BEIJING (ILO News) – Guy Ryder, the Director-General of the ILO, will be attending the third meeting of labour and employment ministers of BRICS countries.

The meeting will address progress in several labour market and social areas while acknowledging a number of shared challenges, including the need to raise labour force participation rates and to address persistent informality and high inequality. At the same time, ongoing structural transformation is leading to strong employment creation in services and increased demand for high-skilled labour, creating both opportunities and risks for BRICS labour markets.

The BRICS member states continue to focus on and share experiences in the areas of employment generation and skills development, formalization of labour markets, governance of work and social protection. This year, the discussion will have an emphasis on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the future of work.

The BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting (LEMM) under the Chinese Presidency will be held in Chongqing from 26 to 27 July 2017.