Government-led Public Works Programme and Public Employment Programme to address poverty alleviation, climate change and crisis

Key points:

• Challenges of conflict, climate change and economic downturn require innovative approaches to public employment and social protection Emerging trends in the world of work can exacerbate issues related to job security, fair wages, gender income gap, decent working hours and international labour standards, underscoring the need for comprehensive and innovative strategies, and to design and implement pro-employment and inclusive macroeconomic and sectoral policies, including to promote women’s participation in the labour force.
• Public Employment Programmes Public Employment Programmes are publicly financed and government implemented, long-term investment programmes that directly create employment through productive activities with a high labour intensity, rather than through the expansion of civil services. The India Mahatmma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme is one such initiative guaranteing at least 100 days of wage employment in a year to the most deprived households. Notably, 65% of MGNREGS funds must be spent on water and Natural Resource Management.