SA, India, Brazil to create Working Group on Decent Work

The Working Group on Decent Work is expected to promote the exchange of views and experiences in the area of decent work and promote South South Cooperation initiatives for the benefit of developing countries, including through partnerships with different stakeholders.

"We propose to create an IBSA tripartite Working Group on Decent Work with the aim to ...foster dialogue between IBSA Governments, workers and employers as a way to promote integration amongst India, Brazil and South Africa [and] share regional experiences in each one of the three continents of the developing world," reads the agreement signed on Tuesday at the side-lines of the 101st International Labour Conference currently underway in Geneva.

Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant represented South Africa, India was represented by Malikarjun Kharge while Brazil was represented by Carlos Brizola Neto.

The Department of Labour said it was important for South Africa, Brazil and India to co-operate in promoting a job-intensive economic recovery and create a framework for sustainable growth.

"This is critical as it would promote exchange of experiences and be used as an engine of economic growth as well as a co-ordinated response to global economic crises," it said.

Oliphant said the signing was a sequel to the Heads of State meeting which promised closer ties on employment creation and economic growth.

This position is in line with South Africa's macro-economic outlook, as well as international relations policy framework.

"It is important for these countries to form partnerships in addressing the challenges of employment and economic growth we all face and through mutual cooperation, promotion of dialogue and best practices," she said.

South Africa in 2009, adopted a framework for a response to the global economic crises in consultation with social partners. This constituted a package of measures to limit the impact of the crisis and included investment in infrastructure, macro-economic policy responses, industrial and trade policy measures, employment measures including training and skills development and social measures.

"We are implementing the decent work country programme, giving effect to the ILO Declaration on Fundamental principles and rights at work and the Declaration on Social Justice for a fair Globalisation, in full partnership with our social partners through the process of social dialogue," Oliphant said.

Minister Neto of Brazil said the declaration meant better dialogue between the three countries on issues of decent work.

Indian Minister invoked the spirit of Mahatma Ghandi as the founding chord of the co-operation between the countries and said that the fact that the countries face the same challenges meant that South-South countries had much to learn from each other.