ILO PROJECT LAUNCH AND SEMINAR ON EMPLOYMENT POLICIES AND STRATEGIES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

Countries in Southeast Asia see employment deficits as a constraint on economic performance and their capacity to develop in a sustainable and inclusive way. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated inequalities and poverty, adding to the challenges faced by policymakers. Factors such as rising food and fuel prices, global financial turbulence, high public debt, and disruptions in global supply chains further complicate the recovery process. Additionally, long-standing labour market issues persist, both in terms of the quantity and quality of employment. Furthermore, countries in the ASEAN region are grappling with demographic changes, increased international labour migration, climate change, and the transition to a green economy.

To address these challenges, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the China Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security are collaborating on a project titled “Promoting the Global Development Initiative with a Focus on South-South Cooperation in Employment in ASEAN” (ProSSCE-ASEAN) project. The project aims to provide technical support and policy advice to ASEAN countries in areas such as employment policy formulation and implementation, capacity building, employment diagnostics, monitoring and evaluation, and employment services and entrepreneurship.

Building on existing ILO initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region, the ProSSCE-ASEAN project adopts a South-South technical cooperation (SSTC) approach. This approach facilitates peer learning and the sharing of good practices among developing countries facing similar policy and institutional challenges.

To promote the sharing of good practices and stimulate peer learning among practitioners in Southeast Asian countries, the ProSSCE-ASEAN project will organise a two-day seminar to discuss the major employment challenges across countries in the ASEAN region, and how new generation of employment policies and strategies can contribute to a human-centred recovery, sustainable development and more equitable and just societies.

In collaboration with the ITCILO, the ProSSCE-ASEAN project is preparing a two-day high-level Project Launch and Seminar on Employment Policies and Strategies in ASEAN Countries, which will include:

• A training workshop to promote the exchange between policymakers and experts on the challenges and opportunities of employment policies to enhance humancentred economic recovery
• An introduction of the ProSSCE-ASEAN project and how the project will support policymakers in the region to design and implement effective employment policies that contribute to human-centred recovery
• The establishment of a regional network of employment experts and policymakers in the region

The face-to-face workshop will follow the ITCILO participatory approach and will facilitate panel discussions between experts, including ILO specialists, policymakers and participants from the relevant ministries from Southeast Asia.