Decent Work Country Programme
Ukraine and ILO sign new cooperation agreement to pave the way for delivery on decent work
In the next four years, ILO’s support to Ukraine will center around employment creation, extension of social protection, securing rights at work, and promotion of social dialogue. The assistance to be provided by ILO ranges from consolidating the reforms of the State Employment Service to increasing the compliance of the country with International Labour Standards.
The new Decent Work Country Programme 2020 – 2024 was signed on 17 December 2020 by the ILO and the Ukrainian Social and Economic Council represented by the Ministry for Development of Economy, Trade and Agriculture and leading trade unions and employers’organizations of the country. During the launching event in Kyiv, all signatories highlighted the ambition to further advance the socio-economic development of Ukraine through increasing levels of employment, reducing skills mismatches, improving working conditions, and expanding coverage of social protection.
The signatories were unaniomous that social dialogue will be an important support mechanism to achieve these ambitious outcomes. Social partners expect that the new Programme will contribute to improving productivity and competitiveness, safe and healthy working conditions and will combat informal employment and wage arrears– all topics covered by the new Decent Work Country Programme.
„The new programme reflects well the priorities of the Government in the areas of labour and social policies. The COVID-19 pandemic has made the solution of the key labour market challenges of Ukraine even more urgent”, stressed Olexander Romanishyn, Deputy Minister for Development of Economy, Trade and Agriculture.”The COVID-19 pandemic has made the solution of the key labour market challenges of Ukraine even more urgent.”
„The implementation of the new DWCP will be central to the work of the renewed National Tripartite Social and Economic Council”, said Anatoliy Kinakh, Co-Chair of the Council, Employer’s representative. “Trade unions have high expectations from this Programme: our key concerns are wage arrears, minimum wage setting and overall labour law reforms”, stressed Grygoriy Osoviy, Co-Chair of the Council representing Workers.
This Programme does not start from scratch. It is the fifth DWCP that will cement the previous achievements. Heinz Koller, ILO Assistant Director General and Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, mentioned remarkable examples of ILO support on pay equity, entrepreneurship and labour law reform support that will receive further support under the new Programme. „The ILO already mobilized more than 8 Mio USD from development partners and will continue resource mobilization so that we can make the ambitious goals of the Programme a reality”, added Mr. Koller.