In 2019, the International Labour Organization marked its centenary with the adoption by the International Labour Conference of the Centenary Declaration for the Future of Work. The Declaration recognizes that the world of work is undergoing transformative change driven by technological innovation, demographic shifts, climate change, and globalization. It sets out a road map of action for the organization and its tripartite constituents to shape and direct these changes through a human-centred approach to the future of work in the context of the persistent poverty, inequalities, injustices, conflict, and disasters that continue to threaten shared prosperity and decent work for all.

COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization nine months after the adoption of the Centenary Declaration, It plunged the world into an unprecedented health and economic crisis and uncertainty. The most disadvantaged and vulnerable were hit the hardest and in most cruel ways, exposing the devastating consequences of inequalities. ILO responded immediately to the pandemic with a Four Pillar Policy Framework based on international labour standards, for tackling the socioeconomic impact through stimulating the economy and jobs: supporting employment, enterprises and income and protecting workers in the workplace.

The Indian economy is seen to be recovering after the second wave of the COVID-19 crisis however, it is imperative upon the constituents and stakeholder to use the crisis as an opportunity to lay the foundations for addressing the fault lines that have been thrown open by the crisis and move together to build back better.

The objective of the meeting is, in a tripartite forum, discuss the global Call to Action for a human centred recovery from COVID-19, in the four priority areas a) Inclusive economic growth and employment; b) Protection of all workers; c) Universal social protection; and d) Social Dialogue, in the context of India.