Work is the master key to equality, the axis of social and economic integration and a key mechanism for overcoming poverty (ECLAC, 2010 and 2014). However, the world of work is also an area that can produce and exacerbate inequalities. In this sense, and in line with what the eighth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) proposes, not just any type of paid work makes it possible to overcome poverty and reduce inequalities. Undoubtedly, it is necessary for labor inclusion to take place under decent work conditions. That is, that employment –among other characteristics- complies with ensuring sufficient income to overcome poverty and achieve a dignified life.
The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) considers that labor inclusion entails a process of improving labor conditions, with broad participation in the labor market under decent conditions, which, together with social inclusion, would allow the full participation of the population in society and development. In this way, one can speak of a continuum that goes from very accentuated levels of exclusion, which reflect the situation of those who have most of their rights violated, to full inclusion, a situation in which there are high levels of well-being. socioeconomic status and ability to exercise rights (CEPAL, 2017).
Currently, the region’s labor markets are going through an important period of change, marked by technological innovations, organizational transformations, and various environmental, demographic, political, and cultural trends. In addition to this, the social and labor impacts of the pandemic do not subside, which have a counteracting effect on the well-being of households. On the one hand, the growth forecasts, even when low, would result in an increase in employment and wages. On the other hand, high inflation implies a decrease in the purchasing power of households, and especially of households in a more vulnerable situation (ECLAC, 2022). In this way, it is key for public action to act urgently and innovate in labor and social protection policies in order to face the current situation.
The objective of this third Regional Seminar on Social Development is to reflect on the promotion of labor inclusion policies that allow progress towards the reduction of gaps, with the participation of experts from the United Nations and multilateral organizations, academics, and labor policy decision-makers in the region. Likewise, it is expected to discuss the strategies and innovations that are being proposed in the field of labor policies as part of the transformative recovery with equality and sustainability in the region, and highlight successful experiences in the region.
