Minister of Labor and Social Development heads the Saudi delegation to Geneva ILC next Monday

H.E. Minister of Labor and Social Development Dr. Ali bin Nasser al-Ghafis will head next Monday the Kingdom’s tripartite delegation (government officials, representatives of employers and workers) to the 107th Session of the International Labour conference, which holds from May 28 to June 8 in Geneva. At the current session, a number of government officials, employers and workers from 187 member states will take part in plenary and technical committees that draft reports and conclusions and forward them to the plenary for adoption. The participants will discuss as standing items the Reports of the Chairperson of the Governing Body and of the Director General titled ‘The Woman at Work Initiative: the push for equality’ that aims to empower women in the workforce and enhance equality in terms of wage, income and employment in addition to shedding light on ‘The Women at Work Centenary Initiative’. The ILO financial reports for December 2017 will be up for discussion, in addition to exploring the Report of the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations. Additionally, the participants will address the items placed by the Conference or the Governing Body mainly on effective development cooperation in support of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), violence and harassment in the world of work and social dialogue and tripartism. On the sidelines of the conference, the Saudi delegation will meet with representatives from ILO state members, Arab League, Nonalignment Movement, Asia Pacific countries and G20. Meanwhile, the ministry’s participation comes within Saudi Vision 2030 aiming to enhance international relations and benefit from international experiences that help generate decent job opportunities, reduce unemployment rates, achieve sustainable growth, increase women’s participation in the workforce, in addition to enhancing a proper, an attractive environment and empowering social dialogue and tripartism. It is noteworthy that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia joined the International Labor Organization in 1976 and endorsed its first agreement out of ILO 16 agreements in 1978 as its participation comes within its continued efforts to express its opinions over international labor issues and activate its effective role at the international level.