The International Labour Organization backed new commitments from the labor ministers of the Group of 20 nations aimed at tackling inequality and boosting youth and women’s participation in the workforce, calling the pledges a “clear path” toward social justice and decent work.

Meeting in George, South Africa, under the theme “Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability,” G20 Labour and Employment Ministers adopted two primary targets: the Nelson Mandela Bay Youth Target and the Brisbane–eThekwini Goal.

The ILO said the new measures reflected renewed ambition to address persistent gaps in global labor markets.

“Your commitments to action can chart new paths to social justice through decent work,” said ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo in a keynote address. “These gaps remind us there is incredible untapped potential across the G20.”

New Targets for Youth and Gender Equity

The Nelson Mandela Bay Youth Target commits G20 countries to reduce the proportion of young people aged 15–29 who are not in employment, education or training by 5 percent by 2030.

The initiative builds on the G20’s 2014 Antalya Goal and underscores a focus on integrating youth into formal labor markets.

The Declaration accompanying the target calls for stronger employment strategies, broader access to technical and vocational education, and support for disadvantaged groups, including young women and youth with disabilities.

Separately, the Brisbane–eThekwini Goal aims to cut the gender labor force participation gap by 25 percent by 2030, while adding a new ambition to shrink the gender pay gap by 15 percent by 2035.

The ministers pledged to invest in care infrastructure, promote equal pay, and remove structural barriers to women’s economic inclusion.

Economic Opportunity, Not Just Morality

Houngbo emphasized that closing youth and gender gaps is more than a moral imperative.

“It also presents real economic opportunities to grow economies, foster inclusion and improve living standards,” he said.

The ILO noted that commitments to equal pay for work of equal value and improved care services are vital to achieving sustained labor market gains.

ILO Urges Action on Social Dialogue and Digital Gaps

The G20 Ministerial Declaration, supported by ILO technical advice, underlined the importance of social dialogue, collective bargaining and freedom of association in ensuring fair productivity gains.

Ministers also pledged to address digital divides and harness digital transformation to improve the delivery of social protection. Ongoing ILO standard-setting discussions on decent work in the platform economy were also welcomed.

The ILO and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development jointly presented new reports on women and youth in the labor market during the meeting. Ministers urged both organizations to continue tracking progress on the targets.

“We must be bolder,” Houngbo concluded. “To act with solidarity, to foster equality and to pursue sustainability, is to move social justice from commitment to action.”

The G20 Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting was held from July 30–31 in George, South Africa.

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