ILO-South Centre Side Event at BAPA+40: “The Future of Work, Youth Employment and South-South Cooperation”

The high-level conference on South-South cooperation (BAPA+40) will take place on 20-22 March 2019 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In this context, the ILO and the South Centre will co-host a side event entitled “The Future of Work, Youth Employment and South-South Cooperation.

The high-level conference on South-South cooperation (BAPA+40) will take place on 20-22 March 2019 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In this context, the ILO and the South Centre will co-host a side event entitled “The Future of Work, Youth Employment and South-South Cooperation". The panel will take place on March 21 from 8:30 to 10:15 am. Speakers shall discuss the contribution of South-South and triangular cooperation to the development of youth employment policies post BAPA+40. The BAPA+40 Conference will celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the adoption of the Buenos Aires Plan of Action (BAPA), but more importantly it will be an opportunity to assess progress in South-South cooperation in the UN system.

The ILO and the South Centre therefore invite you to join the side event:

“The Future of Work, Youth Employment and South-South Cooperation”

21 March 2019, from 8.30 to 10.15 am

This panel will discuss SSTC and the future of work for youth from three angles: policies for skills development, green jobs, and social dialogue. It will also provide recommendations for BAPA+40 participants on effective integration of South-South and triangular cooperation into Youth Employment Policies. The discussion will take into account the report by the Global Commission on the Future of Work, launched on January 22, 2019 to mark the beginning of ILO’s centenary celebrations.
Mr. Carlos Correa, Executive Director of the South Centre, will moderate the panel comprised of:
  • Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of the Ibero-American General Secretariat, member of the Global Commission on the Future of Work;
  • Fabio Isaac Masis Fallas, Executive Director of the Costa Rica Chamber of Private Enterprises- “Unión Costarricense de Cámaras y Asociaciones del Sector Empresarial Privado” (UCCAEP);
  • Kjeld Jakobsen, Consultant for the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (CSA);
  • Brenda Cardozo, youth representative from ILO’s SafeYouth@Work project in Latin America;
  • Victoria Alonsoperez, SDG Young Leader (discussant).
This event is coordinated by the Emerging and Special Partnerships Unit of the Partnerships and Field Support Department of the ILO, with support from the ILO’s relevant technical departments as well as country and regional offices in Latin America and ILO Buenos Aires. Mr. Fabio Bertranou, Director, ILO South Cone will present the good practices on South-South and triangular cooperation.

In parallel, the ILO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean will also support the organisation of another Side Event during BAPA+40 entitled:

“Regional Initiative: Latin America and the Caribbean Free of Child Labour”

21 March 2019, from 1.00 to 3.00 pm

The Regional Initiative is a prime example of South-South cooperation when it underlines the joint efforts undertaken by countries within varioussub-regions of Mercosur, SICA and CARICOM. Furthermore, it is also promoting a horizontal exchange with the African Union in order to promote collaboration in addressing one of the main pending challenges: the mobilization of technical and financial resources for the achievement of target 8.7.
In the context of BAPA+40, the ILO will coordinate with a side event to showcase the Regional Initiative as an effective South-South Cooperation instrument to accelerate the achievement progress of eliminating child and forced labour in Latin American and Caribbean countries.
The panellists and their topics of discussion are as follows:
  1. Representative of the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC) on regional integration and complementarity with effective national policies for the prevention and eradication of child labour towards the achievement of target 8.7;
  2. Representative of the Network of Focal Points of the Regional Initiative on Tripartite dialogue and promotion of SSC – Experience in child labour theme;
  3. ILO Representative on the role of UN agencies as key agents of SSC in the perspective of decent work.
About the ILO
The only tripartite U.N. agency, since 1919 the ILO brings together governments, employers and workers of 187 member states to set labour standards, develop policies and devise programmes promoting decent work for all women and men.