Key Highlights
- Delhi’s Bharat Mandapam will host the maiden Regional Dialogue of the Global Coalition for Social Justice on 24‑25 February 2025.
- The Ministry of Labour and Employment, together with CII and EFI, will coordinate participation from over 80 entities across the Asia‑Pacific and beyond.
- Core theme: "Responsible Businesses for Inclusive and Sustainable Societies" – emphasizing equitable jobs, social protection and green enterprise.
- The event coincides with ESIC’s 74th Foundation Day, underscoring India’s historic commitment to workers’ welfare.
- India leverages its role in the Asia‑Pacific Coordinating Group to steer policy discussions on labor rights, inclusive growth and regional cooperation.
Detailed Insights
The dialogue brings together governments, employer federations, trade unions, NGOs, academia and multilateral agencies under the umbrella of the Global Coalition for Social Justice, a platform initiated by the International Labour Organization in 2023. Participants will examine practical mechanisms for fostering workplaces that are both inclusive and environmentally responsible, share best‑practice models for extending labor protections, and deliberate on harmonising social‑security schemes across borders.
India’s leadership is rooted in its longstanding advocacy for equitable development, epitomised by the 2011 Social Justice Conference in New Delhi and reinforced by the expansive coverage of the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation, which celebrates its 74th Foundation Day alongside the summit. By aligning the dialogue with ESIC’s milestone, the government signals a continuity between historic labor reforms and contemporary global agendas.
Beyond policy exchange, the forum aims to generate actionable road‑maps that can be adopted by regional actors, thereby strengthening the coalition’s capacity to mitigate socioeconomic disparities and advance the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals related to decent work and economic growth.
Key Concepts
- Global Coalition for Social Justice: An ILO‑spearheaded network that unites public and private stakeholders to combat worldwide labor inequities.
- Responsible Business: Corporate conduct that integrates social equity, environmental stewardship and transparent governance into core operations.
- Inclusive Society: A social arrangement where all individuals, irrespective of gender, caste, ethnicity or ability, have equitable access to economic opportunities and social services.
- Social Security: Institutional mechanisms—such as health insurance, pensions and unemployment benefits—that safeguard workers against life‑cycle risks.
- Regional Cooperation: Collaborative policy‑making among neighboring nations aimed at harmonising labour standards and social‑protection frameworks.