United Nations
Third Regional Seminar on Social Development "Promoting labour inclusion as a way to overcome inequalities and informality in Latin America and the Caribbean"
Work area(s)
Topic(s)
Teaser
The objective of this third Regional Seminar on Social Development, which will be held in a hybrid format, is to reflect on the promotion of labour inclusion policies that allow progress towards the reduction of gaps with experts from the United Nations and multilateral organizations, academics, and labour policy decision-makers in the region. In addition, we hope to provide a space to discuss and share strategies and innovations proposed in the field of labour policies as integral parts of the transformative recovery with equality and sustainability in the region and to highlight successful experiences.
Work is the master key to equality, the axis of social and economic integration and a key mechanism for overcoming poverty (ECLAC, 2010 and 2014). However, work is also an area that can produce and exacerbate inequalities. In this sense, and in line with what is stated in the 8th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), not all types of paid work make it possible to overcome poverty and reduce inequalities. Undoubtedly, labour inclusion must occur under decent working conditions, i.e., employment -among other characteristics- must ensure sufficient income to overcome poverty and achieve a decent life.
The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) considers that labour inclusion entails improving working conditions, with broad participation in the labour market under decent conditions, which, together with social inclusion, would allow the full participation of the population in society and development. Thus, it is possible to speak of a continuum from very accentuated levels of exclusion, which reflect the situation of those whose rights are mainly violated, to full inclusion, a condition in which there are high levels of socioeconomic well-being and capacity to exercise rights (ECLAC, 2017).
The region's labour markets are undergoing a significant change, marked by technological innovations, organizational transformations and various environmental, demographic, political and cultural trends. In addition, the social and labour impacts of the pandemic, which have a countervailing effect on household welfare, are not diminishing. On the one hand, growth forecasts, although low, can imply an increase in employment and wages. But on the other hand, high inflation means a decrease in the purchasing power of households, especially the most vulnerable ones (ECLAC, 2022). Thus, public action must urgently innovate labour and social protection policies to face the current situation.
The objective of this third Regional Seminar on Social Development is to reflect on the promotion of labour inclusion policies that allow progress towards the reduction of gaps with experts from the United Nations and multilateral organizations, academics, and labour policy decision-makers in the region. In addition, we hope to provide a space to discuss and share strategies and innovations proposed in the field of labour policies as integral parts of the transformative recovery with equality and sustainability in the region and to highlight successful experiences.
Programme of work
DAY 1 "Inaugural Session"
Moderator: Daniela Trucco, Social Development Division, ECLAC
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José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, Executive Secretary of ECLAC (video)
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Gilbert Houngbo, General Director at International Labour Organization (video)
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Fabio Bertranou, Director Decent Work Team and Country Office for the South Cone of Latin America at International Labour Organization
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Jostein Leiro, Ambassador of Norway to Chile
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Gundula Weitz, Head of Division for Latin America and the Caribbean, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) Germany (virtual)
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Javier Ciurlizza, Regional Director for the Andean Region at the Ford Foundation
Presentation(s)
Day 1 "High-Level Panel- Labour Inclusion and Inequality"
Moderator: Andrés Espejo, Social Development Division, ECLAC
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Alberto Arenas de Mesa, Director Social Development Division, ECLAC "Promoting labour inclusion to overcome inequalities and informality in Latin America and the Caribbean"
Comments
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Jeannette Jara, Minister of Labour and Social Security, Chile
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Quiahuitl Chávez Domínguez, Deputy Secretary of Employment and Labor Productivity of Mexico (virtual)
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Doris Zapata Acevedo, Minister of Labour and Workforce Development, Panama
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Colin E. Jordan, Minister of Labour, Social Security and Third Sector, Barbados (virtual)
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Norman Dunn, Minister of Labour and Social Security, Jamaica
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Kelly Olmos, Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Argentina
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Pablo Mieres, Minister of Labour and Social Security, Uruguay (virtual)
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Francisco Macena da Silva, Executive Secretary, Minister of Labour and Employment, Brazil (virtual)
Closing Remarks:
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Fabio Bertranou, Director Decent Work Team and Country Office for the South Cone of Latin America at International Labour Organization
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Alberto Arenas de Mesa, Director Social Development Division, ECLAC
Presentation(s)
Presentación_Alberto Arenas de Mesa
DAY 1 Parallel Event: Launching the ECLAC - FORD Foundation publication "Inequalities and labour inclusion in the context of the future of work in Latin America"
The event will be in conversation format with the authors, and there will be a cocktail reception at the end of the activity.
DAY 1 "Panel 1: Labour informality as a structuring factor of regional inequality and precariousness"
Moderator: Raúl Holz, Social Development Division, ECLAC.
