New Delhi, June 12 (IANS) India has reaffirmed the commitment to working closely with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), governments, employers’ and workers’ organisations, and other stakeholders to advance the objectives of the Global Coalition for Social Justice (GCSJ), an official statement said on Friday.

Minister of State for Labour and Employment Shobha Karandlaje led the Indian delegation to the 114th International Labour Conference (ILC) being held in Geneva, Switzerland. She participated in the Coordination Group Meeting of the GCSJ on the sidelines of the eevent.

During the meeting, Karandlaje met Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director-General of ILO, Labour Ministers of Bangladesh, Moldova, Brazil, Switzerland, Vice Minister of Belgium and other distinguished partners, according to Labour Ministry.

“India looks forward to contributing actively to the next phase of the Coalition’s work by promoting inclusive growth, strengthening social protection systems, supporting responsible business practices and fostering international cooperation for equitable and resilient labour markets,” said the statement.

The Global Coalition for Social Justice, established in 2023 by the ILO, is a multi-stakeholder platform designed to strengthen multilateral cooperation and turn political commitments into concrete action.

By bringing together a wide range of partners, the Coalition plays a key role in enhancing coherence, coordination, and efficiency across the multilateral system.

India has undertaken wide-ranging labour reforms guided by the principle of “Antyodaya” through consolidation of 29 Central Labour Laws into four Labour Codes — to simplify compliance, strengthen workers’ welfare and create a modern and transparent labour ecosystem.

Youth employability in India has increased from 34 per cent in 2014 to over 56 per cent in 2025. Between 2017 and 2025, unemployment rate fell from 6 per cent to 3.1 per cent, and women’s workforce participation surged from 22 per cent to 38.8 per cent.

She earlier apprised the ILO Director-General of the expansion of India’s social protection coverage, which as per preliminary estimates of ILO has reached 68.4 per cent of the total population, corresponding to 1,001 million beneficiaries.

–IANS

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