Promoting decent work for all: ILO's footprint during Brazil’s G20 presidency

Geneva (ILO News) - The G20 Leaders’ Summit, held on 18-19 November, under Brazil’s presidency, provided a transformative agenda, prioritizing social inclusion and the fight against hunger and poverty, advancing energy transitions, and reforming global governance institutions.

Speaking at the Leaders’ Summit, ILO’s Director-General Gilbert Houngbo welcomed the recognition by the G20 in their Leaders' Declaration of “the need for socially just, environmentally sustainable and economically sound measures to achieve the sustainable development goals”.

The ILO played a key role in shaping the outcomes of the G20, emphasising the importance of decent work in reducing inequalities, tackling working poverty, ensuring women’s equal participation in labour markets and ensuring a just energy transition.

Reducing inequality, fostering social inclusion

Labour and Employment Ministers adopted a Declaration in July this year that recognizes the critical role that the creation of formal jobs and the promotion of decent work play in tackling working poverty and fostering social inclusion.

Of particular note was their agreement to “G20 Policy Priorities to Reduce Inequalities in the World of Work” that include the strengthening of social dialogue and promotion of collective bargaining, advancing a range of measures to close gender pay gaps, adopting fair and equitable wage policies that make progress towards living wages, and ensuring access to adequate social protection. The launch of the G20 Social Protection Policy Portal by the G20 Presidency, with support from the ILO and ISSA, will further enhance knowledge-sharing in this regard.

The development working group benefitted from a number of papers, including the ILO-IPEA report “Tackling racial and ethnic discrimination in the world of work”. Development Ministers also “recognized the importance of policies that promote equal opportunities, empower persons in vulnerable situations support productivity, and reduce income inequalities.”

Complementing these efforts, the Framework Working Group in the Finance Track developed a Menu of Policy Measures and Recommendations to Address Inequality Pressures which notes the importance of a range of policies in creating employment opportunities, which in turn improves possibilities for distribution and redistribution.

Promoting gender equality and decent work in the care economy

A key achievement of the Brazil Presidency was the mainstreaming of gender equality across working groups and tracks. The ILO worked with the newly formed Women’s Empowerment Working Group, who adopted a Chair’s Statement, while the Labour and Employment Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to closing the gender pay gap and to realizing the ILO's 5R-Framework for decent work in the care economy in their Declaration. Both Working Groups called on G20 members to join the Equal Pay International Coalition. In an Annex to their Statement, the Trade and Investment Ministers committed to advance the participation of women in international trade to promote an equal share of the benefits.

These efforts culminated in strong text in the Leaders’ Declaration reaffirming full commitment to gender equality, including equal pay, an end to gender-based violence and gender equality in paid and unpaid care work.

A just and inclusive energy transition

The Leaders’ Summit endorsed the voluntary Principles for Just and Inclusive Energy Transitions. By integrating social justice into energy policies, G20 Ministers responsible for energy reinforced their commitment to creating quality jobs, upskilling workers, and empowering communities. These principles pave the way for an energy transition that is not only green but also fair and inclusive.

The Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty

A key achievement under Brazil’s residency was the launch of the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty, of which ILO is a founding member. This initiative aims to mobilize resources and foster knowledge-sharing to support large-scale, evidence-based national programs that fight poverty and hunger.

Addressing the Leaders’ Summit during the launch of the Global Alliance, the ILO Director-General stressed that “if we work together, we can achieve our goal: a future in which all human beings are free from the indignity of hunger and poverty; a future with greater social justice.”

Looking ahead

As the Brazilian Presidency concludes, the baton now passes to South Africa, whose 2025 G20 Presidency will focus on "Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability." The ILO will continue to engage with the G20 leveraging multilateral coherence to promote decent work and advance social justice.