MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UN body gathers in Chile to discuss labor issues

'We need increased investment to create more decent jobs,” Narváez said

The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Tuesday launched an appeal to intensify international cooperation and joint work in times of great global uncertainty, it was reported in Santiago de Chile, where the agency convened at the headquarters of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).

It was the second ECOSOC encounter in the Chilean capital after the one in 1951 during Chile's presidency of the body. It was also the first time in the history of the United Nations that such an office met outside the New York headquarters.

“Today, in 2024, and under the theme 'The Future of Work: Towards a Productive, Inclusive and Sustainable Global Society,' ECOSOC and its presidency - again held by the Government of Chile - decided to move this Council meeting from New York and bring it once again to the South, in order to ensure that the global policy dialogue reflects regional and national realities and that the reflections and guidance can contribute to the work of policymakers at all levels,” the UN agency said in a statement.

The meeting was opened by Chilean Ambassador Paula Narváez, President of ECOSOC and Permanent Representative of Chile to the United Nations. She pointed out that uncertainty has been the passion of our time, and an admittedly complex international outlook was looming. “Halfway to the deadline for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we are leaving more than half the world behind. We require urgent action. Work even harder, in an effort that we know can only be a joint effort,” she stressed.

'We need increased investment to create more decent jobs. Greater cooperation, additional international financing, and technical assistance that can complement national resources to expand decent work and access to social protection. A coordinated effort is needed to counter informality and create policies that demand decent wages, secure contracts, and good working conditions,“ Narváez went on.

Chile's Foreign Minister Alberto Van Klaveren pointed out that ”persistent inequalities, economic insecurity, growing impacts of climate change, escalating conflicts, and an expanding digital divide are obstacles that threaten our goal of achieving prosperity for all.“

”The Political Declaration of the SDG Summit in September 2023 set out a roadmap but also called for a critical eye to drive deep and urgent transformations towards more sustainable and inclusive development policies. Decent work emerges as key to this purpose. It is not only a means to reduce poverty and inequalities, but also a promoter of inclusion,“ he added.

In a video message to the meeting, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said: ”The world of labor is evolving and so must our approach to empowering workers navigating the new era of labor markets. Decent work is not just a right, but a necessity for the dignity and prosperity of workers. Let us act today with inclusive policies and social protections, skills development, and innovations for workers everywhere.“

ECLAC Executive Secretary José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs noted that ECOSOC continued to be one of the most relevant UN forums for addressing economic and social issues from a comprehensive and multilateral perspective, fostering rapprochement and facilitating a more just and sustainable world.

”The unprecedented transformations that the labor market is undergoing are driven by a number of factors, including technological innovations, demographic shifts and increased demand for care, and increased human mobility and migration, among others,“ he said.

”It is imperative to better understand the drivers of these changes, and the corresponding risks and opportunities, in order to design appropriate responses to create decent jobs and address the social and economic impacts,” he also pointed out.