Group (EWG) meeting under India’s ongoing BRICS presidency will begin in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday, the Ministry of Labour and Employment stated on Tuesday.

The meeting will bring together representatives dealing with labour, employment, and worker welfare from BRICS Member States, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Indonesia, and the United Arab Emirates, the ministry informed.

It highlighted that the Second EWG Meeting will serve as an important in-person platform for taking forward the discussions held during the First EWG Meeting and for developing a more focused understanding among Member States on the proposed priorities and deliverables under India’s presidency.

The First Employment Working Group Meeting was held in a virtual mode in March.

According to the ministry, the first meeting initiated constructive discussions on four priority areas: advancing social security and formalisation of labour markets; enhancing women’s participation and inclusion in the workforce; cooperation on employability, skills mapping, and development; and leveraging digital technologies for all workers, including gig and platform workers.

The discussions during the Second EWG meeting will focus on advancing social security systems and accelerating the formalisation of labour markets, and it will also deliberate on cooperation in employability, skills mapping, and skills development, it added.

The Ministry also highlighted that the meeting will include participation from key international knowledge partners, including the International Labour Organisation, the International Social Security Association, and the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office. These organisations are expected to provide technical inputs, share global perspectives, and enrich the deliberations through their experience in employment, labour welfare, social security, and future-of-work issues.

“The active participation of BRICS Member States and knowledge partners in the Second EWG Meeting is expected to contribute to the development of coherent, forward-looking, and mutually beneficial outcomes in the field of labour, employment, and worker welfare,” the ministry noted.

–IANS

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