Social justice focus as APRM closes

ILO meeting's Singapore Statement lists action priorities, urges stakeholders to ensure worker protection

The 17th Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting (APRM) of the International Labor Organization closed in Singapore on Dec 9 with delegates committing to promote social justice and decent work for all.

Representatives from governments, employer groups and workers' groups concluded the four-day meeting by adopting the Singapore Statement. The statement lists priorities for action at national level. These include the ratification of the ILO's fundamental conventions and strengthening the capacity of stakeholders to conduct social dialogue.

Another priority is the development of the Global Coalition on Social Justice, which is envisioned to create a new 'social contract' and promote decent work in line with international labor standards.

"Agreeing on priority areas of action is not easy among such a diverse group. Yet we have managed and are pleased to welcome the Singapore Statement as a shared vision of the region's priorities for national action and ILO support in the coming years," ILO Director-General Gilbert Houngbo said at the closing ceremony.

The statement stresses the importance of social dialogue in addressing labor market challenges and finding solutions, especially in crisis situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters and economic uncertainty.

The statement also urges governments and other stakeholders to ensure labor protection by promoting freedom of association and recognizing workers' right to collective bargaining. It also calls for action to close gender gaps, accelerate the transition from the informal to formal economy, as well as strengthen governance frameworks to protect the rights of migrant workers.

Houngbo said the issue of gender equality had been discussed throughout the four-day meeting, and he noted "the lack of gender balance was also evident here".

"While we saw a somewhat improved gender balance on thematic panels, among speakers at the plenary discussion of my report only 19 percent were women. The representation of women overall was 35.8 percent. Although an improvement from the 28 percent in 2016, it is bad news, which shows again that we do not deliver what we preach. We can and must do better, and I look forward to seeing further improved results in the future," he said.

The ILO holds the APRM every four years. The last meeting was in 2016 in Bali, Indonesia. Because of the pandemic, there was no meeting in 2020.

The Singapore Statement has been adopted at a time that the region is gradually recovering from the pandemic and its unprecedented social and economic impact, which cost lives and devastated businesses and jobs. The pandemic also exposed the need for more social protection – especially for those in the informal sector.

According to the ILO website, the informal economy refers to all economic activities by workers and economic units that are – in law or in practice – not covered or insufficiently covered by formal arrangements.

And while there are signs of recovery, the pace is uneven across the region. Climate-related natural disasters and rising food and energy prices are also hampering the progress of economic recovery.

Tan See Leng, Singapore's minister for manpower and the APRM chairperson, said tripartism and social dialogue must remain a foundation of the ILO. He said government, employers and workers' groups need to work together.

"Employers must recognize that the world of work where workers are not treated fairly will lead to poor social outcomes, a weak social compact and divided societies, and ultimately businesses cannot thrive in such fractured societies," Tan said. He also said workers must work hand in hand with employers to upgrade their skills, while governments need to formulate fair labor policies.

Felix Anthony, national secretary of the Fiji Trades Union Congress, highlighted the importance of the APRM, saying "workers' rights need to be respected" and that all workers need to have decent wages, good working conditions and dignity.

Anthony said the Singapore Statement "will make a difference to the people and their families". He also called on governments, workers and employers to discuss, plan and implement the recommendations listed in the statement.