G20 countries to focus on skill gaps, work and social protection policies

Recognising that well-integrated and adequately skilled workers benefit both the origin and destination countries, leaders of the G20 nations have decided to develop skills-based migration pathways and achieve sustainably financed universal social protection coverage, at the leaders' summit on Saturday.

To prepare for the future of work, the leaders of the world's top economies welcomed efforts to map global skill gaps and the development of a G20 policy to address skill gaps globally by strengthening national statistical data and extending the coverage of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Skills for Jobs databases to G20 countries.

"We commit to effectively addressing global skills for sustainable and inclusive economic development. [Towards this], we commit to addressing skill gaps, promoting decent work, and ensuring inclusive social protection policies for all," the New Delhi declaration reads.

Besides, the countries agreed to support progress on the implementation of the United Nations Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions, along with committing to the development of an international reference classification of occupations by skill and qualification requirements to facilitate cross-country comparability and mutual recognition of skills and qualifications.

"We aim to achieve sustainably financed universal social protection coverage and consider the portability of social security benefits through bilateral and multilateral agreements," the declaration reads.

The declaration also focuses on ensuring adequate social protection and decent working conditions for gig and platform workers, while eliminating child labour and forced labour along global value chains.