South Africa will host G20 Employment Working Group (EWG) meetings focusing on labour and employment issues, including technical sessions and a ministerial meeting.
The meetings, convening under the theme: “Living and Working in an Unequal World: Ensuring Decent Work and Decent Lives” align with South Africa’s G20 Presidency theme of: “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability”.
The EWG meetings will focus on four key priorities:
- Inclusive Growth and Youth Employment – Reduce (not in employment, education or training) (NEET) rates through job-rich growth, skills development, youth entrepreneurship and strengthened labour market institutions.
- Gender Equality in the Workforce – Closing pay gaps, tackling job segregation and boosting women’s participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and leadership.
- Addressing Inequality and Declining Labour Income Share – Promoting fair wage- setting mechanisms to reverse the decline in labour income share and reduce economic inequality.
- Social Security and Digitalisation for an Inclusive Future of Work – Ensuring fair work in the digital economy by addressing AI, platform work and social protection expansion.
The First G20 EWG meeting will be held from 18 to 21 February 2025 at the Boardwalk Hotel, Casino & Convention Centre in Gqeberha, South Africa. Discussions will centre on inclusive growth, youth employment, gender equality, income inequality and the impact of digitalisation on the future of work.
Experts from leading local and global institutions, including the International Labour Organization (ILO), International Social Security Association (ISSA), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the World Bank, will present research on two critical topics: youth transitions to decent work and the impact of digitalisation on social security.
“We face a youth unemployment crisis,” said Sipho Ndebele, Chief Director: International Relations at the Department of Employment and Labour. “Impactful interventions are crucial for an inclusive and sustainable future of work.”
As part of its commitment to regional cooperation, South Africa has invited Egypt, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Zambia and Zimbabwe to participate as guest countries, fostering deeper collaboration across the African continent.
Media is invited to attend the EWG meetings. For media RSVP’s to facilitate accreditation, please kindly contact:
Ziphozihle Josefu at Cell: 082 308 6306 or email: ziphozihle.josefu@labour.gov.za
For media inquiries, please contact:
Teboho Thejane Departmental Spokesperson
082 697 0694/ teboho.thejane@labour.gov.za