WASHINGTON, DC – Chair of the Organization of American States (OAS) Inter-American Council for Integral Development and Jamaica’s Permanent Representative to the( OAS), Ambassador Audrey Marks wants better cooperation among Labour Ministers in the Region to achieve productive employment and economic recovery.
Chair of the OAS Inter-American Council for Integral Development and Jamaica’s Permanent Representative to the OAS, Ambassador Audrey Marks address closing session of the 21st Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor (LACML) at the OAS headquarters in Washington DC on Friday September 24, 2021. (Derrick Scott Photo)Addressing the closing ceremony of the 21st Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor (LACML) at the OAS headquarters in Washington DC yesterday, Ambassador Marks urged the Ministers to embrace the Declaration of Buenos Aires, which has been adopted by the conference, “as our clarion call to urgent action.”
Among the salients points adopted by the Labour Ministers around the Region include:
(a) A commitment to redouble our efforts to promote both employment and business recovery and to fight informality, poverty, and inequality in all its dimensions;
(b) An undertaking “to redouble our efforts for an inclusive, sustainable, and resilient recovery, the promotion of enabling environments for entrepreneurship, and the creation and development of sustainable enterprises, providing special attention to the promotion of micro and small enterprises, cooperatives and social economy enterprises;
(c) A resolve “To deepen regional cooperation and coordination among Ministries of Labor, the actors of the world of work and civil society organizations, to answer the challenges brought about by the crisis and achieve recovery with full and productive employment and decent work for all.
(d) A determination ”to place special emphasis on promoting policies that aim to achieve gender equality through women's labor force participation, achieving non-discrimination and the elimination of violence and harassment.
(d) And a commitment to focus on promoting co-responsibility and an equitable and fair distribution of household tasks and on developing and formalizing the care economy, as we work to achieve pay equity and promote equal opportunities in all labor spheres.”
The Jamaican Ambassador told the Labour Ministers and heads of delegations of OAS member states, that these commitments were specific and could truly be game changers for our region, if they are converted into concrete action.
She said these objectives were “beyond the capacity of any one country, entity, or organization acting alone and therefore re-emphasizes the need for cooperation, collaboration, partnerships and the combined efforts of the multi-sectoral actors.”
“I am deeply encouraged by the recurring call of Ministers for joint responses not only to the crisis but for improving the lives and livelihoods of the workers of our region. Encouraging too, was witnessing for the first time the Social dialogue within the context of the Ministerial with workers and employers at the table. These my dear friends are reassuring signs that state our Inter-American Conference of Labor is strong,” Ambassador marks declared.