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Alejandro Portes, Howard Harrison and Gabrielle Snyder Beck Professor of Sociology, Princeton University (virtual)
Comments
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Kelly Olmos, Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Argentina
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Alisha Holland, Associate Professor of Government at Harvard University (virtual)
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Roxana Maurizio, Regional Specialist on Labour Economics, ILO (virtual)
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Andrés Espejo, ECLAC, Social Development Division
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Ramón Pineda, ECLAC, Economic Development Division
Presentation(s)
DAY 2 "Labour inclusion and human capabilities for equality and productivity"
Opening Remarks
Moderator: Carlos Maldonado, Social Development Division, ECLAC
- Professor Francisco H. G. Ferreira, Amartya Sen Professor of Inequality Studies, Director of the International Inequalities Institute. London School of Economics (virtual)
Presentation(s)
DAY 2 "Panel 2: Towards the Eradication of Child Labour by 2025"
Moderator: Raquel Santos García, Social Development Division, ECLAC
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Pilar Rodríguez (ILO Regional Technical Secretariat) and Andrés Espejo (Social Development Division, ECLAC), "A trap for equality: Child labour in Latin America and the Caribbean"
Comments
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María Gabriela Pico, Undersecretary for Policy and Norms, Ministry of Labour of Ecuador
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Gillian Corrodus, Director of Industrial Relations and Allied Services Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Jamaica
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Juliana Manrique, International Organisation of Employers (IOE) (virtual)
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Cicero Pereira Da Silva, Secretary of Union Training Education, CSA (virtual)
Presentation(s)
DAY 2 "Panel 3: Youth labour inclusion: Transition from school to work"
Moderator: Daniel Titelman Director Economic Development Division, ECLAC
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Daniela Trucco Social Development Division, ECLAC Youth and Families: Policies to support inclusion trajectories
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Lucia Scuro Division for Gender Affairs, ECLAC Presentation
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Evelyn Vezza, Consultant, Economic Development Division, ECLAC (virtual)
Comments
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Carla Bacigalupo Planás, Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Paraguay (virtual)
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Laís Abramo, Secretaria Nacional de Cuidados y Família, MDS, Brazil
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Juan Chacaltana, ILO Senior Employment Policy Specialist (virtual)
Presentation(s)
DAY 2 "Panel 4: Labour Inclusion: Challenges in an unequal region"
Moderator: Raúl Holz, Social Development Division, ECLAC
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Andrés Espejo (Social Development Division, ECLAC), "Between exclusion and labour inclusion: An approach adapted to the Latin American context"
Comments
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Laura Ripani, Chief of the Labour Markets Division, IADB (virtual)
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Dolores de la Mata, Senior Economist, Socioeconomic Research Division, CAF Development Bank of Latin America (virtual)
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Colin E. Jordan, Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Third Sector, Barbados (virtual)
Presentation(s)
DAY 3 "Present and future of work: Labour inclusion as an axis to overcome inequalities and informality in Latin America"
Keynote Speech
Moderator and comments: Daniela Trucco, Social Development Division, ECLAC
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Glenda Quintini – Senior Economist, OECD (virtual)
Presentation(s)
DAY 3 "Panel 5: Skills Development for Labor Inclusion"
Moderator: Amalia Palma, Social Development Division, ECLAC
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Mariana Huepe and Ernesto Espíndola, Social Development Division, ECLAC - Skills for the future of work
Comments
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Doris Zapata Acevedo, Ministry of Labour and Workforce Development, Panama
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Andrés Romero, Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Costa Rica (virtual)
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Anne Caroline Posthuma, Director, ILO/Cinterfor (virtual)
Presentation(s)
DAY 3 "Panel 6: Articulation between labour policies and social protection oriented towards formality and equality"
Moderator: Maria Luisa Marinho, Social Development Division, ECLAC
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Claudia Robles and Nincen Figueroa, Social Development Division, ECLAC - Articulation between labour policies and social protection
Comments
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Nicolás Navarrete, National Director of FOSIS, Chile
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Mariano Brener, Regional Coordinator, International Social Security Association (ISSA) (virtual)
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Antonio Manzi, National Director of Transfers and Data Analysis at the Ministry of Social Development in Uruguay
Presentation(s)
Presentación Nincen Figueroa y Claudia Robles
DAY 3 Closing Panel: Discussion Former Directors of the Social Development Division, ECLAC
Moderator: Andrés Espejo, Social Development Division, ECLAC
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Alberto Arenas de Mesa
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Andras Uthoff
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Martín Hopenhayn (virtual)
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Laís Abramo
Practical information
Hybrid event from June 27th to 29th, 2023.
Simultaneous interpretation spanish-english-spanish available
Related content
Labour Inclusion is a Critical Factor for Reducing Inequality and Informality in Latin America and the Caribbean
Today authorities and specialists inaugurated the Third Regional Seminar on Social Development, organized by ECLAC in collaboration with numerous institutions.
ECLAC: Latin America and the Caribbean Faces the Challenge of Moving from Labour Market Participation to Labour Inclusion
Today the Third Regional Seminar on Social Development concluded, having convened Labour Ministers, academics, specialists and representatives of trade-union and employer organizations.
