ILO to help Uzbekistan develop national employment strategy

The Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abudulla Aripov approved a practical action plan for 2019-2020 to implement a decent work program and expand cooperation with the International Labor Organization (ILO). This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations of Uzbekistan.

The decision to develop a “roadmap” was made following the meeting between President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and ILO Director General Guy Ryder in December 2018 as part of the international conference “Future of Work”.

The document was also based on the agreements reached during the participation of Uzbekistan delegation in the 108th session of the International Labor Conference dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the ILO, which included a series of meetings in Geneva.

Uzbekistan has been a full member of the International Labor Organization since 1992. To date, 15 conventions of the organization have been ratified, including 8 fundamental ones. 

The approved “roadmap” for the first time takes Uzbekistan’s cooperation with the ILO to a new level, creating a solid foundation for further expanding partnerships and deepening dialogue between the parties.

The document consists of 7 sections and 65 paragraphs. It defines the areas of interaction for the implementation of international labor standards in national legislation, notes the special role of improving the mechanisms of social dialogue, developing the potential of employers and workers' organizations.

In addition, the “roadmap” reflects measures to ensure decent employment and the development of professional skills among the unemployed. A number of measures are aimed at strengthening the status of the state labor inspectorate and further improving the system of labor protection and safety in Uzbekistan.

The document also provides for the principles of promoting gender equality, development of a multilateral comprehensive national employment strategy, as well as the expansion of international cooperation under the auspices of the ILO.